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Dario Fo

ダリオ・フォ

Dario Fo

Profile

Gender
Male
Born
1926-03-24 （Sangiano, Kingdom of Italy）
Died
2016-10-13 （Milan, Italy） age 90
Nationality
Italy
Languages
Italian
Religion
Atheism
Residence History
Sangiano (early life) → Milan (long-term) → Rome (period of work in cinema/screenwriting)

Career

Occupations
playwright, actor, theatre director, composer, stage designer, political campaigner
Active Years
1950-2016
Affiliations
Compagnia Fo-Rame, Associazione Nuova Scena, Il Collettivo Teatrale "La Comune", Palazzina Liberty (performance/community centre)
Memberships
Collège de 'Pataphysique (Satrap)
Influenced By
Angelo Beolco (Ruzzante), Bertolt Brecht, Anton Chekhov, Eduardo De Filippo, Antonio Gramsci, Vladimir Mayakovsky, Molière, George Bernard Shaw, Giorgio Strehler
Nominations
Nobel Prize (first nomination reported)

Education

Brera Academy
Fine arts / stage design (studies)
Period: 1942–戦後（中断）
Country: Italy
Also studied architecture at Politecnico di Milano but left before final examinations.
Politecnico di Milano
Architecture
Period: 戦後（在学・中退）
Country: Italy
Became disillusioned with postwar architectural work and left studies to pursue theatre.

Awards

Sonning Prize
1981
Organization: Copenhagen University
Result: 受賞
Premio Eduardo Award
1985
Organization: Premio Eduardo (organisation details unclear)
Result: 受賞
Obie Award
1986
Work: Shared with Franca Rame
Organization: Obie Awards (New York)
Result: 受賞
Agro Dolce Prize
1987
Organization: Organisation unclear
Result: 受賞
Nobel Prize in Literature
1997
Work: For his work as a playwright and satirist
Organization: Swedish Academy
Result: 受賞
Honorary doctorate (Vrije Universiteit Brussel)
2001
Organization: Vrije Universiteit Brussel
Result: 授与
Order of Saint Agatha
2002
Organization: Republic of San Marino
Result: 授与

Awards & Nominations

Works

Major Works

Corpse for Sale

1958 Drama / Satirical play

An early satirical stage piece reflecting social and institutional critique.

social criticismsatire

The Virtuous Burglar

1958 Comedy / Satire

An early play using comic devices to expose moral and social hypocrisy.

moral hypocrisysocial satire

Archangels Don't Play Pinball

1959 Comedy / Absurdist

An early successful collaboration with Franca Rame blending traditional theatre forms with satire and humor.

social satireItalian social mores

Mistero Buffo

1969 Comical mystery / Solo performance

A solo spectacle rooted in popular and medieval jester traditions, sharply satirizing religion and authority; one of his most controversial and widely performed works.

critique of religionattack on authoritypopular culture
Translations
  • English translations (various)

Accidental Death of an Anarchist

1970 Satirical farce

A grotesque farce written in response to the 1969 Piazza Fontana bombing, lampooning police and institutional corruption.

corruption of powerpolitical satirepolice and judicial malpractice

Can't Pay? Won't Pay!

1974 Political comedy

A comedy about consumer society and worker resistance (autoriduzione) during economic crisis; widely produced internationally and whose title entered English usage.

economic crisisworker resistancecritique of consumerism

Trumpets and Raspberries

1981 Farce / Comedy

One of his notable early-1980s plays; enjoyed many performances in Milan and productions in other countries.

satire of powerindividual vs public

The Pope and the Witch

1989 Religious satire

A satire targeting the Pope that drew denunciation from the Vatican; it was one of the season's most-attended plays in Italy.

critique of religionridiculing authority

Elizabeth: Almost by Chance a Woman

1984 Historical drama / Solo piece

A piece about Queen Elizabeth incorporating solo-performance elements, deconstructing history with satire.

reassessment of historycritique of power

Bibliography

  • Corpse for Sale (1958)
  • The Virtuous Burglar (1958)
  • Archangels Don't Play Pinball (1959)
  • Mistero Buffo (1969)
  • Accidental Death of an Anarchist (1970)
  • Can't Pay? Won't Pay! (1974)
  • Trumpets and Raspberries (1981)
  • The Pope and the Witch (1989)
  • The Devil with Boobs (1997)
  • The Pope's Daughter (2014)

Adaptations

  • Abducting Diana (English adaptation of Kidnapping Francesca, 1994)
  • Film appearances / voice roles (e.g. Musica per vecchi animali 1989, Sweet Democracy 2016)

Translations of Works

  • Mistero Buffo — translated into English and many other languages
  • The Pope and the Witch — translations and productions in other languages
  • Francis the Holy Jester — English edition (translated by Mario Pirovano)

Style & Themes

Literary Style
improvisation-heavy performative theatrerevival and use of medieval jester and commedia dell'arte formspopular, politically satirical and socially critical voice
Recurring Motifs
critique of authoritysatire of church and religionclass struggle and working-class perspectiveexposure of corruption and organized crimemedia and power dynamics

Health

  • Stroke
    1995-07（発症）
    Required brief hospitalization and recovery; he recovered and continued to work.
  • Serious respiratory disease
    2016（晩年）
    Became serious in 2016; hospitalization preceded his death.

Legacy

Dario Fo was one of the most internationally staged satirical playwrights from the late 20th to early 21st century. He applied medieval jester traditions and commedia dell'arte to modern political satire. His 1997 Nobel Prize consolidated his international stature. His work, emphasizing social justice and critique of authority from a popular perspective, influenced many playwrights and activists.

Academic Societies

  • Collège de 'Pataphysique (honorary position)

Archives

  • Dario Fo archives (company records, scripts, recordings, etc.)

In Popular Culture

  • The title 'Can't Pay? Won't Pay!' entered English usage
  • Frequently cited in media and political movements as a symbol of political satire

Quotes

  • “a writer who emulates the jesters of the Middle Ages in scourging authority and upholding the dignity of the downtrodden.”
    Source: The Swedish Academy (Nobel Prize citation) (1997)

Trivia

  • His plays have been translated into over 30 languages and performed worldwide.
  • Married Franca Rame in 1954; their son is Jacopo Fo. Franca Rame died in 2013.
  • Awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1997.
  • In later years he expressed sympathy with populist movements such as the Five Star Movement.
  • Suffered a stroke in 1995 but recovered and continued working.