introduzione a Teatri nel fascismo

Some dossiers are a means to begin to assess the progress of ongoing research, others constitute a drawing board round which information may be shared and discussed. Ours is of the second type. It comprises seven essays, many “short reports” (focusing on significant details) and some other working documents, such as, for example, photographs. This is not a dossier on “Theatre and Fascism” (it does not deal with fascist initiatives concerning theatre), nor on “theatre between the two wars” (it does not discuss what happens to theatre or to dance independently of the historical context). It marks, on the contrary, the beginning of a research that aims to explore the situation of the theatres that were enclosed within the wall constituted by the fascist regime, by taking as a starting point a reverse point of view. It starts from the grassroots, from the point of view of the actors and spectators, rather than from the institutions or fascist ideology. We speak of theatres in the plural; theatre cultures that were very different to one another: from dance, to variety shows, to prose theatre. All are studied in parallel, in a comparative way, and this has allowed us to note unexpected connections. This research has been conducted by scholars coming from different universities, using different methodologies and points of view.