Ab-soluta

A scientific theatre show to reflect on some of the fundamental issues of the current ecological crisis.

The Palazzo delle Albere will open its doors to the show "Ab-soluta" on Tuesday 10 May at 21.00, a philosophical theatre project by Marco Marzaioli and Mariagrazia Portera that investigates the relationship between human beings and other living forms. The initiative is part of the programme of collateral events of the exhibition Il Viaggio Meraviglioso. Tra scienza e filosofia | The Wonderful Journey. Through Science and Philosophy, open until 5 June 2022 at Palazzo delle Albere.

On the one hand there is the attempt to give body to the philosophical word, to make it more incisive - Mariagrazia Portera is a researcher in Philosophy at the University of Florence; on the other hand there is the urgency to contaminate theatre with concepts, to make it even more in line with the great questions of our time - Marco Marzaioli is a professional actor at the STED Cultural Association in Modena.

"Ab-soluta" is presented as a one-act play (lasting about 45 minutes) for two voices, with intense audience involvement and post-performance discussion. Through the interweaving of philosophical reflection, scientific data and poetic-literary references, the idea of Homo sapiens is questioned as the "sole lord of the planet", endowed with absolute freedom of exploitation over the living and non-living forms of the Earth.

The theoretical references at the basis of the performance range from the classic texts of environmentalist thought (Thoreau's American reflection on wilderness, Leopold's land ethic, Rachel Carson's environmentalism) to the most recent scientific research on climate change and biodiversity, to contemporary examinations of the ecological crisis from an anthropological-philosophical (Philippe Descola) and literary (Jonathan Safran Foer, Jonathan Franzen, Amitav Ghosh) perspective, with particular attention to the pandemic outcomes of the ecological question (David Quammen).

On stage, through thought and emotion, the two authors will show how the only possible (i.e. sustainable) exercise of freedom on Earth presupposes the heartfelt and sensitive recognition of one's own connection to the other animal species, to the rocks, water and air that make up the world. Marco and Mariagrazia emphasise that "to be free is to know and feel infinitely connected".

Biographies

Mariagrazia Portera is a researcher in Philosophy at the University of Florence. Her work investigates the intersections between philosophy, the arts and the natural sciences; she is the author of over 60 publications of national and international importance and has been collaborating for years on projects to disseminate philosophical and scientific thought.

Marco Marzaioli is an actor, performer and theatre trainer at the STED Association in Modena. He works in the field of theatre pedagogy and for years has been exploring environmental and sustainability issues from the point of view of their adaptation on stage.