Mauro Piombo Born in Torino, June, 22nd, resident in via Torazza 5

Mauro Piombo
Born in Torino, June, 22nd, resident in via Torazza 5, 10070 Mappano – Borgaro T.se (To) Italia
English language knowledge (First Certificate Diploma – Cambridge University – 1983)
Mail: [email protected]
Actor, director, author, teacher of theatre disciplines and traditional comic theatre.
Mr. Piombo has been practicing Commedia dell’Arte for twenty-five years.
Since 2003, with Santibriganti Teatro, he has been directing a research, training and production project regarding
Commedia dell’Arte. He has trained and directed dozens of actresses and actors in the professional practice of the
masks of Commedia dell’Arte.
His work has been seen in Italy, Spain, France, Germany, Portugal, and the Rep. of Moldova with shows, workshops
and lecture-demonstrations. He is a creator and artistic director of cultural projects for the theatre and live
performances.
Brief outline of theatrical training and formation
From 1984.
Basic theatrical training at the PuntoFisso school and with The Dizziacs Theater Company, with actors and qualified
teachers from The Ecole Internationale De Theatre Jaques Lecoq.
Voice and training with Zygmunt Molik, actor and pedagogue, and interpretation of texts of Samuel Beckett and Fedor
Dostoevskij with Ludwik Flaszen, author, actor and pedagogue, at the Teatr Laboratorium of Jerzy Grotowski
(Wroclaw, Poland).
Seminars on Corporeal Mime with Yves Lebreton, on acting with Bruce Myers, actor at Theatre Des Bouffes Du Nord,
directed by Peter Brook, Paris, and
performance in the laboratory-show,
“La Maschera Mostruosa del Dottor
Tarantola”, inspired by the theatre of medieval Buffoons, directed by Stewart Arnold and Catherine Otey of the
Dizziacs Theater Company.
Acrobatic practice and dramatic stunts with Walter Gaveglio and Mirco Ferri, acrobats and actors.
Studies on Clowning (pedagogy Lecoq) with Philip Radice, qualified pedagogue of the Ecole Internationale De
Theatre Jaques Lecoq.
In 1988, Mr. Piombo began his studies on Commedia dell’Arte at the Stage Internazionale di Commedia dell’Arte and
at the Scuola Internazionale dell’Attore Comico, The International School of Comic Acting (studies ranging from the
comic epoch of Atellanes and the Latin Comedy to the popular forms of the middle ages; Commedia dell’Arte, with
consideration given to Pastoral and Regal Work, the Theatre of Clowns, the Variety Show, up to contemporary
proposals) at the Teatro del Vicolo, Reggio Emilia, Italy directed by Antonio Fava.
Intensive Seminar on the Tragedy in Art, led by Antonio Fava.
Professional activities
1987: Co-founder of ENNENNE Theatre Company with which he participated in:
1987/88: Cercando Cerchi (theatre Clowning) co-author and co-director.
Around one hundred performances in festivals, varieties, schools, theatres and out-door venues.
1990/91: Ma va al diavolo (comic theater: modern masks) actor and co-author, direction by Philip Radice.
1993: Won, together with Sandra Cavallini, the special prize of the jury in the 7th edition of “The Buttafuori”, review of
Comic Theater, with the motivation "…for the originality and the interpretative quality".
1992/93: Co-founder with Sandra Cavallini of the Teatro del Frizzo with which he worked as actor, co-author and codirector.
Salient artistic line is the experimentation with languages originating from the "mask" and from the traditions of comic
popular theatre.
1993: Le Tentazioni con prologo prodigioso senza senso (The Temptations, with a Senseless Prodigious Prologue),
by and with Sandra Cavallini and Mauro Piombo, collaboration of Antonio Fava and Philip Radice. Production, Teatro
del Frizzo.
Bringing back, in a modern key, a great theme of popular theatrical tradition, Death becomes character, passing from
executioner to victim, and finally to procreator of life
1994: Coffee?: Pièce of study, exercise of style on black humor. Sandra Cavallini and Mauro Piombo, Teatro del
Frizzo
1994: Actor in Normandie Ricorda, performance devoted to the 50th anniversary of D-Day, the landing of the allied
nd
troops in Normandia (France), in the 2 World War, staging Philip Radice, masks Franco Leita. Teatro del Frizzo
1994: Actor, co-author and staging of El Mollazo de the Zuana with el Zani, from a scenario by Antonio Fava with
Eugenia Manzanera, Fernando Cayo and Mauro Piombo, in the roles of Zanni and Flaminio with Bululu Teatro / La
Compania, Salamanca (Spain). Costumes and scenography by Beatrice Giannini, masks by Anthonio Fava. Tour in
Madrid, Valladolid and in the region of the Castilla y Leon.
