Eduardo De Filippo – författare

Plays by one of Italy's greatest dramatists Eduardo de Filippo was one of Italy's leading popular dramatists, a fearless social critic, a supreme man of the theatre, and a humane and compassionate writer. The four plays in this volume present different facets of his prolific output, which focused on the lives of the Neapolitan people, their dubious cunning nourished by centuries of hunger, their fantasies and their love of life. The Local Authority, Grand Magic and Filumena Marturano are translated by Carlo Ardito, and Napoli Milionaria was translated by Peter Tinniswood for the Royal National Theatre's production in 1991.

One of Eduardo de Filippo's finest Neapolitan comedies Filumena Domenico is a former Neopolitan prostitute who has had three sons by three different fathers. As her sons become adults Filumena feels the pressing need to become respectable and so she searches for a man to marry her, ensuring legitimacy for her family.A striking new translation by Timberlake Wertenbaker

Filumena has lived with Domenico for twenty five years, but is to be thrown over for a younger woman. So she pretends to be dying and inveigles him into a "deathbed marriage." When he proves the marriage to be null and void, she informs him she has three grown sons which she has supported by stealing from him and that one of them is his (she won't say which).5 women, 8 men

Smuggled out of Naples in his youth after stabbing a brutal night-watchman to death, Antonio Barracano returned home in the 1960s as a wealthy man. He used his newfound status to quash his murder conviction, and was soon feared but respected throughout the city. Don Antonio has made it his life's work to bring rough justice to the criminals of Naples who otherwise have no fear of the law. He rules the city's underbelly with a rod of iron.The play begins when a respectable but poor young man who has resolved to murder his father comes to Don Antonio for advice. The Neapolitan 'Godfather' emerges from the shadows to make the young man's father an offer he can't refuse. The comedy grows blacker as 'respectable' Naples collides with its criminal underworld. A dark comedy of pathos and farce by one of Italy's pre-eminent dramatists of the twentieth century, Eduardo De Filippo's The Syndicate (Il sindaco del rione Sanità) is made newly accessible and contemporary by this translation by Mike Poulton.

Smuggled out of Naples in his youth after stabbing a brutal night-watchman to death, Antonio Barracano returned home in the 1960s as a wealthy man. He used his newfound status to quash his murder conviction, and was soon feared but respected throughout the city. Don Antonio has made it his life''s work to bring rough justice to the criminals of Naples who otherwise have no fear of the law. He rules the city''s underbelly with a rod of iron.The play begins when a respectable but poor young man who has resolved to murder his father comes to Don Antonio for advice. The Neapolitan ''Godfather'' emerges from the shadows to make the young man''s father an offer he can''t refuse. The comedy grows blacker as ''respectable'' Naples collides with its criminal underworld. A dark comedy of pathos and farce by one of Italy''s pre-eminent dramatists of the twentieth century, Eduardo De Filippo''s The Syndicate (Il sindaco del rione Sanità) is made newly accessible and contemporary by this translation by Mike Poulton.

Plays by one of Italy''s greatest dramatistsEduardo de Filippo was one of Italy''s leading popular dramatists, a fearless social critic, a supreme man of the theatre, and a humane and compassionate writer. The four plays in this volume present different facets of his prolific output, which focused on the lives of the Neapolitan people, their dubious cunning nourished by centuries of hunger, their fantasies and their love of life. The Local Authority, Grand Magic and Filumena Marturano are translated by Carlo Ardito, and Napoli Milionaria was translated by Peter Tinniswood for the Royal National Theatre''s production in 1991.

Smuggled out of Naples in his youth after stabbing a brutal night-watchman to death, Antonio Barracano returned home in the 1960s as a wealthy man. He used his newfound status to quash his murder conviction, and was soon feared but respected throughout the city. Don Antonio has made it his life''s work to bring rough justice to the criminals of Naples who otherwise have no fear of the law. He rules the city''s underbelly with a rod of iron.The play begins when a respectable but poor young man who has resolved to murder his father comes to Don Antonio for advice. The Neapolitan ''Godfather'' emerges from the shadows to make the young man''s father an offer he can''t refuse. The comedy grows blacker as ''respectable'' Naples collides with its criminal underworld. A dark comedy of pathos and farce by one of Italy''s pre-eminent dramatists of the twentieth century, Eduardo De Filippo''s The Syndicate (Il sindaco del rione Sanità) is made newly accessible and contemporary by this translation by Mike Poulton.

