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Dario Fo at 100: a deliriously funny playwright with a deadly serious purpose
The great Italian entertainer’s plays, such as Accidental Death of an Anarchist, have not lost their power to make audiences roar with laughter while confronting injustice
TL;DR
- Dario Fo, born 100 years ago, combined political commentary with popular theatre, earning the Nobel Prize in Literature.
- His plays, including 'Accidental Death of an Anarchist' and 'Can't Pay? Won't Pay!', achieved global reach and were known for their satire.
- Fo and his wife Franca Rame faced censorship and legal issues for their confrontational work.
- 'Mistero Buffo', a one-man show, satirized the Catholic Church and was condemned by the Vatican.
- Fo's plays provided substantial roles for actors, blending comedy with ideology.
- Comedy for Fo was a means to a political end, using laughter to make audiences confront underlying tragedy and injustice.