Review: BUT WHY? MA PERCHE?, The Print Room

The first edition of the Italian Theatre Festival concludes with a work-in-progress performed by Complicite's co-founder Marcello Magni. Created by Magni himself with Gilles Aufrey and Oliver Barwell-Aufrey, But Why? Ma Perché consists of small profound sketches told and improvised on stage.

The only issue is that these anecdotes hardly feel like they're for a white male to tell. A relative of Nasrudin, the wise fool from Persia, returns home after a long trip to find a wall is precluding him the way. Magni then proceeds to retell little stories involving real and metaphorical walls, analysing what it means to be an outsider in one's own life and feeling unwelcome.

He is a fantastic storyteller as he weaves tales of far-away lands and distant worlds in front of the rapt audience without any props and dressed quite shabbily. The adventures explain what a big role perceptions and points of view have in our lives as well as the presumption and arrogance of men.

The show is accompanied on guitar by Barwell-Aufrey, who chips in and beckons Magni at times. His music is complex and atmospheric and feels like a character itself rather than merely setting the tone for the retelling. All in all, the production is rough around the edges (as a usual work-in-progress is, therefore overlooked) but of dubious nature albeit being undeniably compelling with Magni's delivery.

And so the Italian Theatre Festival comes to a close. A celebration of Italy's finest certainly not without missteps, it gathered crowds of expats and international lovers of theatre alike, all there to honour the Italian masters of the art. Here's to more next year!

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