"As a director I worked at the Edinburgh Festival and on the London fringe, where I have managed to secure a reputation for innovative, challenging and thought provoking work. Often rewriting, adapting and re-inventing major works, or devising new shows. I was touched and influenced by Complicite’s and Joan Littlewood sense of the ensemble; by Grotowski’s and Meisner respect for acting and actors, and Shared Experience and Forced Entertainment physicalised action theatre." - M.M.
I have directed many more, but here is a selection of my favourites.
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When directing a play, I always look at the issues that it raises and what lesson can be derived from it. While mulling over “Bernarda Alba”, |
“There are more dead people than living. And their numbers are increasing. The living are getting rarer.” - Eugene Ionesco – A strange epidemic is taking away the inhabitants of a small town killing an astonishing number of people and the town is transformed from an ordinary provincial suburb into a maelstrom of paranoia, horror, and death. “Death, drawing ever nearer, exposes all human flaws.” - Eugene Ionesco –
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‘The
Possibilities ’ "I WAS reminded of the actor’s nightmare (being
in an unfamiliar play and not knowing the dialogue) when the principal
actor in the final scene of a series of 10 vignettes, written by Howard
Barker, pointed a gun at me and fired. |
‘Camurria’ Commissionata da Mariano D'Amora, direttore artistico
della Stagione Teatrale Italiana, è la conclusione di un'iniziativa
che ha visto 12 spettacoli di drammaturghi italiani contemporanei succedersi
per la prima volta sulle scene del prestigioso Riverside Studio di Londra.La
regia di Massimo Marinoni - che già in passato si è distinto a Londra
per le sue messe in scena innovative e iconoclaste - spoglia la scena
ai suoi minimi termini (una poltrona, un pianoforte, e pochi altri oggetti).
Solo le luci sottolineano il contrasto fra i personaggi, contribuendo
alla creazione di un'atmosfera espressionistica e suggestiva. L'idea
di ridurre al minimo l'espressione verbale "logica" è vincente
soprattutto nel contesto di una rassegna dedicata ad un pubblico misto,
italiano e inglese. Infatti la purezza comunicativa del gesto e dell'espressione
forniscono una chiarezza d'intenti che permette anche a chi non capisce
l'italiano di seguire lo spettacolo senza nemmeno avere bisogno di leggere
i sovratitoli." |
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‘Oh,
What A Bloody Circus!’ "Absurdity, alienation, death. In that
order. Not wholly unfamiliar territory for a Ionesco play, but what
is remarkable about Massimo Marinoni’s take on this paranoid, angst-ridden
piece is the way in which he throws you right inside the protagonist’s
head. Seated on three sides of a bare black box stage, the audience
scrutinise each other as much as the action. With daring, invasive entrances
and exits Marinoni creates an energetic, crackly paced, surreal piece
with some stunning visual tricks topped by a disturbing coup de theatre
finish. Ionesco’s theatre was criticised for having no social relevance,
but this play delivers the Donne-like message that no one is an island.
Marinoni’s direction draws for the most part good performances his 21-strong
cast, although occasionally misjudged acting introduces minor wobbles.
Thankfully, they don’t disrupt the piece, which is a valiant, imaginative
and ingaging fringe production of this rarely performed play.."
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‘The
Shagaround’ “As far as my directing methods are concerned, I work hard with my actors, constantly trying to stretch their abilities, often beyond their imaginations and expectations. My warm up are arduous and challenging, as I have great aspirations, visions and respect for the art. I have a significant number of followers to this method. I also believe in an organic growth to a performance, not a preset.” – M.M.
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‘The
Texas Chainsaw Travelling Horror Picture Show’ “I decided to get involved with the Texas Chainsaw (traveling) horror picture show, because it is a group of diverse performers from all walks of life and with various talents, a mixed bag of oddities, but with one big similarity, their unconditional love of art, and their dedication to stretch themselves beyond their comfort zone, to be challenged and to challenge themselves in order to rediscover the performer within, and to take active participation in the creation of something new and unique! People with a lot of art in their lives, that understand the need to constantly reinvent themselves in order to feel truly creative and grow to become better people/performers” - M.M.
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‘You
are Right if you sat so!’ "There are flashes of real invention in
Massimo Marinoni‘s new adaptation of Prandello‘s disturbing comedy of
truth and illusion. "Adapted and directed by Massimo
Marinoni, the N1 Theatre Company‘s rendition of the drama works pretty
well with some amusing up to date adjustments to include audience participation
and outtakes from the likes of Jerry Springer and The Trisha Show. It‘s
both quirky and cerebral theatre that makes for a highly entertaining
evening and another feather in the Courtyard‘s Cap." |
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