The scenario bringss back the ancient structure of the "Mariazzo" (or Maritazzo, Mogliazzo,) based on a plot around
the theme of marriage. The theme of marriage is the centre of intrigue in the Scenarii of the Comedy of Art.
1995: L’ Amphiparnaso (madrigalistic opera), masterpiece of Orazio Vecchi (1594). Integral (sung and acted) version
with the Vocal Ensemble Alia Musica: Bologna. Teatro Dehon (Bologna), Teatro del Frizzo.
1996: Co-author, co-director and actor of L’Amphiparnaso frizzi, lazzi e strazi (L’Amphiparnaso, Fizzles, Jokes and
Torments) with Sandra Cavallini, Pietro Mossa, Bruno Nataloni, Mauro Piombo. Live Music, Elie Melchioni,
collaboration for staging Philip Radice, masks Franco Leita, Antonio Fava. Roles: Zan Ganassa, Pantalone, Capitan
Cardone.
Purely theatrical version, elaboration of the scenario at the beginning of the book by Orazio Vecchi. The texts of the
original work (constituted by 14 madrigals about a love story around themes of Commedia dell’Arte and the Pastoral
fable) lie on an architecture of characters that compose a dramaturgical structure of Commedia dell’Arte.
The show was presented until 2002 in north-central Italy.
1996: Sberleffo Osceno et Ridicoloso – Commedia dell’Arte lecture-show by and with Mauro Piombo. Costumes by
Deborah Gambino, masks by Franco Leita. Solos and improvisations with the principal masks of Commedia dell’Arte.
Presented in Italy (theatres, high schools, Universities), France and Germany.
1997: Actor in the roles of Arlecchino and Brighella in Il Bugiardo (The Liar) by Carlo Goldoni, production Moncalieri
Teatro (Turin); Theatropolis, International Festival of Theatrical Arts, International Festival Bienala Teatrului Eugene
Ionesco Chisinau (Rep. Moldova).
1997-98: Interpreter and readings of pièces from S. Benni and G. Gaber, and from Lo Sfrattato (The Evicted) by
Samuel Beckett.
1998: Actor in Reparto n°6 (elaboration of the story by Antov Cechov), directed by Petru Vutcarau (actor, director,
manager of the Teatrul Eugene Ionesco of Chisinau. Rep. Moldova, graduate of the Superior School of Theater
BORIS SHCHIUKIN, and of the Superior Course of Regal Theatrical TEATRUL ARMATEI in Moscow-Russia). With
Sandra Cavallini, Pietro Mossa, Philip Radice, Manolo Marchese. Teatro del Frizzo in co-production with Moncalieri
Teatro (To), International Theatropolis – International Festival of the Theatrical Arts.
1996-2000: Founder, artistic and didactic director of Teatro laboratorio Casseta Popular, center of didactics and
theatrical creation.
The artistic vision that characterizes the artistic and educational proposal is the rediscovery of the mask as the basis of
the technical, poetic and creative plan for the work of the theatre.
For Teatro Laboratorio Casseta Popular, Mr. Piombo directed:
1997: Pantalone Focoso Campanaro: unique action of Commedia dell’Arte, with Deborah Gambino, Alessia
Eusebio, Amalia Modica, Luca Campanella. Scenario by Mauro Piombo.
1998: Blue Night: comic Variety, with Cecilia Rosatelli, Simone Negrin, Luca Silvestre, Stefano Gorno. Direction by
Mauro Piombo.
A pièce mixing different theatrical languages and styles for an original type of variety show.
1999: Le Baccanti (The Baccantes) by Euripides, creation and staging in collaboration with Stefano Zuffi (expert of
ancient traditional music), set and costumes, Deborah Gambino, lighting, Savino Genovese, consultation for
percussion, Giorgio De Francis. Direction, Mauro Piombo.
The rite of the Baccantes set in a metropolitan context, the story reported by a group of young contemporaries; music
and songs from the "Tarantismo" of the south of Italy. Dramaturgical re-elaboration with complementary
autobiographic texts of contemporary young people.
2000: SuperMegaTv, street theatre performance. By and with Amalia Modica and Luca Campanella. Staging
consultation by Mauro Piombo.
In the jungle of TV games and prizes, a frantic sarabanda of physical theater, acrobatics and music.