Filumena is Eduardo de Filippo's best-known work and arguably his finest comedy, drenched in Neapolitan atmosphere and full of entanglements at once romantic and cynical.Set in the balmy heat of late 1940s Naples, Filumena Marturano lies on her deathbed waiting to marry Domenico Soriano, the man who has kept her as his mistress for twenty-five years. But no sooner has the priest completed the ceremony, than Filumena makes a miraculous recovery. As he reels in shock, Domenico discovers that this brilliant, iron-willed woman has a few more surprises for him.With masterful ambiguity, de Filippo depicts his characters with subtlety and balance: is Filumena a simple, illiterate woman who wants to create respectability for her children, or a ferine, opportunistic prostitute? And will Domenico, the selfish aged gigolo, learn to repent and accept his responsibility to his past and his family? Eduardo de Filippo was one of Italy's leading popular dramatists, a fearless social critic, a supreme man of the theatre, and a humane and compassionate writer. Exploring themes of motherhood, age and respectability, Filumena portrays de Filippo's trademark moral optimism and affection for his characters which underscores the drama's humour.This new translation by Tanya Ronder is contemporary, fluent and accessible, and tackles de Filippo's comedy with deftness and verve.

Filumena is Eduardo de Filippo''s best-known work and arguably his finest comedy, drenched in Neapolitan atmosphere and full of entanglements at once romantic and cynical.Set in the balmy heat of late 1940s Naples, Filumena Marturano lies on her deathbed waiting to marry Domenico Soriano, the man who has kept her as his mistress for twenty-five years. But no sooner has the priest completed the ceremony, than Filumena makes a miraculous recovery. As he reels in shock, Domenico discovers that this brilliant, iron-willed woman has a few more surprises for him.With masterful ambiguity, de Filippo depicts his characters with subtlety and balance: is Filumena a simple, illiterate woman who wants to create respectability for her children, or a ferine, opportunistic prostitute? And will Domenico, the selfish aged gigolo, learn to repent and accept his responsibility to his past and his family? Eduardo de Filippo was one of Italy''s leading popular dramatists, a fearless social critic, a supreme man of the theatre, and a humane and compassionate writer. Exploring themes of motherhood, age and respectability, Filumena portrays de Filippo''s trademark moral optimism and affection for his characters which underscores the drama''s humour.This new translation by Tanya Ronder is contemporary, fluent and accessible, and tackles de Filippo''s comedy with deftness and verve.

Filumena is Eduardo de Filippo''s best-known work and arguably his finest comedy, drenched in Neapolitan atmosphere and full of entanglements at once romantic and cynical.Set in the balmy heat of late 1940s Naples, Filumena Marturano lies on her deathbed waiting to marry Domenico Soriano, the man who has kept her as his mistress for twenty-five years. But no sooner has the priest completed the ceremony, than Filumena makes a miraculous recovery. As he reels in shock, Domenico discovers that this brilliant, iron-willed woman has a few more surprises for him.With masterful ambiguity, de Filippo depicts his characters with subtlety and balance: is Filumena a simple, illiterate woman who wants to create respectability for her children, or a ferine, opportunistic prostitute? And will Domenico, the selfish aged gigolo, learn to repent and accept his responsibility to his past and his family? Eduardo de Filippo was one of Italy''s leading popular dramatists, a fearless social critic, a supreme man of the theatre, and a humane and compassionate writer. Exploring themes of motherhood, age and respectability, Filumena portrays de Filippo''s trademark moral optimism and affection for his characters which underscores the drama''s humour.This new translation by Tanya Ronder is contemporary, fluent and accessible, and tackles de Filippo''s comedy with deftness and verve.

Plays by one of Italy''s greatest dramatistsEduardo de Filippo was one of Italy''s leading popular dramatists, a fearless social critic, a supreme man of the theatre, and a humane and compassionate writer. The four plays in this volume present different facets of his prolific output, which focused on the lives of the Neapolitan people, their dubious cunning nourished by centuries of hunger, their fantasies and their love of life. The Local Authority, Grand Magic and Filumena Marturano are translated by Carlo Ardito, and Napoli Milionaria was translated by Peter Tinniswood for the Royal National Theatre''s production in 1991.