When you come into the world and you are a woman, you must be trained to survive in a society where a woman is “perfect” only if she falls within those proposed standards of beauty imposed by social media and a patriarchal culture that asks her to exist to satisfy and fulfill the needs of the male. What happens when a mother already from the choice of childhood games imposes on her daughter gender stereotypes that leave no room for freedom of expression? Where can you go when a mother who has the task of directing her daughter, is convinced that being desired is the equivalent of being loved? Mother and daughter are the protagonists of a game of slaughter in which the male audience is involved.
“Be Woman” is a contemporary physical theater show in which music, lights, projections, and on-stage involvement of the male audience play a fundamental role. Gender stereotypes, cat-calling, objectification of the female body in the media, cybersex, abuse of cosmetic surgery, obsessive need for approval on social networks: these are the main themes that make up the show. The show demonstrates how many obstacles, prejudices and contradictions a girl has to face every day during the growth process of Becoming a Woman, in a society that shows through the projection of images selected by television broadcasts, advertising and cartoons that in the 21st century still emphasize a fixed female standard on two opposite poles: the busty and sexually palatable Jessica Rabbit or the submissive Snow White/Cinderella whose only function is to take care of others to the detriment of herself.
direction Antonella Salvatore
cast Raffaella Zappalà, Antonella Salvatore
light design Raffaele Fracchiolla
video projections Federico Martucci
duration 50 min
production Istituto Teatrale Europeo
The European Theatre Institute Association (accredited M.I.U.R. for the training of teachers of all orders and grades pursuant to D.M. 170/2016 (formerly D.M. 90 of 1/12/2003) was founded in 1973 by Mariagiovanna Rosati Hansen, creator of the Metodo Hansen® which is based on an theatrical training approach of Anglo-Saxon matrix that combines two disciplines, the artistic one, specific to the actor and the psychological one of the Gestaltic Counseling. Since 2003 the association has directed the Teathre Abarico in Rome, continuing to dedicate itself to projects of Social Theatre, production of live performances, training in the artistic field on Theatrical Direction and in the field of Expressive Arts Therapy. For over 10 years it was the promoter and organizer of the European Theatre Festival “X-Actor”; a cultural event that promotes the educational and artistic exchange between European and non-European theatrical realities with the aim of spreading the idea of multilingual theater.
Antonella Salvatore, studied at the Lee Strasberg Theatre & Film Institute in Los Angeles, USA: Metod Acting with David Strasberg and Carlos Colunga, Acting for Film/TV with Anna De Salvo and Ilia Volok. She graduated from the Accademia Internazionale dell’Attore in Rome and for two years was a member of the pedagogy group “Teatranti della Malanotte” led by Mamadou Dioume Senegalese director and pedagogue and actor Peter Brook. Antonella continues her theatrical training with the following professionals on the international scene: Serguei Timofeev of the Lytseiskj Theatre, Russia; Aneta Damska of the Przedmies Theatre of Lacut, Poland; Frank Ràdug of the Frankfurt-Oder Theatre, Germany; Jean Paul Denizon actor Peter Brook; Martin Ward director of the Masters Degree in Actor Training and Coaching in London; Jacek Ludwig Scarso, of the London Metropolitan University; Jordi Forcadas, director of Teatro Pa’tothom of Barcelona; Pierre Yves Massip and Sara Mangano actors and assistants of Marcel Marceau; Cesar Brie Argentine actor and playwright director, Alexander Nordstrom Russian Swedish director. In 2008 she joined the Theatre Company I.T.E. (European Theatre Institute) where she currently works as Actress, Director, Art- Theatre Counselor and Theatre Teacher. Antonella has conducted theatre internships in France, Germany, Poland, Romania, and Italy. In 2010 she co-founded the Italian-French company SideraTeatro, with which she collaborated until 2016 as an actress, author and co-director. She is a member of the Staff of the Association “LIBERA DALLA VIOLENZA” “FREE FROM VIOLENCE” and has collaborated on numerous projects that combat Violence against Women, using the Theatre as a tool to disseminate information and for prevention. Last show: “Double Bond. Quando “l’Inferno uccide l’Amore” “Hell Kills Love” was born following a project with Women Victims of Psychological Violence. (Performances in Romania, Germania, Roma, Ischia, Ariano Irpino, Milano, Bedizzole); “No land under your feet” which addresses the issue of immigration and racism. (Ningyo Festival – Paris, Mimesis Festival – Paris, Sparks Festival – Milan and Asti, Rome …) Since 2009 she has been conducting theatre workshops for adults, children, and women victims of violence. At ASD Grey Horse she has created an outdoor Integrated Theatre workshop with disabled people and horses. Dr. in Sciences and Psychological Techniques for clinical intervention for the person, the group, and institutions. Antonella is a Professor of Theatre Counseling at the CIPA counseling school that collaborates with the Universaty of Tor Vergata – Rome.