A theatrical journey weaving music, dance and storytelling to tell the story of migration through the eyes of Samadou Traore, an underage boy who arrives in Italy from Mali, and songs from the concept-album “On This Side of the Sea” by Gian Maria Testa.
The show tells the story of Samadou, a young underage migrant who converses with a policeman during the day and, at night, in an imaginary way, with his mother who has remained in his homeland. Through narration, Samadou becomes a symbol of the many unaccompanied minors who face dangerous journeys to an uncertain future and show up at the borders of Europe and the West.
The common thread linking the various parts of the show this time is not a literary and narrative text but the verses of the Piedmontese singer-songwriter, sometimes sung other recited that accompany and enrich the narrative, creating a parallelism between today’s migrants and the Italians who emigrated at the end of the 19th century.
“Sguardo Meticcio” is the third show of Sanguemisto, a project born in 2018 during the Florentine Summer. It is dedicated to migrants and inspired by the concept-album “Da questa parte del mare” by Gian Maria Testa, for which he received the Tenco Prize in 2007.
The title of the show, “Sguardo Meticcio,” recalls the need to look at the phenomenon of migration with an open and inclusive perspective, as opposed to a “poor and fearful gaze,” cited by Testa himself.
“Sguardo Meticcio” is an invitation to understand and celebrate migration as a human and cultural richness. Through music, words and dance, the show leaves a message of beauty and courage: “Beauty exists and is not afraid of anything.”
Style and languages
The show mixes theater, contemporary dance, live music and video in a unique and evocative weave. Music takes a central role, with songs by Gian Maria Testa, the Rolling Stones and Nick Cave, performed live by a band that plays live on stage and singer Elisa Saveri who voices the various musical contributions..
Choreography and stage movements, curated by Ornella Vitale and Hamdi Abdurahman Ahmed, further enrich the show, creating an engaging visual and emotional experience.
Replicas and location
Debut: July 24, 2018, Spiaggia sull’Arno, Florence
Repeats: At the Giardino dell’Orticoltura and other venues, with significant collaborations such as with Teatro L’Affratellamento and the Parish of Santa Maria a Ricorboli.
Credits
Direction: Rodolfo Vezzosi
Dramaturgy: Anna Polin
Music: Percussion: Paolo Casu; Keyboards: Antonio Muti; Guitar and Singing: Paolo Rafanelli;
Singing: Elisa Saveri
Voice: Anna Polin, Rodolfo Vezzosi, Yuri Vezzosi
Dance: Giovanna Vitale, Hamdi Abdurahman Ahmed
Sound engineer and Technician-Lights: Filippo Belperio
Video: Gregorio Poli
Script
This play script, created by the Sanguemisto company, is an original and authentic work. To attest to its authorship and ensure its integrity, it has been notarized on the public blockchain Algorand. This technology ensures immutable proof of the registration date, protecting the work from future alteration or challenge.
Notarization on blockchain is recognized by the Italian legal system. Decree Law 135/2018, converted into law on February 7, 2019, states in Article 8-ter, paragraph 3, that the storage of a piece of data on a blockchain constitutes legally valid proof of its existence on that date.