Cult authors and directors in avant-garde Italian theatre, internationally renowned as one of the most representative, provocative, and fearless players in the contemporary theatre scene, ricci/forte – a.k.a. Stefano Ricci and Gianni Forte – are at the helm of their third edition of the Venice Theatre Biennale. After the blue of their first edition, the red of their second, it is this year the turn of green: the name of the programme is Emerald.

Emerald is the colour of the 2023 Venice Theatre Biennale. A bright, shiny colour that makes us think of hope. Am I wrong in thinking that your Biennale might be a much-needed escape from reality into Emerald City, a refuge where all is possible, even learning how to live?
Theatre is reflection, reflection is doubt, doubt is transformation. Theatre is a transfiguration that helps us focus on the Real. It is the stage that allows us to surpass the uniform indolence of daily life. There is no escape here, rather, we will arrive to our authentic self.

How can you produce such an elevated programme without bowing to the mainstream? Is there a formula that can make the Biennale contaminate the whole city?
Before a festival can be there, there must be a person and their artistic and ethical principles. Its’s the principle that guide them, not policy. The only antidote to cultural slumber is a kiss, care, and honesty towards our neighbour. It will be those lips bringing awareness and waking us up.

We are looking forward to “fifteen days of dreams, discord, revitalizing chaos”. What will we start with?
For the 51st edition, and for the first time with us as curators, the Biennale will expand its Theatre calendar. Over two weeks, we will present thirteen shows and two site-specific performances of incredible currency, while certainly we do not feel sandboxed in whatever is current. We will pique the imagination with the rhythm of fantasy, keeping true to our way of thinking, and play with references, ellipses, variations through the prism of political and civic commitment and feeling. The fourteen artists will lift the curtain that impedes our vision and reveal the plot of the winter of our discontent and memorialize our multi-pronged epoch, so full of violent clashes and ferocious repression, to conquer freedom.

You mentioned it before – this year, the creations of the Biennale College are integral to the Festival. How is the Biennale College doing?
Pardon our pride, but we are very, very happy of what we did with the College. Since 2021, the year we were appointed art directors of the Theatre Biennale, we have been working as talent scouts and extended our research radius up to age 35 for directors, and 40 for playwrights. A third category, performers, will be open to foreigners, also aged up to 40. We worked with many artists and afforded them some visibility and stability while they create their own vocabulary, which hopefully will take them off the beaten track. By integrating their work in the main Biennale programme, we give them the tools to irradiate their expressive potential as long as they will be working on their projects.

Featured image: Gianni Forte e Stefano Ricci (ricci/forte), Direttori del Settore Teatro © Andrea Avezzù