Annibale Ruccello

Annibale Ruccello was born in Castellammare di Stabia, in the outskirts of Naples, Italy,. His father was Ermanno Ruccello and his mother was Giuseppina de Nonno. In 1977 he graduated in philosophy from the University of Naples "Federico II". During his time in school, he wrote a thesis on Andrea Perruci's Cantata dei Pastori (1698). His paper studied Perruci's religious piece through cultural anthropology. Later in life, Ruccello was a member of the group of researchers of the popular traditions and language of Campania, led by Roberto De Simone, a Neapolitan composer and musicologist

He began acting in Torre del Greco, Italy, in a foundation called Teatro del Garage. This group was led by Gennaro Vitiello, and included other artists like Mario Martone and Enzo Moscato. In 1978 he set created his own theatrical company called Il carro. WIth the help of Lello Guida, began writing and staging his first plays, largely inspired by popular culture. Their repetoir included Il Rione (1973) and L'osteria del melograno. His other works include directing Rottami (Famed director Ionesco, was originally supposed to direct this work), I gioielli indiscreti (1980) by Denis Diderot, and L'asino d'oro, renamed later Ipata in 1981. (This work was based upon Asinus aureus by Lucio Apuleio.) In 1980 he debuted a solo play named Le cinque rose di Jennifer.

In 1982, his foundation, Il carro, merged with another theater company named il Teatro Nuovo, and became Teatro Nuovo-Il Carro, based in Naples, Italy.

In 1983 he wrote Weekend (which won the IDI under 35 award) and Notturno di donna con ospiti. He continued to gain awards in 1988 when his comedy Ferdinando, performed the first time in February 1986, (San Severo, Teatro Verdi). This piece won two IDI awards: the first, in 1985, as a dramatic work, and the second in 1986 for the best staging. The original stage design was developed by Franco Autiero and the main character was played by Isa Danieli, who happened to inspire the character in the first place. Later on, Ferdinando was performed in Paris (in the native lanauge, French) in 2000 at Théatre du Rond-Point, dubbed by Adriana Asti in French. This play continued on to Liegi at the Théatre Le Moderne and, in Bruxelles at Union Dramatique in 2008.

In 1985 Ruccello also directed a theatrical adaptation of the novel La ciociara by Alberto Moravia, previous directed in 2010 by the director and stage design Roberta Torre. His work as playwright ended with Anna Cappelli and Mamma: piccole tragedie minimali, in competition for the Primo Premio Gennaro Vitiello in May 1986.

In 1986, coming back from Roma, he died in an accident on the Roma-Napoli motorway. The driver of the car, Stefano Tosi, a neapolitan actor, died as well. Ruccello is buried in the old cemetery of Castellammare di Stabia.

During the years following his death there has been a further recognition of Ruccello’s repertoire. He is considered one of the most interesting and original voices of Italian theatre, in the second half of XX century.

Annibale Ruccello, Il sole e la maschera. Un'analisi antropologica della Cantata dei pastori, Napoli, Guida, 1978 (ed. agg. Stamperia del Valentino, Napoli, 2008).

Annibale Ruccello, Villa dei Misteri, in Babilonia, n. 45, aprile 1987.

Annibale Ruccello, Ferdinando, Napoli: Guida, 1988

Annibale Ruccello, Teatro, Napoli: Guida, 1993.

Annibale Ruccello, Scritti inediti: una commedia e dieci saggi, con un percorso critico di Rita Picchi, Roma, Gremese, 2004. ISBN 88-8440-307-3

Annibale Ruccello, Teatro, Milano, Ubulibri, 2005.

Annibale Ruccello, Teatro, introduzione di Enrico Fiore, Milano, Ubulibri, 2005. ISBN 978-88-7748-273-0

• E. De Filippo, Il peggiore dei mestieri. Intervista a Corrado Augias, in L'Espresso, 29 dicembre 1968.
• R. Di Giammarco, Non chiamatemi autore: sono un allestitore e un ex antropologo, in la Repubblica, 27 marzo 1984.
• T. Marrone, L'ultimo grido è: fuori l'autore! (intervista a Annibale Ruccello e Enzo Moscato), in Il Mattino, 21 settembre 1985.
• Annibale Ruccello, Una drammaturgia sui corpi, in Sipario, n. 466, marzo*aprile, 1987.
• I. Danieli, In scena senza Annibale, in Corriere della Sera, 22 gennaio 1987.
• E. Moscato, Babelicantes, in Aa.Vv., Teatro, a cura di G. Carillo, Napoli, Cronopio, 1997.
• R. Di Giammarco, Asti: così Ruccello diventa transalpino. L'intervista, in la Repubblica, 5 giugno 2000.