A global, wide-ranging centenary designed to bring Dario Fo far beyond Italy’s borders, that is the spirit behind the celebrations marking the 100th anniversary of the Nobel laureate’s birth, unveiled in Rome by his son Jacopo Fo.
Speaking at the launch, Jacopo described the project as the result of more than a year of work and a shared effort to honour his father on an international scale. “We’ve been preparing this day for a year and a half,” he said. “The credit goes to my daughter Mattea, to Stefano Bertea, and to Carlo Petrini, who came up with the idea of organising 100 events in 100 countries, as well as 120 events across Italy. We even published a world map showing all the locations where performances and initiatives are taking place. It’s extraordinary.”
Yet alongside the enthusiasm, Jacopo Fo also voiced frustration over what he sees as a lack of recognition from Milan, a city deeply tied to his father’s life and artistic career. “Milan doesn’t want us,” he said bluntly. “The city administration under Beppe Sala has rejected every proposal we’ve put forward over the years. They’ll put up a plaque under the house where my parents lived in their final years.” For Jacopo, that falls far short of the tribute Dario Fo deserves.
He also recalled his father’s unexpected venture into politics, when Dario Fo ran in the Milan mayoral primaries with what Jacopo described as a bold and imaginative vision for the city. “He had a wonderful plan,” he said, “starting with cutting energy waste, but also turning what is now the skyscraper district into a huge public park with facilities for children, older people and sports. And he wanted to reopen Milan’s seven canals.”
Still, the centenary is not intended as an exercise in nostalgia. Its purpose, Jacopo said, is to keep Dario Fo’s artistic and political spirit alive by looking outward and forward. “We want to make the world laugh and bring knowledge of commedia dell’arte abroad,” he said.
Among his most moving memories of his father, Jacopo chose one far removed from the spotlight of the Nobel Prize. “The happiest day for my father,” he recalled, “was when he was able to donate 36 adapted minibuses for people with disabilities to 36 associations, using the money from the Nobel. When he saw those vehicles in use, he was happier than the day he won the prize.” It is an image that perhaps says more than any official celebration ever could.