Rome and Away: Marco Capretti, a comedy chameleon…

Rome and Away with Michael Monkhouse.

Stand-up, actor, writer, producer… Marco Capretti’s been there, done it, and probably MCed for it too.

I first saw Marco at ‘Rock in Roma’, an effortlessly cool outdoor set-up where the punter can enjoy a meal, a stand-up set and a tribute band to boot. And, of course, an alternative to the bog-standard pizza and footie option.

And Lord, in a capital where stand-up’s still wobbling along on prissy pinions, Capretti put up a fine show. He kicked off with a bout of warm-up – real warm-up, not just crowbarring in tried-and-tested put-downs and ‘isn’t-this-a-crazy-place’ standbys – then launched into a furious fifty minutes enlivened by topical references, the odd newspaper hand-out and of course a few spurts of audience interaction. Think vintage Ben Elton, current Russell Howard, and future – Capretti?

For as I meet Marco in one of Rome’s many bars, I’m infected by his wit, charm, and – most of all – good old-fashioned enthusiasm. They’re qualities that have made him one of Rome’s – Italy’s – most sought-after and versatile comics. He’s happy to tell me about his shy beginnings as ‘animatore’ (performer, warm-up and general dogsbody) in tourist villages, pretty much the best way to get started in the biz unless you want to have sex with a politician. He’s notched up an impressive array of awards too – twice at ‘Studio Uno’, twice at the Colosseum’s ‘Rome Laughs’ – before branching into theatre (‘Tele Poveri’ at Teatro Stabile del Comico in 2003), radio (‘Football Fowl’ – I couldn’t make that up – every Sunday on ‘Nuova Spazio Radio’), telly (live entertainer on GBR Supernova’s post-music festival talk show)… Oh, and an ad for possibly my favourite ale of all time, Red Erik… And of course stand-up.

In fact whilst I bemoan the lack of a comedic tradition in Rome, things are changing, and it’s in no small part due to the work of Capretti and his occasional collaborator Stefano Fabrizi. These two biggies are the joint brains behind ‘Comic Ring Show’, a weekly comedy bonanza at student-heavy (and price-light) venue ‘Under Andrea’s House’ (poor Andrea, won’t get a wink of sleep): in classic Yankee / Brit style, anyone can get up and anyone usually does. Many of the performers graduate from ‘Morinibros’, Rome’s best-loved comedy college; some become circuit faves; some even go on to TV’s ‘Seven Show’ or ‘Zelig’, Italy’s answer to ‘Saturday Night Live’. (Incidentally, there really was an Italian show called ‘Saturday Night Live’. File under ‘maybe not’.) But it’s here, treading the hallowed boards of Andrea, that the fun starts, the acts gets to hone their skills… And Marco plays MC.

For when I ask Signor Capretti to list his most treasured moments, he says he loves everything, but nothing quite so much as MCing. He gets to warm up the crowd, try out new material in a friendly environment, close with a bang… And hang around the stage in the meantime, ready to help out a newcomer or curl a whip (or a lip) at a vivacious audience. It’s invaluable experience, invigorating work, and a great night out too.

So when in Rome, check this one out. When not in Rome, check out www.marcocapretti.it.