Aggiungi un posto a tavola
Aggiungi un posto a tavola is a musical comedy written by Pietro Garinei, Sandro Giovannini and Iaia Fiastri, which debuted in 1974 under the direction of Garinei and Giovannini. Music was written by Armando Trovaioli.
Background
Between 1973 and 1974, Sandro Giovannini and Pietro Garinei wrote with Iaia Fiastri a musical inspired by the novel "After Me, the Deluge" by David Forrest. The total cost of the staging was about 250 billion lire, due to the completion of the scenery in wood. The show received its title after a vote of the company, who preferred "Aggiungi un Posto a Tavola" (Add a seat at the table) to the alternatives.
Actors who played in the first edition include Johnny Dorelli (Don Silvestro), Paolo Panelli (the mayor) and Bice Valori (Consolazione).
Characters
- Don Silvestre, priest
- Clementina
- Crispín, the Mayor
- Totó, the dummy
- Consuelo, prostitute
- God
Plot
The play is divided in two acts.
In the first act Don Silvestre receives a phone call from God announcing a second universal flood, and he tells Don Silvestre to build an ark and save the people of the village. Don Silvestre goes with the Mayor of the village and tells him God’s will, the Mayor known as Crispín doesn’t believe a word. The Mayor has a daughter named Clementina, who is secretly in love with the priest. After some time Don Silvestre performs a miracle in order to convince everyone in town about the second universal flood and God’s will. Consuelo arrives to the village and with this things get complicated. Consuelo distracts every male in the village avoiding procreation one night before the flood, Toto is given by God his manhood in order to distract Consuelo.
Several things happen after this happens, and these thing make the situation complicated, people stop building the ark and refuse to continue; later people repent and come to help Don Silvestre. The ark is finished and they are ready to sail The first act finishes when people discover that the Mayor is gone.
In the second act the Mayor, who is hidden in a statue makes a call to the authorities in order to stop Don Silvestre in his “insane idea”, the Mayor continues hidden until the wedding between Consuelo and Toto, the Mayor has to leave the statue and he is discovered, captured and imprisoned. Clementina confesses to be in love with the priest, who ends with his celibacy.
The ark is ready and Silvestre and Clementina are the only persons in the ark, the flood starts but Silvestre refuses to leave all his people, so he decides to leave the ark, because of this God has to stop the flood, finally everyone celebrates with a big dinner that the flood is over and God joins the dinner celebrating with everyone.
In Mexico
First play
The premiere was in 1977 and lasted until 1981. With features from Tuesday to Sunday, came to hold more than 1,800 performances.
Manolo Fabregas, made this play very famous.
Few works have been as successful as this. Released in 1977, the season lasted for more than six years and almost with the same original actors.
Return to Mexico (2007)
For the modern version of The Flood is coming, Jaime Camil starred as the priest, María Filippini as Consuelo), Maria Ines Guerra in the role of Clementina and the mayor, Patrick Castillo, who played the same role in the original version.
The theater of San Rafael was the stage of this play. Later Camil was replaced by Ernesto D'alessio.[1]
The Association of Theatre Critics and Journalists XXV recognized in awards to María Inés Guerra as Best Actress in a musical for her role as "Clementina" because of her outstanding performance, and also for her high growth as a singer, in addition to obtaining a "Bravo Award" in the same category.[2] The flood is coming also won the "Lady of Victory" in the categories of Foreign Musical, Best Ensemble Dancers and Musical Coactor (Patricio Castillo), Newcomer (Enrique de la Riva), Coactriz (Mary Filippini), Actor in a Musical (Jaime Camil) awards to the best of theater in 2007.
The flood is coming ended with great success after eight months on the scene and meet with 2,639 performances, as well as recording an album completely live.[3]