Palermo, El’s debut national performance at Biondo Theater

Arriving in Palermo, after being previewed in Tunis last autumn, El, the new theatrical creation devised and directed by director and set designer Simone Mannino as part of his Mediterranean Theatre Ensemble, is part of a cultural movement that aims to explore new forms of theatrical expression, experimenting with innovative languages and technologies to advance artistic research in the context of the contemporary Mediterranean.

The show will be presented for the first time on June 7 and 8 at 9:00 pm at the Teatro Biondo (Sala Strehler) as part of Between Land And Sea – BLAS, a cultural festival conceived and produced by the Rizoma Studio Foundation.

Based on the novel The Invincible Sun by Claudia Salvatori, with excerpts from Heliogabalus or the Anarchist Crowned by Antonin Artaud, in the adaptation by Claudia Salvatori and Simone Mannino, الجبل EL explores the utopian dream of a multi-ethnic and multicultural world without conflicts, through the historical figure of Heliogabalus, a young Roman emperor from Syria, to explore universal themes such as power, corruption, identity, and spiritual quest.

With an international cast of artists and actors from Palermo and Tunis, the show is a manifesto for intercultural dialogue, freedom, and peace, exploring connections between genres and different cultures. The performance, which takes place in Italian, Arabic, and French, with subtitles, is enriched by a visionary and multidisciplinary set design by Mannino, costumes by artist Philippe Berson, original music composed and played live by Sicilian producer Gaetano Dragotta and German violist Ruth Kemna, aims to offer the audience a gripping and poetic theatrical experience, capable of strengthening cultural ties and contributing to a greater understanding among the peoples of the world. The Mediterranean Theatre Ensemble believes in the power of artistic collaboration as a tool to overcome linguistic, social, and political barriers, working together to create shows that reflect the richness and complexity of the Mediterranean.