Description
A man who fell from a horse during a masquerade party and woke up convinced of being Henry IV, the historical character he was playing, is a great metaphor. His character makes us reflect on the great theme of madness but also on make-believe and on theatre itself, considering that the man, of whom we do not even know the name, is so rooted in his character that he does not want to come out of it, not even when he suddenly comes to his senses. The arrival of his old friends of that fatal masquerade explodes all the contradictions of this incredible figure who has lived for years closed in a castle outside of time. Piece de resistance of the greatest actors of the 20th century, the monumental and multifaceted character of Henry IV was written by Pirandello imagining Ruggero Ruggeri in the role. Today the acting test lies with Eros Pagni, directed by Luca da Fusco on the centenary of the first performance of the text at the Manzoni Theatre of Milan on 24 February 1922.