First dancer, then actress. In between, a very long career on TV, which saw her, among other things, also cover the role of star of the Bagaglino. Nothing was missing Lorenza Mario, 53 years old, versatile artist, ready to change skin depending on the occasion.
In these days he is on stage with "The precious ridiculous", adapted and directed by Stefano Artissunch, where he shares the stage with Benedicta Boccoli. A captivating piecè, where the two actresses in the role of the protagonists Caterina and Maddalena are two vaudeville artists in Italy in the 1940s who find themselves grappling with the classic dilemma between being and appearing. In Sardinia the debut is tomorrow (Wednesday 11 January), at the Teatro Comunale "Akinu Congia" in Sanluri. To then continue on Thursday at the Cine Teatro in Olbia, on Friday at the Tamuli Pavilion ex Caserme Mura in Macomer, on Saturday at the Teatro del Carmine in Tempio Pausania and finally on Sunday at 9pm at the Civic Theater in Alghero again starting at 9pm for the Grande prose Cedac.
Tell us about Lorenza, who is Maddalena?
«Maddalena is a Jewish actress, singer, dancer in the Rivista theater in Rome in the 1940s. No longer very young and with little experience but very talented, who does not give up her great passion for the stage, facing all the difficulties and abuses imposed by the regime Nazi-fascist. She is shy at first but then shows her inner strength by finding in her colleague and great friend Caterina not only a firm professional and artistic reference, but also great support».
How did you get on with Benedicta Boccoli?
"Very good! She is very good, full of resources and imagination. We've known each other for some time, but it's the first time we've had the opportunity to work together. Now we have become inseparable! From the first moments I perceived a spontaneous empathy: same working method, same need for research and study of the text and characters, same obsession with perfectionism. Furthermore, we both eschew vulgarity, instead seeking elegance and sophistication in lyrics as well as in life. In short, in tune with everything. We love and support each other. A real fortune."
From dance, to TV, to theatre. How did it get there?
«I started from classical and contemporary dance but TV arrived almost immediately, almost by chance and for many years it was a splendid, very intense experience that gave me great popularity; from "Domenica In" to "Buona Domenica", from fiction to the two editions of Bagaglino, and many other shows. But in my heart was the theater. Between broadcasts I traveled to New York and London to continue studying dance and singing. And therefore, despite the attractive offers on TV, I plunged headlong into musical theater as soon as possible. I remember with emotion in 2000 my first big tour with De Sica "An American in Paris"».
What does it feel like to have been the first woman of the Bagaglino?
"Marvelous! The only thing that mattered to me was to prepare myself in the best possible way and offer an artistic performance to the maximum of my possibilities. And the Bagaglino certainly represented a unique opportunity for me in this sense».