An old man laments his arduous travels in migrating to Canada from a small town in Italy. A teenager with carefully coiffed hair sings the Bee Gees. An Italian sex worker recites bible verses. And all of them are played by one man: creator Farren Timoteo. His overfilled 130-minute one-man comedy Made in Italy tells the story of Francesco Martini, a teenager living in Jasper during the 1970s as he navigates family, identity, and belonging. The show begins around a dining room table, and prolongs the seven courses of a traditional Italian meal to frame the narrative arc.
The first course, aperitivo, is served by Francesco’s father Salvatore, as he recounts the family’s history. Salvatore came to Canada in the 1950s from Italy, where he grew up under Mussolini’s dictatorship. It’s a classic tale of wanting to give his son, then one year old, better opportunities in life. As Francesco grows up, his family pushes him to embrace his culture while a bully harasses him for sticking out and being flamboyant. He embarks on a coming-of-age journey to find himself between the dual forces of tradition and assimilation. As Francesco, Timoteo sings at pivotal points in the show, showing off his strong vocal chops in both Italian ballads and English disco bops.
Produced by Marquis Entertainment at Mirvish’s 700-seat CAA Theatre, Made in Italy is a feat of physical comedy, with Timoteo seamlessly taking on the distinct voices and mannerisms of about 10 different characters. Timoteo has been touring this show since 2016, and his years of practice are evident. He’s also the artistic director of Alberta Musical Theatre Company, which adapts fairy tales into musicals and performs them in schools. I could see the influence of the exaggerated, over-the-top characterizations common to children’s theatre in Timoteo’s performance. If not for the semi-frequent expletives and a couple of sexual references, younger audiences could also probably enjoy the show’s slapstick-adjacent, prop-heavy comedy.
Set designer Cory Sincennes crafts an ornate dining room, colouring the stage with the warm tones of 1970s interior design and plastering the walls with picture frames. At the centre rests a large dining table, which Salvatore labels the “heart of the home” in an opening monologue. Director Daryl Cloran, who’s worked on the project since the show’s inception, transforms the table throughout the show, staging it as a car, workout bench, and platform for teenage Francesco’s band.
Celeste English’s lighting design comes through the translucent portraits on the wall in bright colours, highlighting location changes and giving a hearty serving of disco-party vibes. The combination of the decorated set and colourful lights makes the show visually stimulating, cushioning some of the monotony of a two-hour, one-person performance.
Though Timoteo is engaging, with an impressive amount of energy and endurance, the length of the show is a tough commitment. Made in Italy felt like dining with a loving, generous nonna who kept trying to feed me after I was full. As endearing as the story is, I believe the show could stand to be a one-act. When I go to a show with intermission, I want to be enticed to come back — but the turn at the end of Act One didn’t create that anticipation for me. The second act brings on the show’s first serious moments, but loses a bit of its impact to the long wait.
Just as the meal ends with a sweet treat, or dolce as Salvatore says, so too does the story. I found myself feeling overstuffed, making it difficult to fully appreciate the charming resolution. I was touched by the unifying themes of family and embracing your culture, and I imagine it would be valued even more by other Italians, who could relate to more of the humour and playful stereotypes. If a long but lighthearted story with plenty of opportunity for chuckles is your jive, boogie on down to Made in Italy.
Made in Italy runs at the CAA Theatre until June 15. Tickets are available here.
Intermission reviews are independent and unrelated to Intermission’s partnered content. Learn more about Intermission’s partnership model here.
WRITTEN BY
Gus Lederman
Gus Lederman (they/he) is a writer and performer in Tkaronto. Currently, they’re in their last semester of OCAD University’s Creative Writing program, where they were Editor-in-Chief of the first edition of the student literary journal, Pulse. Gus participated in the 2024 New Young Reviewers Program with Toronto Fringe, and has since written for Canopy Magazine. They enjoy composing original music, writing plays, and are passionate about climate justice, trans-ness, and puppetry.
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