Seen at Torino Fringe Festival on the 21st of May 2023

4 Stars – Holy (and unholy) s…

From the beginning, scenography and props remind the spectator of the unifying traits that all humanity shares: a WC and some piles of faeces. From the start, a devil introduces a rooted satiric mode on society classes, and the weight they had in history. In this clown show, or Teatro Corporal, as the name of the company reads, the Argentinian Jorge Costa delivers stunning interpretations of power deriving from religion, war, and money. Amusement is both light and well-read.

Engaging in a short history of humankind, the actor experiencedly employs beautiful masks (Máscaras Iriarte created by Gabriela Guastavino and Alfredo Iriarte), with a technique that is nothing but perfect. Despite having a couple of weaker moments, the direction of Julia Muzio and Alfredo Iriarte stresses the playfulness of the show.

The traditional satirical mode is declined in a fresh and hilarious way, with a link to the present and a warning in the final monologue. The text is unexpectedly articulated, and acted in a mix of Italian and Castilian, even though this was not stated in the online nor in the paper show description. This combination does not always easy the comprehension of jokes, but the play remains highly enjoyable.

16th-21st of May, 7.30 pm

Running time: 80 minutes

Venue: Bunker, Tendone Magdaclan, Via Niccolò Paganini, 0/200, Torino

Tickets and Info: https://www.tofringe.it/eventi-23/the-evolucion-humana/

Company Website: http://www.teatrocorporal.com.ar/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/teatrocorporal/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/teatrocorporal/