Accidental Death of an Anarchist (2009)

Poster by Mark Davies

by Dario Fo, Translated by Simon Nye

Directed by Mark Davies

Performances: Tue 17th - Sat 21st March 2009, Prompt Corner

Introduction

This is perhaps Italian playwright Dario Fo’s best known play, first performed in 1970. Written in response to the death of a police suspect who supposedly fell out of a police station window, it is a farce satirising corruption within the police and government. Right wing politics was, and still is, a strong force in Italy, and the play also aims to expose the underhand methods the police used to infiltrate left wing groups by posing as other people. Whilst not a policeman himself , the main character's histrionic nature is a reflection on what the police did through impersonation and trickery. Having infiltrated a police headquarters, he poses as a judge and tricks the policemen into admitting that they are involved in a cover-up. Simon Nye (of Men Behaving Badly fame) provides this translation which moves along at break-neck speed, an onslaught of farce which gets ever more far-fetched as the story unfolds.

This version of Accidental Death of an Anarchist premiered at the Donmar Warehouse, London in February 2003.

Cast

• Maniac - Kevin Monk
• Bertozzo - Jack King
• Inspector - Simon Holland
• Superintendent - Matthew Lyne
• Journalist - Cliodhna McAllister
• Constable - Stuart Sutton

Crew

• Stage managed by Lauri Morgan and Deirdre Parkes
• Set designed by Dave Hollander
• Costumes arranged by Kristy Davis
• Sound and Lighting designed by Mark Davies and Mike Elliott
• Properties from Alan Buckman, cast and crew.
• Photographs by Tom Hancock
• Thanks to Matt, the cast and crew of Park and The Last Days of Judas Iscariot, Joe Dolce, Silvio Berlusconi by Perma-tan TM, Andy from Bambino's Junk Shop in Crystal Palace for providing body parts, James Hough for the German dynamite, UCLH for the tatty stationery, the volunteers manning the bar and Front of House.

Reviews

Some review quotes go here

Gallery

Production photos by [[]] - click on thumbnails for larger images

Reminiscences and Anecdotes

This production is 25 years since the previous one, and Mr Lyne has since been promoted.

See Also

Dario Fo plays previously performed at SLT:

• Accidental Death Of An Anarchist (1984) (Bell Theatre)
• Trumpets And Raspberries (1990) (Bell Theatre)
• Elizabeth - Almost by Chance a Woman (2006) (Bell Theatre)

References

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