Giacomo. An intervention of dramatic art in the political sphere

To commemorate the centenary of the assassination of Giacomo Matteotti, the show Giacomo. A dramatic art intervention in the political sphere is on stage at the Teatro Argentina. The show, directed by Pietro Borgia and starring Elena Cotugno, is based on Matteotti's parliamentary speeches.

In the show, Giacomo Matteotti's speeches in Parliament are compared: that of 31 January 1921, in which he denounced the connivance between the bourgeois political forces and the fascist gangs, and that of 30 May 1924, the last session in which Matteotti participated before being assassinated.

Giacomo Matteotti (1885 –1924) was the secretary of the PSU from 1922 to 1924, before the fascist regime took power in Italy. He was a scholar of criminal law and public finance; organizer of workers' leagues, administrator and mayor of some municipalities in the Polesine, he was a member of parliament for three legislatures. Lover of truth and example of moral courage, he died on 10 June 1924, at the age of 39, at the hands of a fascist squad, on the orders of Benito Mussolini.

The show, in all its drama, consists in the re-presentation of Matteotti's speeches in all their naked truth, revealing the political tragedy that lies behind this terrible affair. In fact, the play invites us to reflect on some main themes, such as the meaning of political militancy, citizenship rights and the possibility of opposing fascist violence with reference to the values ​​of freedom and democracy. All aspects that, through theatrical art, are enhanced more than ever.

Photo credits: courtesy of Luca Del Pia