what we do
Since 2016, we have been producing work in Sicily and internationally. Our work is usually devised, always collaborative and we always strive to build bridges across cultures through storytelling. We draw our inspiration directly from the communities we work in, which leads us on exciting and fascinating journeys as we explore their history, folklore and mythology. With our passion for intercultural exchange in mind, previous productions have toured internationally as well as being performed locally within Sicilian communities.
The responsive nature of our work leads us to draw on a wide range of different performance styles and practices as we develop a theatrical language that will resonate with the community we’re working with. As a result, we create bold, unconventional productions that are accessible and relevant to our audiences.
Our process
Community is at the heart of our work, and we find that our work is strongest when we build this into all aspects of our life as a company. We observe a communal, collaborative creative practice which allows and requires all company members to contribute actively throughout the devising process. Sometimes we have a director, but more often we appoint somebody as “Lead Artist”, who becomes responsible for overseeing the creative process whilst also being an active participant.
Although it is not a requirement, we do encourage our artists to live communally for the duration of a project wherever possible. By living together and sharing meals and household responsibilities we create a focused and immersive creative environment that has proved to be hugely beneficial to our work.
Productions
Photo by Tom Grace
The Hades & Persephone Project (working title, 2019 - 2021)
Our most recent project in development traces three legendary love stories through time and space. Inspired by three well-known myths of forbidden romance, the Hades & Persephone Project questions what it means to be an outsider on an island that has always had a love-hate relationship with the outsiders arriving on its shores. The project is envisioned as a site-specific immersive experience that will lead audiences on foot through a small Sicilian village.
Colapesce: An audio adventure (2020)
Featuring an ensemble of eight actors and musicians, Colapesce: An Audio Adventure is an enchanting storytelling album that brings the Sicilian folktale of Colapesce to life with original music, perfect for listeners of all ages. Created during the COVID-19 lockdown, Trinacria Theatre Company brings its signature playful creativity to the world of audio, producing a epic listening experiences that audiences of all ages can enjoy again and again.
Screenshot from video by Placido Carbone
A Ghost Story (2018)
This bittersweet short is the company’s first original story. It was developed over the course of one week in a Sicilian village and was inspired by our interactions with the local community. Playfully performed using typical household objects in unusual ways, A Ghost Story leads audiences through Messina city landmarks and leads us on an emotional exploration of Sicily’s unique relationship to home, family, ancestry, and death.
Photo by Lee Bader Photography
La Storia di Colapesce (2016)
Our debut performance, inspired by a Messina folk legend, was featured on RAI International and made New England Theatre Geek call us a “group to watch.” Using a wide variety of storytelling techniques, La Storia di Colapesce took audiences on a fantastical journey from the top of Mount Etna to the bottom of the Strait of Messina with our hero, a fisherman’s son with an amazing, fish-like ability to swim. This production is a love letter to the strength of the Sicilian people and an imaginative retelling of an old fable - but comes with a warning: “too much water will turn you into a fish.”