What would San Pietro and San Paolo be said, meeting in the streets of Rome? The story does not tell us with certainty, but some traces suggest that the two apostles were present in the eternal city in the same period. Before Saints, they were men: Pietro, fisherman of Lake Galilee, who became the first pontiff and successor of Christ; Paolo, cultured and influential, transformed from persecutor to fervent preacher after the electrocution on the way of Damascus. To imagine a meeting between these two foundative figures of Christianity is Michele La Ginestra, actor and comediographer Romano, who brings on stage Pietro and Paolo in Rome at the Sistina Theater, from 27 to 29 June. A show that investigates the most human dimension of the two apostles, with a clear and rhetoric -free look, capable of returning all the topical and humanity of their message.
We interviewed him to make us tell where the idea was born and what is the urgency that prompted him to write this text.
Why a show on San Pietro and San Paolo?
Fra Lamb Stoia, parish priest of the Basilica of San Pietro, contacted me last year asking me if I wanted to make a show dedicated to Pietro and Paolo. So I started reading and studying a lot on the subject. In the past I had already written As Christ commands Christa show in which two centurions at the foot of the Cross of Christ question the mysteries of faith. That narrative system, made of confrontation and reflection, had really liked it. From there the idea was born to stage a dialogue between Peter and Paul, in a simple form and accessible to everyone. I imagined that they could have met in Rome, on the other hand by the studies it appears that they were there in the same period. I wondered: What can two saints talk about? I liked to think that, before being holy, they were first of all men. They demonstrated it with their actions, even more contradictory ones. They made a human path, common to anyone who is looking for something, capable of being surprised by unexpected visions and calls. Pietro is a simple fisherman, who left everything to follow a man who displaced him: of course, he did not expect that ending. Paolo, on the other hand, is a man of power, cultured, who as a persecutor has turned into persecuted, upset by a vision that has revolutionized his life. They are two very different figures, for culture and lived, but for this reason the comparison between them becomes fruitful. Pietro, direct witness; Paolo, believer for vision. There is curiosity, desire to understand, but also tension: Paolo in the letter to the Galatians accuses Pietro of duplicity and hypocrisy – and it is no small thing, considering that Peter had been designated as the first pontiff of history. But precisely a deep, fraternal affection arises from this comparison. A relationship that leads the two to “celebrate together” on June 29, the day that in antiquity was dedicated to Romolo and Remo. I believe that the message of Christ has come down to us thanks to both. If it had only passed through the simple language of Pietro, it would have been too basic; If only through Paolo, too cultured and complex. Together, however, they made the universal message, capable of still speaking today.
What role does theater have in the transmission of this message?
I would like this invitation to listen and reflection could also come through a theatrical show. And not so much aimed at believers, as to those who do not believe. For believers it can be a stimulus to lower the defenses, to simplify language. Christ’s message is within everyone’s reach: we are often complicating it. I would like to tell the simplicity of two saints who usually see writings on calendars, but which in reality were human beings. I see holiness in fathers and mothers who face difficulties with their children, in those who take care of others without asking for anything in return. There is a lot of holiness around us, but we always tend to associate it with distant figures, with the halo. The message I would like to transmit is precisely this: to remove the icon from the pedestal and make it human, close. Make it clear that even the pillars of the Church, like Peter and Paul, spoke of the Gospel as they ate, worked, confronted each other with friends. The Gospel, after all, is something you live every day.
How do you connect this story to the Jubilee?
There is a very touching moment in the show in which Pietro tells Paul that, in the moment of fear before death, Jesus taught him that he can be afraid. Which is not something to be ashamed of. And Paolo replies that fear is what often prevents us from asking for help, of turning to his father. The Jubilee is an opportunity to recognize this: that faith is a lively participation in the message of Christ, who is a God who calls himself the Father, who defeats death and teaches us that we must not be afraid of anything. And this is hope.
How are music and dance in the show integrated?
The show is marked by several meetings between Pietro and Paolo, distributed along the five years in which they were both in Rome. The passage of time is underlined by the presence of some performers who dance on the original music of Emanuele Friello, enriched by the voices of some singers. Dance expresses the flow of time with a musicality built on simple instruments, similar to those used in the Roman era: few ropes, percussion. We also exploit some ancient holidays, such as Saturnalia and Bacchanals, to imagine the moments of encounter between the two saints. Performers also have the task of physically transforming the scenic space, making it dynamic, alive. This creates rhythm, color, and makes the show engaging even for those who love theater as a form of art.
Is there anything of you, actors and authors, who ended up in the characters?
Without a doubt. I feel much more Peter than Paolo, despite having studied a lot to learn more. Fabio Ferrari, on the other hand, lived something very similar to Paolo. As he himself says: “I was in Rome, in the eternal city, and I thought: do you think it doesn’t go in search of Christ?”. So he entered a parish, he began to speak with a priest, and today he is one of those “heart” Christians, who want to make their energies available to the neighbor, to tell the word. So we divided the roles. And I believe that we both found, inside this story, also something of ours.
