By Kiara Catanzaro
Contributing Writer
Mario Pirovano held his first North American performances of “Francis, the Holy Jester” on Tuesday in the Rigas Theater in the Regina A. Quick Center for the Arts at 3 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
The Italian Pirovano was born in Pregnana, Milanese, and he has been performing “Francis, the Holy Jester” in Italian for six years and in English for three years. He translated the script from Italian to English in 2009.
Pirovano became an actor at the age of 33, without ever attending an acting class. At the time, he was living in London and working as a travel agent when he met the famous Italian playwright Dario Fo. Pirovano decided to attend Fo’s play “Mistero Buffo.” After this play, Pirovano fell in love with theater.
“After the play, I was very overwhelmed,” he said. “I was laughing for more than two hours. What surprised me the most was that the English were laughing as well. It was because of this that I fell in love with theater.”
After the play, Pirovano quit his job and moved back to Italy to work with Fo for the next 10 years, where he learned to become an actor.
Pirovano translated “Francis, the Holy Jester” and has been performing the one-man show for six years.
The play, a narrative about the life of Francis of Assisi, uses episodes from the saint’s life which are often unknown or overlooked.
There are seven episodes captured throughout the production. Five of the seven episodes were showcased in Pirovano’s performance. These episodes include Francis’ 1222 plea for peace between Bologna and its neighbors, the expulsion of the nobility, the meeting of the wolf of Gubbio, the meeting with Pope Innocent III seeking permission to preach and St. Francis going off to die powerfully singing the Canticle to Sister Death.
“From Mario Pirovano’s acting in ‘Francis, the Holy Jester,’ students can take away life lessons,” said Kourtney McCorry, a freshman journalism and mass communication major. “He has a positive outlook on life. He taught us that we all should live life to its fullest potential. He is truly an incredible actor.”
Not only did students learn something significant from the performance, but professors also found it worthwhile.
“Mario’s presentation of the Holy Jester was lively and engaging,” said Bob Donius, a Clare College professor. “He is capable of captivating audiences everywhere.”
