On Saturday 11 and Sunday 12 November, the Teatro Nuovo in Pisa (shows at 3.00 p.m. and 5.30 p.m.; information 347.0002029; teatrodeiburattini.it) hosts the Teatro Umbro dei Burattini with the new show "Il Piccolo Principe. Journey among the planets'. An eternal story, but in the reinterpretation of the fable proposed by the Umbro Theatre of Puppets, the aviator created by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry teaches children the value of friendship and respect for others, the principles of inclusion and the ability to rediscover the child that is hidden in each of us.
It will be the ancient art of puppetry that will present the story in a modern key with a 75-minute performance that has received excellent feedback from the public and the media during previous tours throughout Italy. The Little Prince, brought to the big screen by Mark Osborne's 2015 film, will have the task of conveying a message against bullying and in favour of social integration, an increasingly topical issue of primary importance even among the youngest and most defenceless groups exposed to dangers both on the web (so-called cyberbullying) and in socialising environments.
The show tells the story of an aviator who lands in an emergency in the Sahara desert, far from any form of civilisatioǹ without a supply of food or water. There he will meet̀ a child, blond and beautiful: the Little Prince. It will be the latter who will tell us about his travels from one planet to another, where he will meet̀ strange characters who bring out the ridiculous side of human travails. With his stories, he will teach us̀ to live, and through a marvellous journey of sinceritỳ and fantasy, to find the child that is hidden in each of us.
The special feature of the show is that it tells a timeless story, read by generations of people all over the world, through the ancient art of puppetry that still manages to excite and entertain, while also leaving the little ones room for imagination. But that is not enough. Another special feature is the original narration interspersed with live dialogues and songs. The company has thus decided to approach the younger audience by speaking its own language, the language of the new generations who spend their time on the Internet or in front of their smartphones or playing with their Playstations. But this time it will not be like that. Children will have a new experience, live, through a new language, that of puppets, which for many will be unheard of.
The large puppets used by the Umbrian company are made of wood and are all hand-painted, true works of art created by an elderly artisan from Turin. The music for the show, all original, is composed by Giuliano Ciabatta aka "Paco", a musician and composer with prestigious collaborations with artists of national level to his credit. One of them is with Lucio Dalla.
The Teatro Umbro dei Burattini, directed by Andrea Bertinelli and Vioris Sciolan, has behind it thousands of shows all over the peninsula, from Piedmont to Sicily, and is preparing to touch new regions on the occasion of its winter tour, which now arrives in Tuscany and then reaches other Italian regions.
The most curious can visit the website www.teatrodeiburattini.it and the Facebook page Teatro Umbro dei Burattini.
The Little Prince, Journey through the Planets
Saturday 11 November, 3 and 5.30 p.m.
Sunday 12 November, 3 p.m. and 5.30 p.m.
Teatro Nuovo, Piazza Stazione
Under the Patronage of the Municipality of Pisa and the Region of Tuscany
