Prima della pensione
21/10/2006
, 
19:00
22/10/2006
, 17:00
by Thomas Bernhard
translation Roberto Menin
project and direction Renzo Martinelli
co-direction Elena Cerasetti, Francesca Garolla
with Alessandro Genovesi, Irene Valota, Federica Fracassi, Francesca Garolla, the audience
sound Giuseppe Ielasi
scenes Renzo Martinelli
technical Marco Preatoni
light designer Lucio Lucà
photographers Andrea Messana, Salvatore Lanteri
production TEATRO I
with the patronise of Comune di Milano - Assessorato Cultura e Musei, Provincia di Milano, Forum Austriaco di Cultura a Milano
duration 2 hours and 30 minutes
After the opening of the season with The theatre has begun. An exercise for Thomas Bernhard, Teatro i continues the study on the Austrian author with the setting of "Eve of retirement".
This "comedy of the German soul" takes place within the claustrophobic domestic walls of the Höller family, where the former director of a lager and his two sisters prepare themselves for the yearly celebration of the defunct Himmler's birthday.
The direction chooses to let the play characters’ vices and degenerations be represented by masks not yet marked by time, provocatively giving the part to actors in their thirties.
We are facing confused and dubious times. Nowadays, particularly in our country, we face the confusion between time and age concepts. It makes no more sense talking about a linear historical development, where one generation follows the other.
The West, unable to face his past, cannot be else but extremely immature, victim and responsible for a false youth syndrome.
Once we had made room for voices out of the chorus, antagonists, idealists, heroes, now we necessarily and consciously bring into it those who are part of this chorus and here they hide: we, the bourgeois, intolerant, aged, childish, violent, liar, dead.
How far can we go when tackling Bernhard?
Bernhard's language is an insidious ground. We approach with caution, inadequacy, curiosity. Each text is a labyrinth, a whole composed of infinite parts.
Bernhard's language compels to concentrate, to doubt, to play. It cracks gently the little we know.
Bernhard's language calls strongly, demands presence, attention. This language has no need for a passive spectator, this language does not allow itself to be just utilized. This language calls for an action, a body, a voice. It demands a thought.
We take his word with our fingertips, we try to make it our own and to interpret it in order to understand it. And then we send it back to the watchers.
There’s a challenge to share with the public that we welcome in a context, not as a simple spectator, but witness of what happened yesterday, few years ago, what nobody wants to see in order not to hurt anymore.
A deaf and dumb child brings the public into the context, reveals them the contradiction feeding the characters, unable to escape from their own obsession.
Truth and lie, authenticity and simulation, reality and exasperation live together, become confused to get at last beyond the word, slim sounds, impalpable and temporary harmonies.
What else? Oh,yes, how many masks, how great the desire of Bernhard's characters to change personality!
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