by Ida Renzicchi (translated by the author)
“IMPERFECT LOVE”
“Imperfect Love” is a precious diamond with which Brandon Cole honors Eleonora Duse and the theater.
“...Over the years, Cole immersed himself in copious research, including a study of Italian. His journey has produced a dramedy of depth, psychological insight, and style; a story of love and betrayal where life and theater merge”. ...Nel corso degli anni, Cole si è immerso in numerose ricerche, incluso lo studio dell’Italiano. Il suo viaggio ha prodotto un dramma di profonda introspezione psicologica, e stile; una storia d’amore e tradimento dove vita e teatro emergono. (Alix Cohen)
The story, set in 1899, speaks of love and betrayal in the setting of the magnificent Argentine Theater in Rome.
The actress Eleonora Della Rosa and the playwright Gabriele Torrisi (the names are fictional but clearly refer to Eleonora Duse and Gabriele D’Annunzio) work together in a theater company and have a rather unstable relationship that has lasted for nine years and has brought fame to their company.
The group also includes Domenica, a classically trained actor, and Beppe and Marco, two clowns from the Commedia dell’Arte.
The company, like the whole world of theater of that period, finds itself at the crossroads of an epochal change which sees the growing popularity of Ibsen and Strindberg exponents of the psychological realism of modern theater.
On account of a disastrous opening night of Torrisi’s last play that has not obtained the success of the audience, the owners of the theater, Pallone and Asters want to eliminate Torrisi’s drama from the scene while they intend to have Eleonora begin rehearsals of the internationally renowned playwright Henrik Ibsen’s “Doll’s House”, that more reflects the evolution of the audience’s taste.
Eleonora, who deeply loves Torrisi, is determined to help him. Despite Torrisi’s willingness to give up, she secretly forces Pallone and Asters to give them an extra day to fix the problems of the drama, in particular her important final monologue.
But despite Eleonora’s efforts the play seems to be hopeless until the two clowns, Beppe and Marco, worried over the company about to be dissolved, with the help of all the protagonists, work hard making every effort to find the solution and develop a plan that might, just might, resolve the play’s problems.
At first the results seem to be even more disastrous, but, in the end, and barely in time, Beppe’s idea to show Eleonora what he calls a “love letter’ from Sara Bernhardt to Torrisi helps them all driving the actress to find the dialogues they need.
Eleonora finds the words dictated by her desperate love for him. In fact, the passionate interpretation of her is a real declaration of love that goes beyond acting and conquers the audience bringing the play to a bitter-sweet conclusion and giving the romantic comedy the much desired success.
Imperfect Love. First act
“...Over the years, Cole immersed himself in copious research, including a study of Italian. His journey has produced a dramedy of depth, psychological insight, and style; a story of love and betrayal where life and theater merge” (Alix Cohen)
Imperfect Love. Second act
“Imperfect Love” was published in Italy (2000/2001) by the magazine, PrimaFila 2000.
“Imperfect Love” was transposed into a film called “Illuminata”, directed by John Turturro. The cast includes Christopher Walken, Susan Sarandon, Ben Gazzarra, Bill Irwin, Donal McCann, Beverly D’Angelo, Rufus Sewell, Katherine Borowitz, and John Turturro, in the role of playwright, Gabriele Torrisi.
Brandon Cole and the scenographer Gianni Quaranta at the Connelly Theater -New York with the three-dimensional model in scale built for the theatrical performance Impefect Love.
Paris. Brandon Cole with the cast of the film “Illuminated”