Rome and Away: Shadow Players.
Michael Monkhouse hails Rome’s annual ‘Shadow of the Colosseum’ comedy bonanza.
Ask your average Brit about his pet peeves regarding the Roman summer, and they’ll probably name-check the heat, the early closing days or the transport (eight years to create THREE new metro stops and they’re still crap, how stunning is that).
Personally I’d name-check the most corrupt government in Europe, the least efficient legal system this side of the Banana Republic, and the worst economic recession since Hitler had a nice little chat with some politicians. But takes all sorts and all that.
Anyway, the one cool (you know what I mean) thing about another sultry sweaty steamy summer out here is ‘Shadow Of The Colosseum’, a veritable hotbed of comedians, laughter and free olives. But before I get my proverbial teeth into the individual acts, let’s take a leisurely trawl through the history of the event.
The fun kicked off in Summer 1990 when it was called – um, something else. The combination of live music, cinema and of course comedy had Romans voting with their feet, returning in droves as of 1991. Oh, and it was free in those days too. Like house prices and Berlusconi’s tackle, it grew and grew, and from 1995 merged into the famous ‘Roman Summer’ shenanigans, long before said event became just anyone getting up on stage. Since then it’s transformed into ninety days of hilarity from June to September, hosting seven hundred shows and welcoming (not in the Biblical sense) five million viewers…soon to be five million and two because I’m heading there tonight with all my friend.
After the initial hits with rather amusing duo ‘My, What An Impression’ – namely Salvi and D’Angelo – the comedy element has taken over. Consequently, ‘Shadow’ is now rightly regarded as the richest, largest comedic casebook in the country, flaunting household names like Giorgio Panariello, Antonio Giuliani, Greg and Lillo, Dado, Cinzia Leone…
Don’t worry, that’s Roman households, not UK ones. Plus, since 2011 they’ve been opening in the morning as well so you can enjoy a bite to eat and look at the Colosseum and feel pretty damn fine about things.
And so this year, ‘Shadow of the Colosseum’ is getting back to basics with shows from the early evening and a cool (yes) feel embracing the hottest acts in Italy. And as the prostitute said to Berlusconi, watch this space.
