Francis, The Holy Jester Review

To watch Mario Pirovano introduce a very responsive audience to the journey into the world of the mediaeval storyteller was in itself an enjoyable experience. A man dressed in black on a naked stage, bringing us all the colour of the period, by word and action, is the true origin of Fringe theatre. Modern comparisons, including a joke about Berlusconi, were part of the first steps in applying his mental makeup.

Francis of Assisi is generally known to us as the monk who talked and cared for animals, and was responsible for the establishment of the Order of Friars Minor or the Franciscans. His philosophical tales are often confused with the same stories about our own St Kentigern.

However Dario Fo's excellent script and direction takes us into a different realm of comprehension and shows Francis to be very much a humanitarian philosopher and a practical realist. This was beautifully conveyed by Pirovano's acting and perception of the role.

Playing to a full house, the journey we were taken on, was full of morality stories involving peasants and animals, such as the wolf of Gubbio which he colourfully narrated. He illustrated the real art of the troubadour, and painted us a rich fresco of the era of the crusades, through the stories of Francis.

These monologues show us how Francis told the Gospels in the vernacular, after he had been given a special dispensation to preach in the vernacular rather than Latin, by none other than Pope Innocent III himself.

Mario Pirovano is a great artist and a great teacher, even in his second language. This great piece of theatre had mediaeval humour, pathos and unique artistic craftsmanship. One issue, not even a criticism, just an observation, was that a good creative lighting plot could have helped him on his journey. I look forward to future productions from this maestro.

Times: 5-31 August, 3pm

John Ritchie