the smallest theatre in the world
In Alghero, hidden behind an ordinary facade in an ordinary street just outside the historic centre, you’ll find a little, big surprise. As soon as the rolling shutters go up, a seemingly unremarkable garage turns out to be a fantastic world. When you look unsuspectingly around the corner, chances are you find yourself face to face with cheerful, likeable Ignazio Chessa, the owner of the place. He will pull you inside with a big smile and proudly present his creation: Lo Teatrí, the smallest theatre in the world.
He has every reason to be proud: his theatre may be as little as 38 square meters, but it’s great and entirely complete; a little pearl in town. There’s a little stage with curtains, professional lighting and techniques, behind the scenes you’ll find a little dressingroom full of costumes, wigs and masks, and the audience (the theatre can accommodate a maximum of 40 people, if everyone’s willing to huddle together) can admire the panels on the walls, that have been created by local artists.
Lo Teatrí, founded in 2018, is a dream come true for Ignazio. As an actor and a dramatist he always wanted to have his own theatre, but of course that would be a too costly affair for a struggling artist. Until he stumbled upon this little garage and decided to turn things creatively around and to take matters in his own hands. ‘As I entered the garage, I imagined the possibility of creating my own little theatre’, he says now, and so he did. ‘I also wanted to fill a gap and create a meeting point for the youngest generation.’
And indeed, Ignazio Chessa – actor, puppet player, eclectic by nature, a creative anarchist without borders – has created a wonderful world, where dreams become reality.
Lo Teatrí stages a great variety of performances, including plays, cabaret, live music sessions, lectures and recitals, and organizes many workshops and regular lessons for
both adults and children.
Ignazio’s latest idea, Teatraoke, will be launched in the autumn of 2019: everyone can be in the spotlights and recite a scene from a famous play, that will be projected on a large screen in front of the stage. In Lo Teatrí everyone can be a star!
From April until the late autumn you can enjoy Culture Shots at the Teatrí: short performances in English and in French about the little highlights of Sardegna, presented
by On Stage and concluded with a personal tour around the smallest theatre in the world, conducted by Ignazio Chessa himself.
Don’t miss it!