Johan Padan and the Discovery of the Americas - Hoy Polloy & Terra Incognita

Overview

Dario Fo is a unique, irreverent theatre-maker among the ranks of Nobel prize-winners. Still working into his 88th year, he's churned out a body of work that’s as impressive as it is politically engaged, and is known for often subverting classical Italian drama like commedia dell’arte for his own purposes.

The playwright himself was the first to perform his one-man show Johan Padan and the Discovery of the Americas, written in 1992 in response to celebrations for the 500 years since Columbus’ arrival.

At first glance, a relatively obscure, Italian play for one performer might seem like a hard sell, especially for an independent venue that’s as priced-out as fortyfivedownstairs. But compared with the rest of the world, Australia rarely sees any productions of Fo’s vast canon that stray beyond ubiquitous stagings of Accidental Death of an Anarchist.

With that in mind, this offering from Melbourne’s Hoy Polloy Theatre, which is directed by Wayne Pearn and features Steve Gome in the solitary onstage role will be a rare treat.

Image by Richard Butler.