Before the Storm

In a dreamlike reversal of time’s natural flow, an aging actor finds himself reliving moments of his life in an endless loop during the half-hour leading up to his entrance on stage as the lead in Strindberg’s The Storm. The ambient sounds of the theater coming to life outside his dressing room become both a pretext and an invitation—sometimes lighthearted, sometimes deeply moving—to wander through and even converse with the ghosts of his past. In this fluid, non-linear journey, a sound triggers another, a burst of laughter recalls a moment of joy, a long silence evokes a distant loss.

Massimo Popolizio approaches the figure of the actor with the delicacy of someone attempting to unveil secrets that nonetheless wish to remain mysterious. His portrayal steers clear of any celebratory intent, offering instead an intimate and introspective portrait of the artist. Set against a strikingly evocative stage design, where sound and imagery engage in an imaginary dialogue with the protagonist, the performance unfolds as a long voyage toward that final Storm—not yet reached, merely postponed.

Guided by Popolizio with the trust of an experienced actor placing his story in younger hands, Orsini lends his voice and presence to a narrative that intertwines fragments of his own life with the history of Italy, from the post-war years to the present day.