“You are not born to stand still”: the art of changing yourself and the world according to Martina Morrocchi

A message of hope to young women in a world that often poses complex challenges in their path. This is what Martina Morrocchi, theater director and curator, wants to send. Born in 1989 in the Chianti valley, but who made (and is making) her fortune in China, first in Shenzhen and now in Beijing. Morrocchi's is in fact the story of a woman with extraordinary strength. A woman who followed her dreams to show all the others that a possibility exists. That every woman carries within herself a transformative power.

And it is precisely that power that Morrocchi, after graduating from the International Theatre Academy of Rome, brought to the Asian country, where in 2015, he founded Mamonahi, a theatre association that embraces mixed styles and arts: theatre, dance, plastic arts, visual arts, music. Mamonahi is the result of the influences of many civilisations, both Asian and European, and has made the inclusion and diffusion of cultures the added value of its work. Starting from an international community like that of Beijing, Mamonahi has used theatre to encourage young people to be creatively flexible , to be expressively dynamic and above all to have self-confidence , to have the desire to learn, to watch and to experiment constantly, in collaboration with others and using play and the performing arts as a learning method.

And to understand the main differences between theater in China and in Italy , how LGBT+ themed theater performances are perceived in the Asian country and how she would stop pollution thanks to her work "The gray life" , between one show and another, we interviewed Martina Morrocchi who also wanted to send a message to all the women who don't put themselves on the line for fear of failure.

The Mamonahi Theatre Association

Morrocchi let's start with Mamonahi, this theater association born in 2015 that encourages kids to have self-confidence and that leaves no one behind. Tell us about it.

“Mamonahi, even though I then put it into practice in Beijing, was born as a dream when I was already in Rome at the International Theatre Academy because theatre is often not something close to everyone, it remains a little elite. So it started as a dream because I wanted it to get closer to people. A bit like the old theatre was born, that is, for everyone. Both that everyone could do it and that everyone could see it. But at the same time that it helped people get to know each other better. Because in any case, the thing I noticed is that through the performing arts a person manages to get to know themselves better. Because you have to be patient, listen, you deal with others and therefore you are very much in the present. Furthermore, people appreciate themselves better because often in our society people are becoming more and more depressed, in crisis, but not because we have who knows what past but simply because they don't give themselves time to get to know each other, to love each other, to understand and accept that life is like this. In our society, on the other hand, we tend to make comparisons. It's an everyday thing. With Mamonahi, I started doing workshops where I invited anyone, they didn't have to be professionals. After that I started doing shows with these people. And the funny thing is that I often realized that the people who had the most passion, the most love, were precisely these people and not the real actors."

The last show, perhaps the most inclusive, is the one he did a few days ago at the European Embassy to celebrate 50 years of international relations between Europe and China.

“The European Embassy in Beijing asked me to do the show. Their requirements were to do a fusion show that included Europe and China. And I composed it in a 360-degree way because it included Western instruments (cello, piano and cajon) and Chinese instruments (pipa and erhu). Then we had Chinese and European dancers including Elisa Capecchi, Elia Camiscioli and opera singers like the Italian Silvia Colombini. I composed this show by researching the most famous European operas such as “Don Carlo“ which opens and closes the dialogues, the “Magic Flute“, and then we used a French saying and also introduced the chengyu, the Chinese sayings. The opening of the show was “Là su i monti dell'Est“ by Puccini. The closing was a duet of violin and erhu. Then again the singing and an ad hoc closing where the word friend was pronounced in various languages. Because since the main theme of the show was the union between Europe and China I used as a metaphor friendship. The basic story of the show was that two old friends met after a long time and shared in the first dialogue how happy they were and the things they had spent together. In the second dialogue the importance of friendship. Finally, in the third they promised each other this bond forever“.

The Differences Between Theater in China and Italy

Let's talk about the main differences between theater in China and Italy. For example, during your shows, cell phones and any other device are strictly prohibited. In our country, would it be possible to replicate something like this, given that 80% of Italians own a smartphone?

“I think it would be possible because it is difficult in China too. To do this I have photographers who take videos and photos. Then people can scan the QR code and take all the material when they leave. So I offer the possibility of going home with something. I forbid it at my shows not because I am against it and that's it, but because if you are filming you don't enjoy 100% of what you are experiencing. My performances are usually very emotional and deal with popular issues. So if you are taking photos in the end all the emotions that the show should give you are not given because you had your head on your cell phone. You didn't have a free head and an open body to feel the emotions. So yes it is feasible. It's just that in Europe, not just in Italy, there is a problem: we are all too diplomatic, politically correct. We don't want to impose ourselves and saying this is how we do it. Because if a director says "come to the show and don't take photos", people either accept it or they don't buy the ticket. The thing that bothers me what makes our country so angry is that people say “oh well, everyone does it.” I think that in Italy we have become a bit soft as a people.”

