Cuticchio brings “La macchina dei sogni” to the theater with a performance inspired by Noah’s Ark
The 41st edition of “La Macchina dei Sogni” (The Dream Machine), the festival organized by Mimmo Cuticchio, is titled “Come l’Arca di Noè” (Like Noah’s Ark) and will take place from May 28th to June 2nd in Palermo, Italy. The festival will be held in various locations including the Teatro dei pupi Santa Rosalia, the sala degli specchi (hall of mirrors) at the Politeama, the Teatro Atlante, and the Piccolo Teatro Patafisico. Cuticchio presented the program of the festival at a press conference this morning, with the presence of municipal councilors Fabrizio Ferrandelli and Giampiero Cannella.
The ark of Noah is the laboratory-museum where the shows, the puppets, and all the theater of Figura (puppet theater) are created. It is also where an exhibition titled “Animali e creature fantastiche nell’Arca dei pupi” (Animals and Fantastic Creatures in the Ark of Puppets) will be set up.
Noah is, of course, Mimmo Cuticchio himself, who has dedicated his life to preserving an immense heritage recognized by UNESCO, as well as by the public and international critics. The festival will feature twelve shows starting with “L’infanzia di Orlando” (The Childhood of Orlando), a prequel to the story of the paladin of France. This year, Cuticchio’s children, known as I Figli d’arte Cuticchio (Cuticchio’s Artistic Children), have initiated a collaboration with the Teatro Atlante and the Teatro Patafisico, both renowned for their research in puppet theater. Among the invited guests are the marionettes grilli from Turin, the Teatro del Drago from Ravenna, and the Girovago e Rondella from Vetralia.
On June 2nd, in the sala degli specchi (hall of mirrors), there will be “La sfida- un duello tra musica e magia” (The Challenge – a Duel between Music and Magic) by the Teatro Atlante, followed by “Rapsodia Fantastica” (Fantastic Rhapsody) by the Giacomo Cuticchio Ensemble at 6:30 pm. The orchestra will perform Giacomo’s music while a screen behind them illustrates the most iconic moments of the shows produced with his father, Mimmo. “The baton,” explained the great puppeteer, “has already been passed to Giacomo, who directs the Teatro di via Bara. The flood that the Ark must protect us from is the lack of attention towards an ancient yet extremely innovative theater. We are connected with all the Italian operators of puppet theater to ask the Ministry to acknowledge what we already are: centers of production, innovation, and research.” Many of this year’s shows have been scheduled in the morning to allow schools to participate.
As we can see, Mimmo Cuticchio’s “La Macchina dei Sogni” festival promises to be a captivating and innovative event that pays homage to the rich heritage of puppet theater. With performances inspired by Noah’s Ark and collaborations with renowned theater companies, this edition is set to be one of the highlights of Palermo’s cultural calendar. Don’t miss the opportunity to immerse yourself in the magical world of puppets and experience the artistry of Mimmo Cuticchio and his talented collaborators.