I GUAPPI

Characters of the «Opera dei Pupi» around Naples.

«...The imagines and the ghost of the knightly cycles, the Guerin Meschino’s painful story, the events of the King and Queen of France, the legend of Genoveffa and hundred others which date back to the mediaeval remote stories were added to more recent narrations about brigands and «guappi». J remember the noisY and joyful audience which surrounded the scenografhies af the «pupari» whith crowds of Children and adults which were sitting together on benches of wood and listened to the characters, who became neapolitans by means of the actors intonation.

The characters’ words andgesture didn’t remain in a static space and time; As the ones of the cultured theatre, but they became passion and flesh, pain and joy for a crowd that in this way recived its childhood together with ancient events.»

Alfonso Maria di Nola

(«Il Teatro di Figura: l’Opera dei Pupi - Compagnie stabili e di giro a Castellammare» edition: Compagnia degli Sbuffi - June 1990)

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The idea of the exhibition arises from the meeting between the International Puppets Festival «Burattini nel verde» organized by the Compagnia degli Sbuffi and two old «pupari» of the «Opera dei Pupi»: Mr. Francesco di Vuolo and Mr. Michele Sarcinelli, who worked in the theatres of the «pupi» at Castellammare di Stabia and in the neighbouring countries in the forties.
Most part of the «pupi» presented, were realized and used for two shows performed during the Festival in 1990 and 1991.
«’O terribele appicceco» tells the tragic dead of the «Guappo» Aniello de Crescenzo, and «Felice Sciosciammocca creduto guaglione ‘e ‘nanno» by Giacomo Marulli, a piece with Pulcinella.
Some pieces of 1800 belonged to the family Perna from Frattamaggiore (Naples) and the piece «Tore ‘e Criscienzo» belonged to Nicola Furiati are added to the ones above-mentonied.

Structure n° 1
Two policemans - Commissary
(Pupi by M.Sarcinelli and
F.Di Vuolo 1990)

Structure n° 2
Pulcinella - A Old woman whit
baby - A boy
(Pupi by M.Sarcinelli and
F.Di Vuolo - 1990)

Structure n° 3
Three «guappi»
(Pupi by M.Sarcinelli and
F.Di Vuolo - 1990)

Structure n° 4
«Tore ‘e Criscienzo»
(Pupo by Nicola Furiati - 1965)
«Corpo per la morte a sangue vero»
(by Francesco di Vuolo - 1990)

Structure n° 5
Two woman - A Host
(Pupi by M.Sarcinelli and
F.Di Vuolo - 1990)

Structure n° 6
Two woman - A Sir - A shopkeeper
(Pupi by M.Sarcinelli and
F.Di Vuolo - 1990)

Structure n° 7
Cristian Warrior
(Pupo by Perna Family - 1880 c.)

Structure n° 8
Three «pupi «
( Perna Family - 1880 c.)

Structure n° 9
«Pulcinella»
( Perna Family - 1880 c.)

Structure n° 10
Bill of Neapolitan School
( Perna Family - 1880 c.)