Political farce Accidental Death of an Anarchist takes Masquerade’s stage

Starring a cast of women only, famous political farce Accidental Death of an Anarchist aspires to give a unique twist to the classic, taking the stage in Masquerade, according to a press statement sent to Business Malta.

Following a break from performance to focus on her busy media career, Louiselle Vassallo is returning to the stage in Masquerade’s contemporary take on the comical play penned by Nobel Prize-winning Italian playwright Dario Fo in 1970.

On Accidental Death of an Anarchist, an investigation is underway into the titular suspected anarchist’s death following a fall from a fourth-floor police station window. Only one unlikely detective can solve the mystery of Giuseppe Pinelli’s demise, and whether he jumped or was pushed − but that person is a certified lunatic with a knack for impersonation.

“It’s thrilling to be able to join the cast of this beloved classic, and to work alongside such incredible talent to tell a story that is as topical and relevant today as it was when it was first staged,” says Ms Vassallo. “This play is one of the most famous absurdist pieces about institutional corruption and shows what an individual can achieve when he — or in our case, she — takes on the establishment,” she added.

Having been active in Malta’s theatre scene for more than 30 years, Ms Vassallo has taken part in many productions from comedies to musicals, and pantos to dramas. In this new production, she will be joining Pia Zammit, Antonella Axisa, Maria Caruana, Gabriella Mendes and Samantha Gauci in the stellar cast, all directed by Ian Moore.

The contemporary take on the classic farce will use its all-female cast to offer new insights into the famous tale with a political sting in its tail. As well as the comedic mileage from having traditionally male roles played by women, the rare female perspective on bureaucracy also promises to explore what institutional corruption within a system means to women.