FELLINI’S OSCAR-WINNING MASTERPIECE LA STRADA COMES TO MILTON KEYNES THEATRE
Kenny Wax Ltd with Cambridge Arts Theatre & Bristol Old Vic present The Belgrade Theatre Coventry’s Production Federico Fellini’s LA STRADA
One of the true masterpieces of modern cinema, Federico Fellini’s 1957 Oscar-winning film, LA STRADA (The Road), will be brought to life on stage in a brand new adaptation directed by Olivier Award nominee Sally Cookson with music composed by Benji Bower.
A soul-searching story filled with beauty, sadness, humour and acute observation, La Strada tells the tragic and tender tale of wide-eyed Gelsomina who is sold by her impoverished mother to the brutish strongman Zampano, a travelling sideshow performer. Their journey through the Italian countryside leads them to a ragtag touring circus where they meet Il Matto the free-spirited tightrope walker, who tries to rekindle Gelsomina’s broken spirit.
Director Sally Cookson says:
“Felini’s iconic film has always fascinated me and the thought of using it as a starting point to make a piece of theatre was one I couldn’t resist. A folk-tale like odyssey – this story sees three lost souls travelling ‘the road’ and searching in different ways to find meaning in their lives. Using physical story telling, music and movement, we will be attempting to find a theatricality to re imagine this story of human suffering, longing and redemption.”
Featuring live music and original songs, La Strada brings together a multi-skilled cast of performers and musicians. Audrey Brisson (Cirque de Soleil’s Quidam, The Wild Bride and National Theatre’s The Elephantom) plays Gelsomina, Stuart Goodwin (Sally Cookson’s Sleeping Beauty; Kneehigh’s Tristan & Yseult) plays Zampano and Bart Soroczynski (Cirque de Loin’s The Fool & The Princess; ENO’s Benvenuto Cellini; RSC’s The Merry Wives of Windsor) plays Il Matto.
La Strada is directed by Sally Cookson who is an associate artist of Bristol Old Vic. Together with long-time creative collaborator, composer and musical director Benji Bower.
La Strada is at Milton Keynes Theatre until Saturday 25th February (matinees on Wed & Sat)
Box Office: 0844 870 0887 or online: www.atgtickets.com/miltonkeynes
I saw the show on Monday evening and these were my thoughts…..
After quite a run of high profile musicals it is truly refreshing to see this new theatrical version of Fellini’s masterpiece La Strada. Directors Sally Cookson and Benji Bower are to be congratulated for dreaming up this very novel way of storytelling. For their bravery too because the entire show started with the story but no actual script until the actors first met at rehearsals! The whole wonderful experience has been honed at rehearsals and probably during the run by the cast and directors. The result is a compelling story that as they say during the action was told a thousand years ago and also told today. I promise you this is very different, clever, witty and you’d be foolish to miss it!
Ernie Almond
La Strada is at Milton Keynes Theatre until Saturday 25th February (matinees on Wed & Sat)
Box Office: 0844 870 0887 or online: www.atgtickets.com/miltonkeynes
