During the pandemic, Marina Carr wove poetic fragments, memories, and reflections into iGirl, a kaleidoscopic work in 21 scenes that transcends time and space. The text conjures historical and mythological figures, powerful yet forgotten female voices, and destinies shaped by tragedy and the longing to surpass imposed limits. The language shifts between lyricism and rawness, moving from intimacy to cosmic dimensions. Translated by Monica Capuani and Valentina Rapetti, iGirl captivated Federica Rosellini, who decided to bring it to the stage with a visionary direction. Her production blends theater, video art, and music, transforming the text into a contemporary ritual. The world it evokes spans eras and archetypes: from the voices of Neanderthals to a lost marine Eden where whales and sharks become mythical ancestors. Archaic and experimental sounds, dreamlike imagery, and a wild, profound language create a hybrid, immersive theatrical experience, where the actress’s body becomes a vessel for constant transformation. Completing this sonic and visual journey is the music of Daniela Pes, weaving past and future into an ancestral yet innovative language.
Born in 1989, after studying singing and violin, she graduated from the Piccolo Teatro School in Milan in 2011 and trained with Thomas Ostermeier and Antonio Latella. A performer, director, and playwright, she also specializes in dance and illustration. In 2023, her portrait was exhibited at the Maxxi in Rome in the Straordinarie. Protagoniste del presente exhibition. Dividing her career between cinema and theater, she made her film debut with Alice Rohrwacher and starred in Dove cadono le ombre, winning the Nuova Imaie Talent Award at Venice 74. She plays the lead role in Confidenza (2024) by Daniele Luchetti and in Campo di battaglia by Gianni Amelio, in competition at Venice 81. In theater, she has worked with directors such as Luca Ronconi, Antonio Latella, Andrea De Rosa, and Gabriele Russo, performing both male and female roles. She has won two Ubu Awards as Best Actress Under 35, the Hystrio Award, and the Virginia Reiter Award. As a director and playwright, she was an Associate Artist at the Piccolo Teatro of Milan (2021-2024). She has directed productions for the Venice Biennale Teatro, Emilia Romagna Teatro, and the Festival dei 2Mondi in Spoleto. Among her latest works are Freaks (2024), inspired by Tod Browning’s film, and HildeKurt, based on Hildegard von Bingen and Kurt Cobain. Her Carne blu won the 2022 Ubu Award for Best Set Design.
video Rä di Martino
original music Daniela Pes
sound designer GUP Alcaro
costumes Simona D’Amico
scenography Paola Villani
light designer Simona Gallo
dramaturg Monica Capuani
assistant director Elvira Berarducci
performer and director Federica Rosellini
co-production TPE – Teatro Piemonte Europa, Teatro Stabile Bolzano, Elsinor – Centro di Produzione Teatrale
support and national debut Romaeuropa Festival
performance rights by THE AGENCY (London) LTD
