Archipelago

"Probably the most interesting project of 2022 is not a show but an actual real-life experience, where the children are finally put at the center of an original shared artistic journey. We are talking about the Teatro Telaio's theatre installation Archipelago, created by Angelo Facchetti e Francesca Franzè. It's an actual piece of human and sentimental education brought to life by the children themselves, who are invited to explore the luminous archipelago composed of unique islands, tiny tents hiding mysterious worlds creating a small sea where you can even hear the waves. Every child, motivated by some magical words like is diving in, responding to the different stimuli suggested by every island. The written and verbal feedback left by the participants form a sort of an emotional diary which is shared with everyone at the end."

Mario Bianchi, Krapp's Last Post, 2023

"Archipelago is a game, a set of islands, in each island a small test. The project -ideated by Angelo Facchetti and Francesca Franzè- has imagined an exploration in which children (alone or accompanied by their parents) navigate between tents, small white cones illuminated and scattered on a floor-world, discovering what is in every mysterious teepee but also discovering something about themselves, and this is the hidden gem of Archipelago. Firstly children are called to understand what is asked of them (intelligence challenge), like opening a drawer or watering a hidden plant, and then they have to decide whether to accept the request and play along or to retreat until the next test. There are questions about very intimate matters and you can whisper the answer in a microphone, like a secret, and say whatever you want; and there others that make you look around and think about yourself in connection with others and with the environment, friends, family, teachers, trees, animals. In one of the most beautiful tents there is a rope with a knot: if you want to make peace with a person you care about, you untie the knot and the argument will be gone. Yeah, because resentment holds you back."

Elena Scolari, PAC-Pane Acqua Culture, 2022

"The viewer chooses what to do or not to do, manages his time, participates, retracts, lingers, passes over, comes back. Each time a new encounter with themselves and always the possibility to let something happen. It is beautiful to play with the islands of the Archipelago, but, if you'll ever meet them -and we hope so- try to stop close to them and observe from the outside: you will see children and adults, again like children, wandering curious and enraptured among the bright points of a mysterious constellation, unaware performers of poetry acts. Recommended for children of all ages."

Francesca Picci, L'Oca Critica, Segni 2022

"The most remarkable experience of the Festival, where childhood is finally placed totally at the centre of an original and shared artistic journey, was the installation "Archipelago" by Teatro Telaio, created by Angelo Facchetti and Francesca Franzè, a genuine human and sentimental education, acted by the children themselves and, in this case, was set at nightfall in a park of Vimercate. Children are invited to explore a bright archipelago made of several unique islands, little lit tents, guardians of worlds of mysterious substance, scattered on the grass, now transformed in an out-and-out small sea where you can also hear the sound of the waves. Listen, look, feel, tell: these are the commandments that the children must obey. Each island guards something to discover, clues written on a piece of paper, words that suggest what to do each time. In some of them you can only observe, in others listen or speak, bringing the mouth close to a white microphone that captures words and thoughts that are passing through the minds of the children in that moment. They are invited to look at something and look at themselves, to solve a riddle, to write letters and thoughts, to remember beautiful and ugly moments, to listen, to narrate dreams, to discover and draw new worlds. The written and verbal testimonies left by the participants will form an emotional diary that then will be shared by all each time."

Mario Bianchi, Eolo, Vimercate 2022