We come to “A world to change“, an intensive workshop on equality between men and women. Do women also occupy less paid or informal roles in China?

“Women in China hold very important roles and are well paid. There is much less inequality. There was not a women's revolution but a government revolution. It is the government that decided to put women on equal terms with men. There are many women who hold important positions. There is no discrimination.”

Lgbt+ Community and Pollution

The show “Queen of the night“ talks about the LGBT+ theme. In Italy we have the presence of associations (arcigay, famiglie arcobaleno) and the prides take place in the city. In China LGBT+ activism is limited and public prides are non-existent. How difficult was it to stage such a representation in the Asian nation?

“China is a bit peculiar because they say you can’t do it but in the end you can do anything. For example, Beijing is full of gay discos. The thing that is different in China is that you have to do it in a more subtle way. The main difficulty in the show was to adjust it for the Chinese audience because in the end it is an American show where there are few limits. The Chinese audience is a slightly reserved audience. They are fine with seeing everything, but in the end they are shy. For example, there was this particular scene of a charming actor who had to take a wife and lock himself in a room. Something like that, even if they don’t do anything, you can’t do it in China. But not because it is forbidden, but out of respect. You need to be careful. There are ways of doing things that need to be followed. It’s not so much about limits for what you can’t do, but about making the audience feel comfortable.”

“The gray life“ instead deals with pollution. What message did you want to send, given the dramatic environmental situation that is affecting our world?

“Unfortunately, everyone tends to point the finger at the Government rather than at the oil companies. But in the end, we are also the cause. We are the first to go shopping, to buy a cell phone even if the one we have is working. The show wants to talk about the fact that the whole world is a country. We have all gone from contaminating to being contaminated. From Europe to America, to China to India. No one is excluded. It's just that we like to say "but you now". Yes, us first, the others even before and someone else tomorrow. And then above all, why China now? Because it is convenient for Europe that China is the one polluting because it is cheaper to produce and labor costs less. " The Gray Life" wants to show everything. Both the pollution that we emit because of ourselves because we are all consumerists, but it also wants to talk about people's depression. About our unconsciousness, our ignorance. And it's all connected because in the fact of being victims and executioners, we are so ignorant. The fact of not wanting to admit, of not wanting to seeing is part of ignorance. Which then later leads to depression in some cases, to anger in others. In the show in the end it is about emotions because then when you suffer from depression how do you react? You can react with anger, with anxiety, with closure and then later maybe you open up again. But first you have to go through acceptance. If you don't go through the latter you don't flourish. Pollution was an inspiration for me because it is a big lie of the world".

Is there any show made in China that would be seen as bad taste in Italy?

“Bad taste, I would say no. The Chinese are not vulgar people, they would never do something offensive. They come from Confucianism according to which you have to follow the balance of society and respect others. So no, it wouldn't be seen badly, but it wouldn't be understood. Some time ago I went to see a singer's show where she put everything in between, up to the disco techno rave. Something that certainly wouldn't have been possible in Italy. In China there is incredible artistic freedom. While in our country there is the concept of class, of art and therefore one doesn't give oneself free rein to express oneself. This is the difference I see between European and Chinese art.”

The message for all women

You made your fortune in China. What would you say to women in Italy who don't take risks for fear of failure?

“First of all, I would say to never give up and to believe in yourself. Unfortunately, when people tell you that you won't make it, it's because they reflect their fears. Maybe they were the ones who gave up, who didn't try, who were disappointed and weren't able to move forward, to overcome a defeat. I would say to continue and believe in yourself. Above all because I believe that when someone has a feeling, a love and does it with heart and passion, it can't go wrong. Maybe it won't go well tomorrow, but in a little while, yes. It's just a matter of finding the method, the technique and your niche. I had to find my niche because obviously doing theater in China by an Italian is not so obvious. You have to create your own nucleus. And then I believe that you shouldn't feel tied to the place where you were born. We are all citizens of the world. Which on one hand is a con, on the other a pro. On the one hand, I'm clearly sorry that I can't do my things in Italy. But if on the other side of the world they appreciate what I do because no. Maybe then I will be destined to bring something to our country that will be able to improve it because I learned a lot in China. Something that maybe when I return to Italy I feel the culture shock in reverse. Ultimately I think the watchword is never give up".