“L’Italia s’è desta” – Italy has Arisen

The piece is written and directed by Rosario Mastrota and performed by Dalila Desirée Cozzolino. “L’Italia s’è desta” tells the story of Carletta, a Shakespearean village fool, who witnesses the kidnapping by the Calabrese mafia – ‘ndrangheta – of the Italian national soccer team. The army, politicians and journalists, too busy creating a media storm around the event, and blinded by the magnitude of the news, don’t notice her. She’s the only person who knows where the team is hidden – but nobody believes her. The show’s title is a quote from the Italian national hymn.

“L’Italia s’è desta” has been awarded numerous prizes in Italy, including the Teatropia 2012 award (Mafia & Politics themes), the Restart Award at the Politically Incorrect Festival 2013, and Antimafie Dirittinscena Award 2013. It was also a finalist for the prestigious Hystrio Stage Writing award 2012.