Archangels Don't Play Pinball

Archangels Don't Play Pinball
Written byDario Fo
Original languageItalian

Archangels Don't Play Pinball (Italian title: Gli arcangeli non giocano al flipper)[1] is a 1959 two-act play by Dario Fo. The play uses the metaphor of a pinball machine—a new innovation in Italy at the time and one which Fo and his wife Franca Rame were fond of— to convey mechanisation and conspicuous consumption.[2]

Plot summary

The play by the Ljubljana Drama Theatre in 1963

A group of young Milanese men play a prank on one of their group - "Lofty". They arrange for a fake marriage to take place between Lofty and a prostitute who pretends to be a beautiful Albanian princess. Lofty has a problem - he needs to get identity papers from the Ministry. The only way he can do this is to become a dog. He is taken into a local kennel, where he is eventually bought by a circus owner. After various further adventures, Lofty eventually awakes, only to find that it has all been a dream with the lovely lady there with him. Archangels don't play pinball with people's lives.[3]

Song

The play is also noted for its use of song. One example is "Stringimi forte i polsi" (Hold my wrists tightly together) which the protagonist Il Lungo (Stretch) sings to an "Albanian" prostitute whose wrists he is bound to.[2] It would later be the theme tune to the TV programme Canzonissima which the playwright, Dario Fo, makes a controversial appearance on.[4]

Translations

Ed Emery has carried out an authorised English translation.[5]

Further reading

  • Mitchell, Tony (1999), Dario Fo: People's Court Jester (Updated and Expanded), London: Methuen, ISBN 0-413-73320-3.

References

  1. ^ Mitchell 1999, p. 65
  2. ^ a b Mitchell 1999, p. 67
  3. ^ Mitchell 1999, pp. 65–70
  4. ^ Mitchell 1999, pp. 67–68
  5. ^ Fo, Dario. Archangels Don't Play Pinball, trans. Ed Emery, Methuen Books, London, 1987. Online version at http://www.geocities.ws/dariofoarchive/archangels.html
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Works by Dario Fo
1950s
  • Corpse for Sale (1958)
  • The Virtuous Burglar (1958)
  • Archangels Don't Play Pinball (1959)
1960s
  • He Had Two Pistols with White and Black Eyes (1960)
  • He Who Steals a Foot is Lucky in Love (1961)
  • Isabella, Three Sailing Ships and a Con Man (1963)
  • Throw the Lady Out (1967)
  • Grand Pantomime with Flags and Small and Middle-sized Puppets (1968)
  • Mistero Buffo (1969)
  • The Worker Knows 300 Words, the Boss Knows 1000, That's Why He's the Boss (1969)
  • Chain Me Up and I'll Still Smash Everything (1969)
1970s
  • I'd Rather Die Tonight If I Had To Think It Had All Been In Vain (1970)
  • Accidental Death of an Anarchist (1970)
  • United We Stand! All Together Now! Oops, Isn't That the Boss? (1971)
  • Fedayn (1972)
  • Mamma Togni (1973)
  • The People's War in Chile (1973)
  • Porta and Belli Against the Authorities (1974)
  • Can't Pay? Won't Pay! (1974)
  • Fanfani Kidnapped (1975)
  • Mother's Marijuana is the Best (1976)
  • Let's Talk About Women (1977)
  • All House, Bed and Church (1977)
  • The Tale of a Tiger (1978)
1980s
1990s
UndatedRelated