It's very hard to describe what an Improvisation theatre performance is.
There are a lot of prejudices about it as we tend to think about theatre being just an expression
of scripted theatre and nothing else. Infact theatre was born with the human being: between the hands
of a child playing with pebbles, building a whole world through them, in the dances of an actor in ancient
Greece, in the medieval wizardry of clowns and tumblers, showed behind the masks of Commedia dell'Arte.
It's so difficult to stop this as-old-as-the-world process, as long as two people meet and still feel the
need to tell a story to each other whilst seated around the last of the fireplaces in the middle of nowhere.
Theatre will always survive in that flash of inspiration and figment of imagination.
IT'S RIGHT THERE, IN THAT SPARK OF IMAGINATION AND CREATIVITY THAT IMPROVISATION LIES...
Beyond the script, beyond the "scene", just actors, an audience and stories to tell: in a
few minutes it's brought to life again, just there, in the exact moment you're looking at it, and every
time it's a unique and unrepeatable magic. Ladies and gentlemen, doctors and scuba divers, elephants and
screwdrivers, they all come to life, each one with its own feeling of the moment. It may be hatred, love,
fear, anger, hunger, or thirst, but non of these will stop the impro-actor because he knows too much...
...even the hair in your nose might have a story to tell!!
What is Improvvivo..
IMPROVVIVO, the National Centre for Theatre Research (a theatre network for Improvisation in the Arts)
came into being in the autumn of 2004 in the Fermo district thanks to the financial help of the Marches
Region, which also provided the premises, the Ascoli Piceno Provincial Authority, the Fermo Cassa di
Risparmio Foundation, TAM Factory and a number of sponsors.
It was bly felt that the new and old ventures in the field of improvisation needed to be appreciated
and that the efforts should be concentrated in a single innovative and authoritative fulcrum which would
finally command the attention of a wider public for this fascinating artistic and educational activity.
Yet again the small and medium-sized provinces in Central Italy show that research and experimental
theatre can take root there as in this area there are enthusiastic audiences, avant-garde cultural
organisations and facilities, Local Authorities as well as private operators which can be counted on.
The Centre has an annual programme of events which range from theatre to music,
painting and dance and whose distinctive feature is, of course, improvisation. The list is drawn
up together with the network of historic Municipal theatres which are on-line and there is a single
subscription for all the events.
During the year some of the events are productions put on by the Centre and the high
point comes in October with a 3 day International Festival which sees the participation of
companies from all over the world.
An important aspect of the Centre's work is artist training: actors,
musicians, dancers and performers of all levels; there are short intensive as well as annual courses.
The Centre also organises meetings, seminars, study days,
exhibitions, lectures and projects which involve schools, universities, cultural
magazines and other groups.
By holding meeting and competitions/tournaments, Improvvivo aims at becoming a focal point for
theatre groups in Italy which specialise in improvisation like the international improvisation
networksfor theatre mainly, but also for music and choirs. The Centre's projects include
cultural exchanges, performances in foreign languages, training with foreign professionals and the
promotion of Italian embassies and cultural institutes abroad.
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