“An unbelievable journey, a mythic character, a hero like Samson or Goliath, monsters with powerful strength, finally shot by a stone or by a woman.”
KOLTES
CADS’ present Bernard-Marie Koltes’ urban tragedy, Roberto Zucco at the ADC Theatre. A powerful_psychological thriller based on a true story, Roberto Zucco follows the sinister adventure of a serial killer; a young lost soul driven to commit terrible crimes without motive.
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1981: Italian Roberto Succo, aged 18, is sent to prison after violently murdering his parents. 5 years later, he escapes and goes on the run, defying police in 3 countries. Changing his identity many times, he embarks on a horrific 2 years crime spree undetected: burgling, raping, killing.
1984: Influential French playwright Bernard-Marie Koltes sees Succo’s face on a ‘wanted’ poster. His fascination of the story provides the inspiration for the play. Sadly, this was the last play by Koltes, who died of AIDS shortly after completing Roberto Zucco in 1989.
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A cross between Tarantino and Camus’ Outsider, working over the themes of Hamlet, and reaching back to the myths of Oedipus and Icarus; this modern play brings the suspense of film noir to the stage.
Based on an infamous true story, Roberto Zucco concerns a charismatic serial murderer — a young, lost soul who philosophically seduces his prey, driven by forces he can’t control. He then surrenders, albeit hesitantly, to those forces as if he’s been chosen by some cosmic instinct to act on them.
It’s a cruel play, written close to the playwright’s death, but it’s also syrupy sweet at times, proof that Koltes felt sentiment and forgiveness toward the generally foul lot of characters he had drawn. After all, they’re only behaving as they’re expected to behave, caught in the absurd hurricane of an antihero’s_preemptive fate.
For feedback or any enquiries, you can contact us by e-mail at
isaw@robertozucco.com
