Musical pantomime in one act and 16 scenes

Expressive techniques: mim, dance, songs ad acting

The dance theatre performance THE NUTCRACKER represents a new way to illustrate to children and young people an artistic movement in its different aspects:

figurative/plastic aspects, through scenery, décors and costumes designing

linguistic aspects, through a script respectful of the stylistic features

musical aspect, through a soundtrack presenting sonorities and compositions typical of the movement

movement dynamics, through a personalized choreography and gestural adaption

The Nutcracker is an introduction to the Futurist movement, thanks to its dynamic, rhythmical and colourful stage design. The Futurist movement is in fact an extraordinary movement that led the way to all the other artistic avant-garde movements of the 19th century in Europe and in the world. Another important and unique fact is that this movement dedicated particular attention to the children’s world.

There have been writers, poets, painters, illustrators, musicians who have designed, written, created and composed specifically for children. They respected with great tact the intelligence of children and, at the same time, they presented to them the new artistic criteria (still very actual to me) in an amusing and pleasant way.
First of all I would like to mention Sergio Tofano, a poet and an illustrator. The Nutcracker draws its inspiration from his fresh and rich language, his rimes, his verses and contents (comedies, short stories, novels, as well as his famous illustrations). Gianni Rodari himself (more famous because more recent) owes him much for his imagination in its narrative and lyrical compositions.

Secondly I would like to mention the composers Casella, Satie, Poulenc, Prokofiev for the musical adaption of their worlds for children and Depero, an artist from Rovereto, for his “Balli Plastici” (“Plastic Dance”).The Futurist movement is a never-ending laboratory of clever ideas, verbal and linguistic games, new shapes and colours, expressive sounds and funny movements.

In order to better appreciate the show, it is possible for schools to organize sessions with the director who will introduce the bright Futurist world to the interested classes.
These sessions will be like a cheerful chat including:

lettura e presentazione di vari testi futuristi (molto Tofano, estrapolazioni dalle sue commedie, da raccolte di novelle, dal romanzo) poi Palazzeschi, Luciano Folgore, Depero e proposte di recitazione con i bambini

1) projection of pictures, writings, scenes (Depero, Picasso, Léger, many Russian artists, Schlemmer, Prampolini, Balla)

2) listening to music and comparison between the music of the end of XIX century and beginning of XX century

3) listening to some Futurist voices, to the original manifestos and to the “Intonarumori” (noise-generating devices) by Russolo (State archives)

4) theatrical scene propositions from the Futurist period and the new conception of theatre

The program of the encounter will present different texts, images, listening and projections accordingly to the children’s age.

Realized by BRICABRAC, thanks to the contribution of the MUNICIPALITY AND OF THE PROVINCE OF BOLZANO

MUSIC:
it is an heterogeneous collage (jazz, classic music, Satie, Casella, Poulenc, Strawinskj, Prokofie’v, tango from the streets and rock music)

SCENERY AND COSTUMES:
Very colourful, with evermoving scenographic elements inspired by the great Italian artist Fortunato Depero (Le Chant du Rossignol, painted by Diaghilev and his Ballets Russes).
Costumes by Armida Ostet
Scenery by Mariapia Doliana

COREOGRAPHY:
Full of rhythm, plastic, very lively, inspired by the “Balli Plastici” by Depero and by Oskar Schlemmer’s work at the Bauhaus.

LANGUAGE:
Homage to Sergio Tofano (known as “STO”), the great poet, playwright, painter, drawer and actor of the Futuristic Movement, who paid a great attention to the children’s world.

PICTURES:
Saverio Chindamo