2001: La Fustigazione di Pulcinella (The Whipping of Pulcinella) laboratory-show that created and staged a scenario
of Commedia dell’Arte. Teatranzartedrama: Center of Formation for theatrical Arts. On stage at the International
Festival of Theatrical Arts: Theatroplolis 2001. Author of the scenario and director of staging.
2003/04: Participation in the project Europe in Mask. Teatro del Frizzo, Santibriganti Teatro, DAMS- Department Arts
Music and Theatre, University in Turin; partners in France, Spain, Belgium, Portugal, Italy.
Director and conductor of the university project From the Zannesca Masks to Metropolitan Masks, formation and
research, in collaboration with Professor Ambrogio Artoni.
Staging of performance Mascherada, l’ombra e la culla (Masquerada, the Shadow and the Crib) with students at
Turin University – Theatre Department. Direction of scenography and costume laboratory, Deborah Gambino and
Cristina Voglione, lighting, Antonio Stallone, re-elaboration of texts, Orlando Manfredi, masks Franco Leita,
choreography, Luca Campanella, direction, Mauro Piombo.
Masks of yesterday and masks of today: links between the signs of the archaic mask of Commedia dell’Arte and those
of the culture and behaviour of post-modernity; comparisons between the celebration of the ancient carnival folly and
the new metropolitan collective rituals.
2003: Founder and artistic director of the Laboratorio Permanente sulla Commedia dell’Arte (Permanent
Laboratory on Commedia dell’Arte). Artistic projects of research, formation and productions based on the masks of
Commedia dell’Arte and the popular comic theatre tradition. Teatro del Frizzo and Santibriganti Teatro.
2003: Conception and direction of La Commedia della Pazzia (The Comedy of Madness) – Commedia dell’Arte with
Zahira Berrenzouga, Maria Augusta Balla, Antonella Delli Gatti, Orlando Manfredi, Michele Guaraldo, Davide Cùccuru;
vocal scores, Pietro Mossa, set design and costumes, Deborah Gambino, light design, Antonio Stallone, masks,
Franco Leita, dramaturgy, Lisa Zuccoli and Mauro Piombo. The show is available also in a French version. Production
Teatro del Frizzo – Santibriganti Teatro.
2004: Concept and staging of Come è Lento uno Sciocco a Morire (As a Fool is Slow to Die); first study for Danza
Perpetua. Teatro del Frizzo – Santibriganti Teatro.
2005: Danza Perpetua, fabula comica in dieci immagini (Perpetual Dance, Comic Fable in Ten Images) with
August Maria Balla, Fulvia Romeo, Michele Guaraldo, set design and costumes, Deborah Gambino and Cristina
Voglione, light design, Antonio Stallone, direction, Mauro Piombo. Teatro del Frizzo – Santibriganti Teatro
A story composed of many stories crossing the phases of the whole of human life: adolescence, maturity, old age,
infancy – in the shadow of the mask of Death-Mother, suspended as an icon to the raw cloth of the backdrop.
2005: Artistic collaboration for Valentina molto più in alto delle nuvole (Valentina, Much More Aloft than the Clouds)
with Ester Mollo and Amalia Modica, original music Laurent Ostiz, lighting design, Marie-Jo Duprè, set design, Fabiana
Mantovanelli, costumes, Emmanuelle Van Ootegen and Jamila Bacati. Co-production Theatre Diagonal. Lille (France)
and Santibriganti Teatro – Teatro del Frizzo.
Show dedicated to Valentina Tereshkova, the first woman astronaut in the space. Visual Theatre, based on the
technique of Dramatic Corporeal Mime created by Etienne Decroux.
2005: Terra Piena (Full Earth), direction Mauro Piombo in collaboration with Maurizio Babuin: Dramaturgy Orlando
Manfredi. Santibriganti Teatro. Project of Artistic Residence in Caraglio and the Grana Valley. Santibriganti Teatro.
First study for Fortunata.
In 2006, Mr. Piombo entered Santibriganti Teatro as collaborator for artistic and organizational direction, responsible
for projects on Commedia dell’Arte and the Popular Theater Tradition. Santibriganti Teatro is a theatre company
engaged in the production and distribution of shows, direction of theatrical seasons, festivals, projects and events; It
also provides theatrical formation in collaboration with the association Artedrama. Santibriganti Teatro is recognized by
the Office of the Goods and the Cultural Activities-Live Entertainment and is accredited with the Piedmont Region and
the City of Turin. It manages the theatrical residence Teatro Garybaldi in Settimo Torinese, TO.
