Antonio Milo returns to the theater with Mettici la mano: “To not lose the desire to amaze us”

Put your hand on it had a preview Wednesday night. How did the public react to seeing Maione and Bambinella in this new role?
«The reaction of the public went well beyond our expectations. There was love, laughter. There was endless applause. Perhaps, the two years of theatrical apnea have done their part, and, perhaps, finding a TV personality on the stage allows for an immediate greater involvement. But the public enjoyed it and got excited ».

Talk about laughter, but Put your hand on it it’s a yellow. How are drama and comedy reconciled?
«The fixity and claustrophobia of the cellar are broken by Bambinella, who in himself carries the comic and ironic vein of the show. It is Bambinella who is hilarious, and thanks to him we laugh a lot ».

What effect did the two years of theatrical apnea have on you actors?
«I have experienced the closure of theaters very badly. I don’t want to use heavy terms, but it was easy to close these places. Culture is a weak category in Italy, and putting it on the sidelines was as simple as it was cowardly. Coming back excited me, despite the masks I saw the smiles of the people and I had a lump in my throat, the same one would have in seeing one’s mother after a long time ».

Masks or not, the preview of Put your hand on it showed that audiences want and need to go back to the theater.
«Yes, because the theater is the place of sharing par excellence and the human being was born to share. When he doesn’t, he loses some of his humanity. We should hold onto the culture, the art forms. We should go back to the theater as much as possible so as to balance the effects that technology has on us ».

What effects does it talk about?
“I don’t want to give voice to old people’s thinking, but I believe that technology can make our lives worse, alienate us. True, it can provide valuable contact with the other, but it cannot and must not replace physicality. We should always want to look each other in the eye, to bend down to hug a shorter person. We can’t do everything through a cell phone ».

But do you use cell phones?
“Yes, it is now inevitable: social networks, cell phones. I use everything, reluctantly, but I use it. As an actor, I am often asked how many followers I have and streaming platforms choose their products based on an algorithm. All this scares me. If we all became algorithms, we would lose the wonder. So I ask you: is there still the possibility of surprising us? ».

You tell me.
“I hope so. I hope that cinemas are not replaced by digital, that a television, however large, does not take the place of a dark room, of the magic of the physical place. Streaming platforms have many positive sides, they have brought products to Italy that once would have been unthinkable to find, they have forced generalist television to raise the bar. I don’t think, however, they can replace the cinema ».

Not even in the long term?
“No, I hope not. the cinema, unlike the theater, is also economically more accessible ».

He says it with a certain controversy …
«No controversy, but I believe that the theater needs updating, both as regards the dramaturgy and as regards the fiscal structure. Productions should be given the opportunity to lower the cost of tickets, in order to attract a younger and more dynamic audience ».

In this sense, hasn’t the pandemic helped you to find more strength and awareness as a category?
“Absolutely yes. The pandemic has brought out all the fragility of us actors, and today the category has found structure. We are moving. We have made requests. We must, however, see if and how politics will respond to our requests. They are long battles ».

Where will the future take her?
“I have two projects under my belt. For Sky, I made a movie, Rosanero, with Salvatore Esposito. It is a comedy about the Camorra, where a girl and a boss, for a metaphysical fact, exchange identities. With the Palomar, on the other hand, I’m doing The last show, a detective fiction set in modern day Naples ».