The show “Ahi Maria!” is a theatrical and musical tribute to Rino Gaetano, an Italian singer-songwriter. The production, presented by Teatro Menotti, features an all-female cast consisting of Andrea Mirò, Camilla Barbarito, Laura Frascari, Federica Garavaglia, Francesca Tripaldi, Sofia Weck, and Maria Luisa Zaltron, who combine the roles of actresses, singers, and musicians.
The work aims to give voice to and highlight the female characters who populate Gaetano’s songs—such as Berta, Aida, Gianna, Lucia, Maria, Daniela, and Rosita—placing them at the center of the narrative. The setting evokes a 1980s cabaret, a space shaped by the Calabrian artist’s visionary vision, where themes such as change, struggle, and irony intertwine.
The title draws on a famous piece from Gaetano’s repertoire, transforming it into a theatrical-musical journey. The show draws on the roots of 1970s Rome’s “cantina” theater, influenced by authors such as Petrolini, Ionesco, Beckett, and Karl Valentin. The structure is conceived as a theatrical cabaret composed of monologues, songs, and dialogue fragments, aimed at portraying Italy and its utopias through irony and experimentation.
