The Saint On The Broom

In perfect harmony with the popular belief that wants the so-called “night witches” on the night of Saint John, on Saturday 22 June one of the most amusing and picturesque theatrical jewels designed by Luigi Magni will be staged at 7.00 pm and 9.30 pm, the comedy “LA SANTA SULLA SCOPA” with ANNACHIARA MANTOVANI and ELEONORA PARIANTE preceded at 19.00 by a post-afternoon preparation aimed at involving tourists and the public visiting the manor.

The theatrical event will be hosted in the piazzale della Rocca, the courtyard of the castle of Santa Severa, a space of Regione Lazio and managed by LAZIOcrea in collaboration with the Municipality of Santa Marinella and Coopculture.

Performed for the first time at the Teatro della Cometa in Rome in 1986 according to the strict guidelines of Magni himself, the comedy, directed today by Eleonora Pariante, enjoys a scenic staging faithful to the original one even in the choice of Nando Citarella as performer of the musical parts written by the same Magni as well as pieces of popular tradition sung and played.

As often happens with the works of Magni, a historical anecdote, or probably such, moves the ranks of the work and so, in the middle of a humid summer night, under the watchful eye of the white big angels of Ponte Castello and the peremptory resounding of the touches of a sixteenth-century Rome made up of alleys, small squares and fountains, the witch Silvestra, incarcerated and close to the stake, gets a meeting with the nun Apollonia so that she, having listened to her, intercedes with the Pope and obtains in extremis grace and release.

The reason for their meeting becomes the perfect opportunity for the author to revisit rituals, rituals and beliefs, rumours and truths about witchcraft skilfully juggling anecdotes, documents, testimonials appropriately set and revisited in order to accompany the incredulous spectator along a path in-depth study of one of the most intriguing phenomena of the last millennium.

The strong weaving of immediate dialogues makes use of the great mimicry of Pariante herself, a bewitching interpreter of the role of the witch, and of that continuously changing of energetic Annachiara Mantovani in the role of the Saint, assisted by interludes linked to the most ancient of musical traditions, important and effective ingredient to the conquest of the spectator already captured by the rediscovery of the Romanesque vernacular so loved by the author.

LA SANTA SULLA SCOPA is certainly the theatrical cameo of this skilful contemporary screenwriter and writer, author of authentic masterpieces of the big screen such as “In the name of the pope king”, “In the year of the Lord”, “In the name of the sovereign people”, “Secondo Ponzio Pilato”,”Tosca” just to mention those most known by the public thanks to the participation of cinematographers such as Nino Manfredi, Alberto Sordi, Gigi Proietti, Monica Vitti, Vittorio Gassman, Aldo Fabrizi, Franco Nero, Ninetto Davoli, Claudia Cardinals.

The representation obtained the patronage of the Cultural Association Gigi e Lucia Magni and the staging is in collaboration with Associazione Culturale Genta Rosselli and MARA FUX distribuzioni.

Ticket cost:

Reduced ticket: guys up to 17 years old and groups € 15.00 required booking by calling 3384279858

Full cost € 18.00

Directed by Eleonora Pariante

Musics by Nando Citarella

Scenography by Manuela Barbato

Costumes by Francesca Staccioli