Dear Members of Italian-Studies,
I have been reading with interest the communications that are coming
thick and fast from you all and would now like to introduce myself.
I am Jennifer Lorch, Senior Lecturer in the Department of Italian,
University of Warwick. My main research interests are modern Italian
theatre with particular reference to the theatre of Luigi Pirandello.
I ahve also worked on Italian Renaissance theatre and am interested
in women's writing (in a different guise, I wrote a book on Mary
Wollstonecraft).
I have been working for some time on Dario Fo' Morte accidentale di un
anarchico, an edition of the play with notes, introduction and vocab.
The edition is virtually finished, except that I have a few gaps in
the notes. I should be very grateful for help with the points listed
below. You will receive acknowledgement for any information I use.
I am using the Einaudi text in Le commedie di Dario Fo. vol VII. The
play was first produced in the autumn/winter of 1970.
1. On p. 11 in a speech extolling the pleasures of being a judge, the
Matto refers to workers who are put on the scrap heap when they get
old. Among them is the bank clerk: 'a una certa eta' cominca a
sbagliare i conti, non si ricorda piu' i nomi delle ditte, dei
clienti, il casso di sconto, la casella della Biam, e quella della
SA.SIS.
Can anyone explain what Biam and SA.SIS are? Or are they invented
terms for comic effect?
2. Towards the end of the 'primo tempo' (p. 36), the Matto has the
following speech:
Gia', ma c'e' purtroppo il guaio, che nella prima versione siete anche
andati a raccontare che l'anarchico s'era acceso una sigaretta,
"abbattuto", alla Francesca Bertini e aveva commentato "sconsolato"
"E' la fine dell'anarchia"
Can anyone tell me who Francesca Bertini is/was?
3. On p. 69 the Matto assumes the role of bishop and begins to put on
his disguise. 'si e' slacciato il bottone della giacca cosi' da
scoprire una croce barocca d'oro e argento fabbricazione rancati,
quindi s'e' infilato un anellone con pietra viola enorme.'
Can anyone tell me what 'fabbricazione rancati' refers to and its
signficance?
4. Towards the end of the play there are two references to the bomb
which the Matto claims to have in his bag. p. 75 'o qui infiol il dito
nel "Tramptur"' and in speech further down the same page 'guarda se
c'e' o no...il detonatore...guardalo qua...non lo vedi? E' un Longber
acustico.'
Can anyone tell me precisely what the Tramptur is and what is a
'Longber acustico'
Replies, please, to me "Miss J A Lorch" <[log in to unmask]>
unless you think everyone would like to know!
Jennifer Lorch
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