2006: Fortunata una veglia per la terra (Fortunata a wake for the earth) with August Maria Balla, Paola Raho, Luca
Busnengo, Michele Guaraldo. Costumes Deborah Gambino, lighting and set design Marco Ferrero. Direction Mauro
Piombo and Maurizio Babuin, dramaturgy Orlando Manfredi.
It is the second of November, the recurrence of the dead; the day ,as the country tradition wants, of return of the
corpses. A project looking at the civil history of a people of peasants. It is a Wake for the Earth that welcomes in her
womb the men, the women, the living and the dead, the places and their stories.
2006: Direction of Il Profumo delle Nuvole (the Perfume of the Clouds) first study for La Sposa Francese.
Dramaturgy by Mauro Piombo and Orlando Manfredi. Production Santibriganti Teatro, Regional Residence of Caraglio
and The Grana Valley.
2007: La Sposa Francese (The French Bride), with Maria Augusta Balla, Costanza Maria Frola, Cinzia Brugnola,
Michele Guaraldo, Ettore Scarpa. Costumes, Deborah Gambino and Cristina Voglione, lighting and set design, Marco
Ferrero, dramaturgy, Mauro Piombo and Orlando Manfredi, masks, Franco Leita, conceived and directed by Mauro
Piombo.
Commedia dell’Arte. Original scenario on the tragicomedy of love and old age, the apotheosis and failure of senile
passion.
2007: Conception and staging of Roumiage una danza per le donne (Roumiage, a Dance for Women) pièce with
qualified students of the courses of theatrical formation. Santibriganti Teatro, Regional Residence of Caraglio and the
Grana Valley.
Women waiting for the soldiers at the front that won't return. Devoted to all the fallen on the fronts of the Second World
War and to the women that safeguarded the houses, the families and the memories.
2008: Conception and staging of In Principio Erano le Mani (In the Beginning There Were Hands), text editing, Maria
Silvia Caffaro, songs, Marta Mattalia, direction assistance, Eva Cischino, videos, Paolo Spadavecchia, set and lighting
design, Marco Ferrero. Performed by qualified students of the course of theatrical formation. Santibriganti Teatro,
Regional Residence of Caraglio and the Grana Valley.
A pièce on the Job, job rights and job dignity, and on existence and resistance, a theatrical action for thirty spectators
at a time. A closer meeting among the public, the actors and the stage, for a "theater of the senses."
2009: La Pazzia di Isabella (The Madness of Isabella), with Arianna Abbruzzese, Cecilia Bozzolini, Anna Montalenti,
Silvia Caltagirone, Caroline F. Rocha, lighting design, Nicola Rosboch, assistant to direction, Constanza Maria Frola,
conception and direction, Mauro Piombo.
The most famous scenario of the golden epoch of Commedia dell’Arte – with protagonist, the very famous actress
Isabella Andreini, in set with five actresses using the mask of five Zagne (servants).
2010: Dramaturgical adaptation and direction of Andy and Norman, comedy by Neil Simon. Production, Quelli del 29
(Modena: IT). Tour in Sardinia (Italy): summer 2010 in the theatre circuit of holiday centers.
2011: Project conception and director of production of GARIBALDI FUFFERITO a Theatrical Expedition in the Land
of Italy, dramaturgy Michela Marelli and Titino Carrara, on stage Fulvia Romeo, Costanza Maria Frola, Valentina
Pollani, Cecilia Bozzolini, Fabio Bisogni. Set and lighting design Marco Ferrero, costumes Roberta Vacchetta, song
direction, Paolo Mosele. Show-event for the celebrations of the 150 years of Italian Unity.
“From Plaza to Plaza”, the story (between popular imaginary and historical truth) of the Expedition of the Thousand,
led by Giuseppe Garibaldi that brought about the unification of Italy, as reported by a company of travelling actors.
Project conception shared with Titino Carrara: 10th generation heir of a historical company of Travelling Theater.
2011: Collaboration in the staging of Brothers d’Italia, Commedia dell’Arte performance devoted to the 150
th
anniversary of Italian Unification. Production Kataplixi Teatro: Santibriganti Teatro.
2011: Artistic coordinator and organizer of Commedia dell’Arte DAY, 2nd edition, promoted by the association SAT
incommedia.it. Meetings, shows, lectures, exhibition of theatrical masks, a unique event, gathering together 15 of the
greatest Italian Commedia dell’Arte mask makers, with the Patronage of UNESCO, Commissione Italia and ITI, the
International Theatre Institute.
