Comedy Festival

Lucca is ready to smile and does so with the new edition of the Laughter Festival scheduled from 10 to 12 June 2022. After the great success of the past editions, which sold out with guests of the caliber of Raul Cremona and Nino Frassica, it returns for a third edition that marks a great growth: the Laughter Festival 2022, in an edition particularly rich in appointments with workshops and three meetings with great artists, open free to the public.

Three days to laugh again and explore important issues at the same time, but always with a smile on your face.

The event, which has obtained the patronage and support of the Municipality of Lucca (it is included in the calendar of events “Vivi Lucca”) and of the Cassa di Risparmio di Lucca Foundation, renews the important collaboration with the Art – Tuscan Acting Academy for workshops dedicated to young talents. The organization also thanks: the ALAP association – Lucchese Art and Psychology Association for the renewed support expressed with the presence of Professor Enrico Marchi at the workshop “Comedy is good: from cinema to psychiatry” (on 10 June at 12 noon); the Fidapa association and the Ubik bookshop.

Presenting the new edition, Stefano Ragghianti, councilor for culture of the Municipality of Lucca, Raffaele Domenicivice president of the Cassa di Risparmio di Lucca Foundation, Domenico Zazzara, of the Tuscan Art Academy of acting, and Elisa D ‘Agostino of the cultural association E&E – Events and Executive, who oversaw the organization with Erika Citti.

Among the main events open to the public: Friday 10 June, at 6.30 pm, presentation of the book “Sergio Forconi – A show of a man” by Alessandro Sarti with the presence of the author and the actor. Forconi has passed his 50-year career, between theater, cinema and television acting alongside the greatest comedians and directors: from the gypsy group of “Amici My”, to Roberto Benigni, Francesco Nuti and Paolo Sorrentino; up to Hollywood stars such as Goldie Hawn, and the pillars of cinema such as Nino Manfredi, Giancarlo Giannini, Paolo Villaggio and Lino Banfi. He also held in “artistic baptism”, promising young people such as: Leonardo Pieraccioni, Massimo Ceccherini, Alessandro Paci and Alessandro Sarti.

The festival will bring to Lucca, Saturday 11 June, Gene Gnocchi, comedian, stand-up comedian, TV presenter and Italian writer, loved by the general public of all ages, in a meeting moderated by the author Vanni Baldini entitled: “The Gene of comedy”. The event, with free admission, is scheduled at the Suffragio auditorium (in p.za del Suffragio): an afternoon dedicated to comedy that sees, starting at 5 pm, an appointment with the great actor, director and producer of comic films Giorgio Vignali (soul of many Italian comedies) entitled “The comic situation” and to follow the talk on the career of comedian with Gene Gnocchi.

The “Festival della Risata” was born from the cultural association E&E – Events and Executive, made up of the design and artistic idea of ​​two young people from Lucca, Erika Citti and Elisa D’Agostino, known for their collaboration with different cultural realities. The Laughter Festival is a unique event in the Tuscan landscape, suggestive, ready to excite, make people laugh and entertain and to introduce, with a smile, highly topical themes.

The comic talk is preceded by three days of workshops (from 10 to 12 June) “Ride bene chi laugh … qui!”, Organized together with the Tuscan acting academy for the preparation of new comedy talents, which sees each year fifteen “promises”, attend the lessons coordinated by the author and actor Vanni Baldini, author of television and radio programs such as “Che tempo che fa”, “Don Matteo”, “Techetechetè” and “Programmone” and still collaborator of Nino Frassica; and from The notice to participate in the workshop is aimed at comedians, emerging or aspiring, from all over Italy, without age limits and remains open until May 30th. Participation is free, (subject to a contribution of 45 euros to be paid once admitted for administrative expenses) and it will be necessary to complete the application and view the notice on the website http://www.eventsandexecutive.com/evento/festival-della-risat to send the requests for participation there is time until May 30th. At the end of the course, each student will develop a comic sketch that she can interpret or have interpreted. While on 12 June they will participate by right in the special meeting / lesson with Gene Gnocchi and Giorgio Vignali.

Here is the complete program of the 3 days

Friday 10 June 2022

10.30 / 12 “A Whole Story To Laugh”, the history of comedy in Italy. Curated by V. Baldini.
12 noon “Comedy is good: from cinema to psychiatry”. Conducted by Prof. Enrico Marchi with ALAP – Lucchese Art and Psychology Association.

2.00 pm Presentation of his comic performance in front of the teachers V. Baldini and E. D’Agostino

Present, in addition to the author, the actor Sergio Forconi.

Saturday 11 June 2022

10 am “Good first!”, I work in pairs on the sketch for two and on improvisation. Curated by Vanni Baldini and Giorgio Vignali.

1.00 pm Work on the text Second part of the construction of a comic sketch or monologue. Curated by Vanni Baldini and Giorgio Vignali.

5 pm “The comic situation”: from sitcom to variety show … comedy on TV at 360 °, with the director, screenwriter and television producer Giorgio Vignali (c / o Auditorium del Suffragio).
6 pm “The Gene of Comedy” with Gene Gnocchi, moderated by Vanni Baldini (c / o auditorium del Suffragio).

10 am Work on the staging. Curated by Vanni Baldini and Giorgio Vignali
13/17 Work on the staging By Vanni Baldini and Giorgio Vignali
18 – 19 Open lesson on the work produced during the three days of the workshop.