Based on Federico Fellini’s 1954 screenplay drama meaning ‘The Road’, one of the most influential movies ever made. This brand new stage adaptation is brought to us by Olivier Award nominee Director Sally Cookson with music composed by Benji Bower.
This is a soul-searching life-on-the-road story filled with heartache, loneliness, love, humour and beauty. The story begins with Gelsomina’s penniless mother selling her to the travelling strong man Zampano (Stuart Goodwin) after her sister’s death. Gelsomina (Audrey Brisson) is a simple and girlish character full of whimsy and loves her home by the sea. She’s thrown into a rough and dangerous but colourful world of post war Italy meeting the free-spirited performing artists and circus folk along the way. They meet the very funny Il Matto (The Fool) who helps Gelsomina find her purpose, he says ‘what’s in that ugly artichoke head of yours’. Very funny and a brilliant performance from Bart Sorocznski.
La Strada brings together a talented cast of actor-musicians in which they bring the story to life through their stage movements, story telling, sound effects, singing and beautiful, haunting music so that the audience is on the road with them. A very simple set with a few props and atmospheric lighting is all that’s needed to tell this tale and for the audience to fully enjoy their experience following Gelsomina and Zampano. Fantastic performances from both Goodwin and Brisson too, portraying their characters brilliantly and what a breathtaking voice Audrey has!
The films message is as poignant today as ever, as written by Francesca Fabbri Fellini (Fellini’s niece), ‘the pain of loneliness, the need we feel for each other, the certainty that each of us is good for something, no matter how humble and obscure we may be’
A must see!
La Strada at Milton Keynes Theatre – 20th–25th February. For tickets, visit www.atgtickets.com
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