In this latest instalment of Matt's Chitchats, we’re pulling back the curtain on two of the most explosive and influential figures in 20th-century Italian stagecraft. Matt is joined by the eminent Emeritus Professor Joseph Farrell for a captivating deep dive into the lives, legacy, and sheer subversive power of Dario Fo and Franca Rame. How does a playwright with zero theatrical background end up winning the Nobel Prize for Literature? And what happens when his work collides with the fierce, innate talent of a woman born into a legendary travelling theatre dynasty? In this episode, we unpack the history, the controversies, and the craft: The Outsider and the Royalty: We explore Franca’s unique upbringing – debuting on stage as a baby and learning lines “mouth to mouth” – and how it contrasted with Dario's completely untheatrical beginningsThe Canzonissima Walkout: Joseph recounts the legendary 1962 television scandal where Dario’s acerbic comments on a building strike led to a studio panic, a triumphant walkout through the streets of Milan, and a decade-long ban from Italian TVBlasphemy and the Giullare: Discover how Fo revived the tradition of the mediaeval minstrel to create Mistero Buffo – a radical, one-man performance that the Vatican furiously condemned as the most blasphemous play ever stagedThe Translator's Dilemma: Joseph shares his strict philosophy on translation versus adaptation. He discusses the necessity of being a “servant” to the author, the challenges of dealing with outdated or offensive language without sanitising the past, and why he chose to translate Fo’s anarchy into ScotsBehind the Scenes: Expect personal anecdotes from Joseph’s time with the couple, including a chaotic, poignant attempt to organise an exhibition in Edinburgh during Dario's final daysPacked with rich history, sharp humour, and an insider's look at the messy art of translation, this is an episode for language lovers and theatre buffs alike. If you’re interested in Joe’s work, here is a couple of recent titles: Dario Fo and Franca Rame: Theatre, Politics, Life (Methuen Publishing, 2019): This is his most comprehensive and recently updated biography of the couple, exploring their unique professional and personal partnership, their political activism, and their lasting impact on global theatre.Robert Louis Stevenson in Samoa (2017): A biographical study focusing on the final years of the famous Scottish author's life in the Pacific, which was shortlisted for the Saltire Society Non-Fiction Book of the Year Award.Joes is also a highly regarded translator, having translated numerous works by Dario Fo, Leonardo Sciascia, Vincenzo Consolo, and Valerio Varesi. Most of his books can be readily found through major retailers Matt's Chitchats is a mini-series of The Secret Life of Language, a podcast from the University of Melbourne’s School of Languages and Linguistics. The series is produced by Matt Absalom and Gavin Nebauer. Recorded and mixed by Gavin Nebauer at the Horwood Recording Studio, the University of Melbourne. The Secret Life of Language is licensed under Creative Commons.
