Marta Cuscunà (Italy)

Being on the edge of extinction is no longer a metaphor. To get out of the destructive attitude of GAME OVER that this awareness could bring, Donna Haraway writes Staying with the trouble, a speculative essay that includes short stories of science fiction where she imagines possible futures in which the human species joins forces with other species to heal the planet and taking care of it again (and better). Inspired by Haraway's stories, the show features a small colony of individuals who moved to over-exploited and damaged areas to heal them, thanks to symbiotic collaboration with non- human partners. They are Earthbound.

The Earthbound are made real on stage through the animatronic techniques designed by Paola Villani and inspired by Australian artist Patricia Piccinini. Portuguese artists, João Rapaz and his team, also collaborated in its construction. The Italian Puppet Theatre tradition is contaminated with innovative animation techniques, one of the most magnetic and captivating aspects of Marta Cuscunà's theatre.

If "It matters what stories make worlds, what worlds make stories” - as Donna Haraway affirms, Earthbound is one of the possible stories of the new world we may inhabit in the near future.

^{"A future for puppetry: Earthbound, Marta Cuscunà's Cyborg Manifesto (...). What is always surprising in Cuscunà's shows is to see how the actress knows how to give life, voice and body to her sophisticated puppets (...) Cuscunà skillfully manipulates them thanks to some diabolical device, simultaneously changing the vocal register that goes from one to the other, with unusual ease and inventiveness. (...) At the end, a great and well-deserved applause (. ..) which shows all her extraordinary talent and charisma. Brava!" - Flaviano Bosco, Instart}

^{"Marta Cuscunà gives voice and plays each character, including the dying old Camille and the most mutant of them all, Gaia, with the usual, increasingly refined mastery that has won her so many awards, even internationally, and with a clear contagious sense of humor.
The supernatural lights are beautiful, curated by Claudio "Poldo" Parrino and the animation team is very good (...). Applause from the Operaestate audience."
-Laura Vicenzi, Bassanonet}

BIO

Marta Cuscunà's unique and charismatic creations are expressed through visual theatre and puppetry, with great emotional force. At São Luiz Teatro Municipal, were presented the shows La semplicità ingannata (La semplicità ingannata) and Sorry, Boys, which are part of her trilogy on Feminine Resistance, but also Il Canto della Caduta.

Marta Cuscunà was born in Monfalcone, a city of factory workers famous for its shipyard, and for the sad legacy of the loss of so many of its residents to asbestos illness. She studied at “Prima del Teatro”: European School for the Art of the Actor.
She performed in “Merma Neverdies”, a performance with puppets by Joan Mirò and “Zoé, Inocencia Criminal”, both directed by Joan Baixas for the Teatre de la Claca Company (Barcelona). In 2009, she won the “Premio Scenario Ustica” for "È bello vivere liberi!", a project of civil theatre for an actress, five puppets and a doll, written, directed and performed by herself. In 2011, thanks to a scholarship, she participated in "… think only this of me...", a devised collaboration by actors and musicians of the Guildhall School of Music and Drama (London).
In 2012 she realized her second original project "La semplicità ingannata". In 2013 Marta made for the Gaypride in Vicenza the reading "The beat of Freedom" and then performed Glauce in “La città ha fondamenta sopra un misfatto”, theatral re-writing of “Medea” by Christa Wolf, written and directed by Giuliana Musso. In 2014 she premièred “Wonder Woman”, a reading written and performed with Giuliana Musso and Antonella Questa, starting from the investigative report of Silvia Sacchi and Luisa Pronzato, journalists of Corriere della Sera that explores the theme of the financial feminine independence. In 2015 she premièred “Sorry, Boys”, third original performance of the project on Female resistance. Rete Critica 2017 Award ward for best show (promoted by the network of blogs and independent theater critics and information sites).

In 2018, she premiered “Il canto della caduta”, a work in which she combines the ancestral imagery of the Fanes myth with the principles of animatronics, used in the puppets manipulation, and wins the Premio della Critica, awarded by the ANCT, l'Associazione Nazionale Critici del Theater. In 2019 she received the Hystrio-Altre Muse Award. From 2009 to 2019 she was part of the Fies Factory project by Centrale Fies. In 2021 she became an associated artist at Piccolo Teatro di Milano.

_CREDITS

_{Freely inspired by Staying with the trouble, by Donna Haraway}

_{Concept and performer: Marta Cuscuna Scenography and animatronic design: Paola Villani Assistant director: Marco Rogante Animatronic development: Paola Villani, Marco Rogante Animatronic creatures sculpting and modelling: João Rapaz, Janaína Drummond, Mariana Fonseca, Rodrigo Pereira, Catarina Santiago, Francisco Tomàs (Oldskull FX, Lisboa) Dramaturgy: Giacomo Raffaelli Sound design: Michele Braga Lighting design: Claudio “Poldo” Parrino Technical direction, head electrician and sound engineer: Marco Rogante Scenography construction in the workshop by: Emilia Romagna Teatro Fondazione Photography: Guido Mencari Sponsor of technical parts: igus® innovazione con i tecnopolimeri; Marta s.r.l. forniture per l’industria Special acknowledgments: Giusi Merli, who kindly granted the use of her appearance for Camille 1 and to Guqin Wu for sharing part of our journey with such generosity Coproduction: Emilia Romagna Teatro Fondazione, CSS Teatro stabile di innovazione del FVG, Etnorama Support: São Luiz Teatro Municipal, i-Portunus, A Tarumba - Teatro de Marionetas, Italian Institute of Culture - Lisboa, Citizens who joined the project #iosonoMecenate In collaboration with: Dialoghi - Residenza delle arti performative a Villa Manin 2018/2020 Acknowledgments: Andrea Macaluso, Antonella Ninni, Barbara Boninsegna, Eleonora Odorizzi, Famiglia Cuscunà, Famiglia Villani e dipendenti ditta Marta, Filippo Raschi, Francesco Gritti, Francesco il biciclettaio, Il lavoratorio, Jean-François Mathieu, Laura Marinelli, Maria Magalhaes, Sue Ellen, Chiara Venturini, Samuele Nicolettis per Veleria Onesails, Valentina Fogliani}