Acclaimed US/Mexican Collaboration A SPECIAL DAY Heads to Adelaide Fringe, Now thru March 16

Following a celebrated sell-out Off Broadway season, and four and five star reviews at Edinburgh's Fringe Festival, A Special Day comes to the Holden Street Theatres, 34 Holden Street Hindmarsh for the 2014 Adelaide Fringe from today, 13 February to 16 March.

A Special Day is a fresh and uniquely theatrical collaboration between New York's OBIE Award-winning The Play Company and Mexico City's acclaimed Por Piedad Teatro.

Inspired by Ettore Scola's 1977 Oscar-nominated film, Una Giornata Particolare, which starred Sophia Loren and Marcelo Mastraionni, A Special Day tells the story of an overworked housewife and her neighbour, a mysterious bachelor, who meet in Rome on May 8 1938, the day Rome celebrated Hitler's visit to Mussolini' s Italy.

Performed in English by Ana Graham and Antonio Vega together they create their own theatrical adaptation of the classical Italian movie which addresses the prohibitions of totalitarian governments; old prohibitions that can be seen to echo some of today's double standard thoughts and feelings and intolerances that society has failed to eradicate and which hide behind trendy political correctness.

Antonio Vega said, 'Mexican actors creating a stage adaptation of an Italian movie, in English, would seem rather odd if theatre was not all about imagination'. An empty space, the imagination of the two actors and the power of their emotions create the performance, windows and other scenic elements are painted with chalk directly onto the walls, light and sound changes at the actor's wishes.

'So let's pretend we are Italians and that we are speaking Italian. Let's pretend the theatre is an apartment building in Rome. Let's pretend that today is May 8th, 1938. Mussolini is in power and Hitler has come to visit Rome. Let's pretend we are all very excited and happy about it, that we are all good fascists. Or better still, let us plant a question in your mind: Is fascism over? Is it a political regime or a state of mind?'

The Play Company is a New York-based theatre producing adventurous new plays from around the world. Now entering its 14th season, The Play Company's award-winning international programming advances a dynamic global view of Contemporary Theatre and expands the American theatre repertoire.

Por Piedad Teatro is a theatre company with its roots in Mexico City. Its purpose is to strengthen the relations between Mexico City, New York City and other high profile artistic cities of the world by promoting constant international artistic interaction and cooperation with a specific emphasis on cutting edge, high-quality Contemporary Theatre.

Web: porpiedadteatro.org. Twitter: @porpiedadteatro. Facebook: POR PIEDAD TEATRO PRODUCCIONES. Tickets for A Special Day are priced from $16 to $26 adult and may be purchased through Fringetix and Venue Tix.

A SPECIAL DAY - 2014 Fringe - is set to run at the Holden Street Theatres - The Arch, 15 February - 16 March at 8.00 pm (some performances at 9:30 pm). TICKETS: $26 - $22 + other concessions. RUNNING TIME: 60 Minutes. BOOKINGS: www.adelaidefringe.com.au/fringetix or at the door 30 minutes before a performance.

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