THEATRE \ BROADWAY & DINTORNI

by Mario Fratti

America Oggi Magazine, 20 Maggio 2007, p. 12, column 1.

There are today in Italy a dozen excellent playwrights. There are fortunately four actress-directors in New York who are doing their best to make them known and appreciated in America. One of the most active is Jane House who years ago published a volume containing many Italian authors and she presents two or three times a year new authors, who are mostly unknown in this country. She introduces them in the Martin E. Segal Theatre Center (CUNY Graduate Center), together with the Istituto Italiano di Cultura (theatre division, now directed by Silvia Giampaola).

She presented this year the young Roberto Cavosi, actor, playwright, director; very active in Italy for twenty years. Jane House selected and directed excerpts from three excellent texts by Cavosi ("Bellissima Maria," "Maresciallo Butterfly," and "Notte d'Epifania"). Good translations; skilful and painstaking actors. We already knew the fine quality of these actors who are often seen on New York stages (Cristina Pronzati, David Borella, Julia Chan). But the entire company worked as a cohesive whole. During the final discussion, led by the brilliant poet Paolo Valesio, Cavosi revealed that he is often inspired by Greek drama. Especially the tragedies of "Phaedra" and "Medea." We appreciated a discussion that was to the point. Jane House also has a production company. We hope she will be able at the very least to produce "Bellissima Maria," a play with fascinating characters who would capture the hearts of American audiences. ..."