FRINGE 2015: In Search of Mrs. Pirandello astounds

June 16 2015 // Marilla Steuter-Martin // Magazine // Features

In Search of Mrs. Pirandello is an enthralling and vivid play that boasts an ingenious script, a cast of superb actors and a refreshingly original thesis.

This special look at one of literary history's voiceless and forgotten players is both evocative and inspiring. Blending fascinating historical research with gripping prose, In Search of Mrs. Pirandello provides a post-modern commentary on mental illness, women's issues and the artistic process.
 
The play follows the story of a young scholar, known only as the Searcher, who travels to Italy to learn more about the mysterious life of Luigi Pirandello's wife Antonietta. After suffering a mental breakdown, she was institutionalized for "morbid jealousy" in 1919 and spent almost 40 years in an asylum.
 
The play was written by up-and-comer Michaela Di Cesare, a former playwright-in-residence at Montreal's Imago Théâtre company.
 
Di Cesare also plays the lead role of the Searcher, a part she portrays with admirable energy and passion. The ensemble features a remarkably talented cast including Davide Chiazzese, Mike Payette and Nadia Verrucci (who also appears in the Fringe's A Nightmare for Oberon).
 
The show's aesthetic design, done by Liv Wright, is incredibly simple and beautiful, turning the bare Rialto studio space into a platform for artistic exploration. Director Cristina Cugliandro also deserves high praise for her innovative staging and obvious attention to detail and pacing. 
 
Overall, In Search of Mrs. Pirandello is a polished and carefully constructed masterpiece that exceeds expectations and heralds future recognition and success.
 
In Search of Mrs. Pirandello plays at the The Rialto Studio (5723 du Parc) at the following times:
  • June 16th (Tuesday) at 7:00 pm
  • June 18th (Thursday) at 7:00 pm
  • June 19th (Friday) at 7:00 pm
  • June 20th (Saturday) at 1:00 pm

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Marilla Steuter-Martin is part of CJLO’s Official Fringe Team covering the sights and sounds from the 2015 St-Ambroise Montreal Fringe Festival.

You can follow her on Twitter @MKSteuterMartin