After discovering the beauty of amateur theater in dialect, how could I miss the show of the Compagnia del Curato for the celebrations of St Bruno in Segni?
It was not for nothing that my husband was a Vittori and the Segnino spirit permeated our lives, so I waited for sunset and went to see Jo Pozzo (the well) in Segni.
I arrived in a still not full St Mary square and I was surprised by the few chairs, I sat on the steps of the cathedral looking for a place right in front of the stage and I started to enjoy the show.
But not the theater show, which began an hour later, the one of the little people from Segni who slowly populated the square bringing their chairs from home: scenes that took me back many years. Some brought camping chairs to be really comfortable, while some guys set up church pews for the elderly ladies. The smartest ones only brought cushions to place on the marble steps of the cathedral (next time I'll do it too!)
Behind me were lots of young people laughing and groups of segnini already commenting on the show before it even started, so I was able to get to know all the back stage and the profile of young actors (without having seen them yet). Some kids told how on Sunday they would parade in costume in the Historical re-enactment carrying an ancient Segni banner that had been found in a cellar.
When the square became packed and darkness fell, the lights in the square went out and those of the stage came on where a young man dressed as a priest (with an open collar) and two ladies dressed in light blue went up. I immediately wondered if he was an actor due to his tanned body and ease on stage, but as soon as he started speaking I immediately understood that he was a real priest: Don Nicola who is also the creator of the Compagnia del Curato (The curate's theater company) born 10 Years ago.
The text they chose tells the true story of the arrival of the public fountain in Segni in 1937, just when people exhausted by drought began to discuss making a well in the middle of the town.
The music of the Tricche Ballache group on stage told and commented on what was happening in Segni among the people, a bit like a Greek choir. While the public commented live and informed me of all the stories and gossip, both past and current.
The stage was also filled with children, young budding actors who acted in dialect and their emotion was palpable from the red of their cheeks and their lost looks. But some showed an almost professional ease! Don Nicola played 2 parts and I understood his love for theater and the foundation of this company.
Note that a young man played the part of the priest on stage!
At the end of the show there were almost 40 people on stage and at the moment of the final goodbyes everyone went up with a white balloon in honor of the teacher Anna who had written the text but who had suddenly disappeared.
The balloons filled the sky during the greetings of the mayor Silvano Moffa who had been called on stage to greet the public: "the sign spirit is strong and lively and if last year 60 signs paraded in the historic procession, this year we have reached 150 participants, many of whom are young people who want to demonstrate their attachment to their country, the most beautiful in the world. Long live Segni, long live St Bruno”.
The square began to empty but the public's comments were already divided between the choice of the best actors and the wait for the Sunday prize. Next time I'll come with a pillow!
Long live Segni, long live St Bruno
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