Billed as “an ethnic romp from Leichardt to Liverpool”, The Italians is a new full-blooded Italo-Australian comedy from playwright Danny Ball (Cleansed) and director Riley Spadaro (Unruly Tourists).
The Italians follows the adventures of millennial Italian-Australian Joe, who has worked hard to claw his way up from his working-class immigrant-stock roots and is looking at a bright future with his wealthy soon-to-be husband when his cousin Luca arrives on his doorstep with a desperate need for a quick $40,000 and a terrible family secret that could torpedo Joe’s future. What follows is a comedic odyssey into the heart of Western Sydney and across the Italian diaspora, taking in issues of class, queer identity, ethnicity, and culture, with cameos from Madonna, Lady Gaga and Anthony Albanese.
“My aim was to continue the tradition of Italian-Australian storytelling in this country by examining our contemporary experiences,” Ball says of the production. “Our languages,traditions and stories are starting to disappear through the process of assimilation. I feel a great urgency in telling our stories to a contemporary audience that redefines what it means to be Italian-Australian.”
The Italians stars Will Bartolo, Philip D’Ambrosio, Deborah Galanos, Amy Hack, Jonathan Lagudi, Emma O’Sullivan, Tony Poli and Brandon Scane. Produced by Malocchio Productions and Bontom, the play is part of the Belvoir 25A program in the downstairs theatre. It plays alongside Looking for Alibrandi in Belvoir’s upstairs theatre, in a true union of Italo-Aussie vibes.
The Italians plays from October 23 to November 6, 2022. Tickets are on sale here.
