Interview with Paolo Alessandri(the Academy´s co-founder, professor, and Co-Director of Roma Theatre Festival) and Linda Lauretta (student at the Theatre Academy in Rome)

What were the motives behind choosing G. Orwell novel ´Animal Farm´ as a source of inspiration for your performance?

It might seems strange but, I didn’t base the play on G. Orwell novel, because I believe that being so faithful to the original story is something good but basing your work on a literary oeuvre may spoil the beauty of the performance. However, the truth is, when I had 10 years old I brought the novel home thinking that it was a children story about animals, but in my surprise it wasn´t!  It was the first novel I have ever read in my life and the effect left after reading the book was the source of my inspiration of this dark yet lovely tale. In fact, it brings to life some nostalgic moments of my childhood.

If someone has the talent already should he/she go to school (or get a professional training) and why?

In my humble opinion, if you want to take theatre as a profession, I think yes it is necessary to do some professional training. Education in the field can help a lot in building credibility faster than any single thing. Still, I believe that acting, is where you can learn all you know by doing it. It is a process of falling down and stand up again!

What exactly do you do as a theatrical director? What are your key responsibilities?

Actually, I don’t play ´God´…I don’t make things happen! However, it is through the hard work of the whole team that we achieve ´perfection´. In our academy, we teach students to be responsible and discipline before any training course so that when times come everybody get automatically ready to be part of the journey. I do remember, like yesterday, the first time I talked to my student about the idea of this performance everyone bought the book of G. Orwell the day after and started to read it. That´s reflect the real spirit of the academy!

What you would like to say to your friends through FITUT?

I think that the perspective of the festival is based on collaboration, exchange of experiences, and communication. The festival aims at democratizing culture and rebuilding cultural bridges. A competitive part of the festival has no bad impact on such objectives. I recommend young people to enjoy life through theatre and never give up and start from scratch. It is a challenge to start all over again but this is what gives life sense and makes us feel alive. Obstacles just make us get stronger, and it is through mistakes, that we learn!

So shall we hope that we will see you again among the family of FITUT?

Definitely! This is the third time our academy participate in the festival and hopefully not the last.