Franca Rame

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Franca Rame (born 18 July 1928 in Parabiago) is an Italian theatre actress and playwright. She is also the wife of Nobel Prize winning author Dario Fo.

[edit] Life

Franca Rame was born into a family with a long theatre tradition. She made her theatrical debut in 1951. Shortly thereafter, she met Dario Fo, whom she married in 1954. In 1958, she co-founded the Dario Fo - Franca Rame Theatre Company in Milan with Fo as the director and writer, and Rame the leading actress and administrator.

Rame continued working with Fo through many plays and several theatre companies, the popular successes and the government censure. In the 1970's, Rame began to write plays (often stage monologues) of her own, such as Grasso è bello! and Tutta casa, letto e chiesa, which displayed a markedly feminist bent. In 1973, Rame was abducted by a fascist group. However, she was recovered and soon returned to the stage.

[edit] Politics

Due to the activist, political nature of Fo's and Rame's plays, it is unsurprising that Rame herself became involved in politics. She currently is a member of the Italian Senate representing the centre-left anti-political corruption Italy of Values (Italia dei valori) party.