Here is the English translation:
Fabio Mangolini
Actor, Director, and Theatre Pedagogue
“Do not forget your beginnings” – Zeami
The Actor and the Mask in Commedia dell’Arte
(Workshop from July 7 to July 26, 2025)
Cento (FE), Italy
Led by Fabio Mangolini
The workshop is open to all those who already have theater experience, especially those who have previously studied the art of acting with a mask. It is an advanced course focusing on the art of the actor and the mask in Commedia dell’Arte.
The curriculum includes theatrical fencing and stage combat, madrigal singing, and theatrical acrobatics, all leading to the staging of a Canovaccio, which will be performed in two final public shows.
The number of participants is limited to 15. If the number of applications exceeds the available spots, priority will be given based on the order of registration, after evaluating the applicant’s CV and motivation. A short video interview will be required upon registration.
The workshop will take place at Centro Pandurera in Cento.
Course Fee + Accommodation
€1,000 + €500
Reviews
“Gestures and choreography, vocal inflections, and parodic diction are elements vividly portrayed by the protagonist, brilliantly played by Fabio Mangolini. He masterfully directs the actors’ choral movements, integrates dances with a subtle Oriental flavor, and creates brief yet intensely comic scenes.”
Chema Paz Gago – Primer Acto 282 (1/2000)
“Admirably directed by Fabio Mangolini, whom we are discovering for the first time. This solo performance is intelligently crafted. The director had the excellent idea of incorporating moments of silence, allowing each viewer to imagine for themselves the musical genius of this Novecento.”
Sophie Creuz – L’Echo (27.1.2000)
“An Italian director, Fabio Mangolini, whom we would love to see more often.”
Christian Jade – RTBF (25.1.2000)
“To go to the theater, you must do your homework and read the entire text of The Chairs by Ionesco. It is not easy to understand a written theater text that has not been performed – too many exposed mental paths between lines, too many silences that do not evoke anything, sobs and hiccups that simply remain there, as the playwright’s notes. So, tackling the performance last night with only a reading of the text as a reference was not simple.
And yet, wonder and beauty. Caterina Casini and Fabio Mangolini perform it masterfully. The text gains a body, an intensity, and a depth that are hard to find on paper, reading line by line and following the stage directions. But on stage, it is revealed. And the two actors reveal it with precision. Every silence, every nonsensical dialogue, takes on meaning – or a thousand meanings. Each person sees what they can in it, but it is always profound, reaching deep into the soul.
You read other critics’ reviews, other interpretations, and you can only agree – they are all valid, and how could it be otherwise? Then you hold onto your own visions, your interpretations, or blend them with others in an openness of senses and perceptions.”
A member of the audience after watching The Chairs by Ionesco
“With the aid of minimal stage design – a chair, a lectern, a screen for projecting images and videos – Fabio Mangolini gradually reveals the details of a nearly unknown story, centered around a ship, or more precisely, a transatlantic liner. The first projected image is of the open, foamy sea, immediately drawing the audience into the story being told.
Mangolini – and this is a strength of his work – varies his delivery, tone of voice, and facial expressions depending on the moment. When he sits down, he embodies a man reminiscing about past events, as if he had lived them himself, like a friend sharing his story, using his voice, facial expressions, and gestures to create a warm and engaging atmosphere. When he stands and moves toward the lectern, his tone, expressions, and manner change; his voice becomes more commanding, paced to match the unfolding events and characters he presents.”
Virginia Benenati – Teatro.it
