Eugenio Barba for #laculturanonsiferma
«Among the artists who have profoundly signed the history of late 20th century theatre, Eugenio Barba is the only one who has worked in innovative ways in all the fields of theatre culture: artistic creation, transmission of technics and professional knowledge, historical memory, scientific research, the use of theatre in social context as an instrument to enable relations among different groups, ethnicities, and cultures. In short, his whole activity may be defined as the example of a global re-invention of theatre as “island of freedom” – an expression Barba loves».
This is from the presentation of the book by Eugenio Barba Prediche dal giardino, published in 2010 by L’Arboreto di Mondaino, “dwelling theatre” and regional centre for artistic residence in the outback of Rimini, a “place for thinking, studying, researching, and experimenting” on contemporary arts, host of many Italian and European artists, and Barba himself, among them.
Odin Teatret has been often guest of the theatres in Emilia-Romagna and the University of Bologna, just like other Universities all over the world, awarded him an Honorary Degree in 1998, but Barba is tied to Bologna since the 1970s, and in particular to two places that inspired and welcome him –the DAMS (Department of Arts, Music, Performing Arts of the University of Bologna) and Teatro Ridotto, as he tells us in the video-message sent from Holstebro for #laculturanonsiferma.
This Dept contacted him and he has generously answered with a personal message and giving us the vision of the film Mr Peanut, a character who cannot die.
Part of Barba’s latest work, premiered on November 29, 2019, the film by Claudio Coloberti, produced by Nordisk Teatretlaboratorium, tells the story of Mr Peanut, the character with a skull head who has participated in Odin Teatret's performances for over forty years, and travelled the world with them.
Julia Varley, actress, director, and –together with Eugenio Barba– beating heart of Odin Teatret, performs Mr Peanut.
Broadcast on April 15th, at 08:45 p.m. on Emiliaromagnacreativa, Lepida Tv, YouTube LepidaTV OnAir, channel 118 of Emilia-Romagna DT, channel 5118 of Sky, Eugenio Barba's message and Mr Peanut, a character who cannot die will remain available on demand on Lepida Tv.
Thank you, Maestro, for meeting you!