On the old cherry tree

On the occasion of the city’s patron saint’s day: performance-reading, for families, loosely based on Flag by Mario Lodi.

By

Damiano Grasselli

With

Viviana Magoni

Production

Cavern Theater

This story begins on the first day of spring, but spring does not come when we want it to.

A whole year is what?

Perhaps little in an adult‘s story.

A great deal in a child’s life.

All for a leaf that is born in the spring and dies in the fall.

What if this is not the case for all leaves? What if a rebellious leaf, after experiencing the miracles of life, stood against the winds of death to find out what is next?

Several booklets scattered around the scene: in, on and around the old cherry tree that teased by a ray of sunshine and a mischievous little ant wakes up from its long sleep and during the story changes clothes several times.

Children are invited to the feast of crickets and ants, they witness the struggle of wind and clouds, but most of all they trepidatiously wait to find out if the rebellious leaf will really make it through the frost of winter.

On the centenary of the birth of teacher Mario Lodi, a tribute to this great educator and the young pupils who invented the story of Flag with him.