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Waiting for bo - rampa prenestina Theater

waiting for bo

aspettando BO

A performance in the spirit of Beckett, depicting the struggles of two young Roma men searching for work. Failures, misunderstandings, and prejudices push them further from their dreams. A poignant yet deeply human theatrical experience about vulnerability, hope, and survival, delivered with the lighthearted humor of commedia dell’arte.

"They make you believe that your worst enemy is a „Gipsy”.

But what if I told you that roses also grow at the camp, would you believe me?

Children, cute, precious, blessed by all the angels and archangels, play all day long together.

And the women? We don’t even know where they find the strength…

Even in the coldest winter, there will always be a camp fire!"

Creators

performers:	Roberto Djordjevic, Erik Nikolic
musicians:	Mattia Alberghetti, Sebastiano Spinella
sound:	Claudia Sorrentino
dramaturgy:	L. Ruocco, I. Talarico, C. Sorrentino, S. Spinella
director:	Claudia Sorrentino
stage technician:	Yonas Aregay Kidane
translation (English):	Francesca Cicca
by:	Rampa Prenestina Theater

teaser

Background

The performance is the result of a one and half year long process of research, writing and professional theater training inspired by real life stories of the young Roma and non-Roma artists, in the frame of a theater play inspired by Samuel Beckett's masterpiece.

The performance shows in a comic key a series of situations experienced by two young man who venture out in search of a job that would allow them to earn enough money to build a house and leave the Roma camp. The two continually fail, due both to their inadequacy and to the prejudices they encounter along the way. Due to a misunderstanding they also get in trouble with the law, and finally they return resigned to the Roma camp.

Reviews

‘For most of the performance, the two boys converse with a disembodied female voice that seems to come from heaven—she is the seemingly cheerful, motherly employment agent, the representative of society, who of course warns the audience in a buzzing voice: be careful, the gypsies are here, everyone watch your valuables. And despite her honeyed tone, she does not understand the main characters at all, who they are, what they need – the first interaction is spot on when she tries to get them to reveal what kind of camp their home is: are they rural farm boys, farmers?’

ot.hu

‘The strength of the performance, however, is that Erik and Cioppi are not alone on stage. Disregarding the disembodied female voice, there are two musicians on stage who have two main tasks. Not only do they provide the music, they also belong to Erik and Cioppi's community. They are Roma, refugees just like them. Their presence also means that Erik and Cioppi are not alone.'

Potszekfoglal.hu

‘The vicissitudes of job hunting are made funny by the slapstick antics of commedia dell’arte / clownade, but at the same time, they never let us forget that the reason for their failures is the prejudice against job seekers from Roma settlements and the fact that they are starting from a position of disadvantage.'

revizoronline.com

Materials to read

excerpts from the play

In case you would like to request availability to the full play and/or the full video about the performance, write an email to info@romaheroes.org and describe the aim of your request!

IN ENGLISH