2012: Author and director of HEY MAN! La Finta Pazza andata e ritorno (HEY MAN! The False Crazy Going and
Coming), Commedia dell’Arte in a contemporary key. Co-production Santibriganti Teatro: Kataplixi Teatro. With Anna
Montalenti, Agla Germanà, Francesco Gargiulo, Marco Intraia; dances and physical scores by Luca Campanella,
songs and vocal scores Orlando Manfredi, advisor for puppet handling Beppe Rizzo, costumes Agostino Porchietto,
set design and production Marco Ferrero, lighting design Nicola Rosboh.
The Hip-Hop culture, Street Dance, Rap Music, clothing and trans-national languages, Graffiti, Tattoos, Body Arts are
the "Mask”. Hey Man! is a theatrical score for Zanni and Metropolis based on an ancient scenario, with the original
masks created by the master craftsman Franco Leita.
2013: Actor, author, director of FRATTAGLIE di Commedia dell’Arte (Offal of Comedy) and with Cecilia Bozzolini.
Fragments, squirts, jokes and lazzi, rambling speeches and improvisations from the repertoire of Mauro Piombo. A
new brand scenario, a trip among the roles of Commedia dell’Arte, the link between the comedian and the mask.
2015: L’Innamorata Pazza – Commedia dell’Arte Femmina, new staging of La Pazzia di Isabella, author and miseen-scene collaboration. Debuit february 2015
Concept and mise-en-scene of La Nave dei Folli, Commedia dell’Arte, final performance academic course at actors
school Sergio Tofano (Torino)
Since 2002: Inventor and artistic coordinator of Commedia dell’Arte Work in Progress (Teatro del Frizzo), and since
2005 with Santibriganti Teatro of the festival MascheraFest.
Place of meeting with the public, among artists and researchers under the sign of the theatrical mask: review of
shows, meetings, seminars, expositions of masks and photography.
Directed for theatre-cabaret and for stand-up comedy:
2001: Ipotesi di Reato (Hypothesis of Crime) with the comic duo Aurelio Loprevite and Gino Marangi. Elaboration of
texts by Bruno Nataloni, staging by Mauro Piombo.
2002: Il Palazzone, storie di cuori e cemento (the Building, Histories of Hearts and Cement) with Deborah Gambino,
Franco Bocchio, Mino Mauro. Texts, Nataloni&Lannutti, music selection, Pietro Mossa, direction, Mauro Piombo
2004: Mission Impossible, with Marco Crespi, texts by Bruno Nataloni, staging by Mauro Piombo.
Didactic activity
Teacher of theatrical Improvisation, masks and mimetic languages for the actor, acting formation for comic theatre
styles and master of Commedia dell’Arte.
1993: Collaborated with the International School of the Comic Actor and the International workshop of Commedia
dell’Arte, directed by Antonio Fava, for acrobatic training, masks and gestural technique
Since 1995: Has conducted seminars and lecture-shows on Commedia dell’Arte, in Italy, Spain, Germany and France.
In particular, Mr. Piombo has taught and collaborated with:
The Escuela de Arte Dramatico de Valladolid-Spain (1992); the University of Salamanca-Spain (1994); Theatre
Diagonal and the Italian Consulate in Lille, France (2003); the Centre Dramatique National-Theatre Nouvelle
Génération, Lyon-France (2008); VolKshochschule im Kasin in Heilbron-Germany (2002); the Conservatory of High
Musical Formation Guido Cantelli, Novara-Italy (2009); DAMS (Arts, Music and Theatre Department), the University of
Turin (2003/04).
2000-2008 Teacher of Commedia dell’Arte for SAT-Professional School of the Arts of the Scene: Teatranzartedrama
Turin-Italy (2000-2008).
Directed the theatrical workshops in high school and secondary institutes: “The Mask: the Body, the Face, the Soul”
and “Story-Telling: Writing and Playing” (1998-2005)
Founded, directed and taught at the Theatre Laboratory Casseta Popular: Centre of Production and Didactics – Turin
(1996-2000)
In addition, has collaborated with:
The Comic Laboratory (Bologna), Viartisti Teatro: Teatro Perempruner (Turin), Atelier Physical Theatre (Turin), Trento
Spettacoli (Trento), Accademia Scuola Sergio Tofano (Turin), Katalyst Teatro (Florence), Teatranzartedrama-Centre
of Formation for Theatrical Arts (Turin).