National tour (Feb – May 2017), followed by London transfer to The Other Palace (June- July 2017)
Sevenex has invested in the theatrical adaptation of La Strada, based on the subject and script work by Federico Fellini. Kenny Wax Ltd, in association with Cambridge Arts Theatre & Bristol Old Vic, present The Belgrade Theatre Coventry’s production of one of the true masterpieces of modern cinema. Fellini’s 1957 Oscar-winning film, La Strada (The Road), has been brought to life on stage in a brand new adaptation directed by Olivier Award nominee Sally Cookson.
A soul-searching story filled with beauty, sadness, humour and acute observation, La Strada tells the tragic and tender tale of wide-eyed Gelsomina who is sold by her impoverished mother to the brutish strongman Zampano, a traveling sideshow performer. Their journey through the Italian countryside leads them to a ragtag touring circus where they meet Il Matto the free-spirited tightrope walker, who tries to rekindle Gelsomina’s broken spirit.
Director Sally Cookson says: “Fellini’s iconic film has always fascinated me and the thought of using it as a starting point to make a piece of theatre was one I couldn’t resist. A folk-tale like odyssey – this story sees three lost souls traveling ‘the road’ and searching in different ways to find meaning in their lives. Using physical storytelling, music, and movement, we will be attempting to find a theatricality to re-imagine this story of human suffering, longing and redemption.”
“With Kenny Wax’s impressive track record in theatre, this production immediately caught our eye,” says Sevenex’s Richard Londesborough. “But it was not until we watched an improvised rehearsal in a church hall in Chiswick that we saw the rich potential of this brave and stunning adaptation. We’re delighted to give it our backing.”