ABSTRACT
In the theatrical experience of Dario Fo, this 'diffuse narration' is the prologue, or the stage direction recited and performed in front of the audience, in which Fo usually explains the contents, the sometimes obscure historical and political references, as well as the contemporary news stories. Mistero buffo is a perfect representation of the particular method of theatrical performance that allows Dario Fo to act with a wide-ranging freedom on stage. The 'stabilized' text of Mistero buffo and the evolution of this performing method could not then, and still cannot now, be taken for granted. Fo's relationship with the audience involves a level of performance which he derives directly from that tradition of short lazzi that can be found in many performances of the commedia dell'arte. In the theatre Fo becomes an instrument of direct communication with the audience, aiming to recreate a sense of community around an artistic production.
