Two Works by Romeo Castellucci

FringeArts presents the Philadelphia premieres of the second and third works in a trilogy by world-renowned experimental theater artist Romeo Castellucci: On the Concept of the Face, Regarding the Son of God (at its 2013 festival) and The Four Seasons Restaurant (at its 2014 festival). Castellucci creates visceral performances that assault the senses and confront harsh realities of human nature. On the Concept is loaded with potent religious symbolism and abject multisensory stimulation, centered on an end-of-life relationship between a dutiful son and his ailing father. It raises philosophical questions about faith, absence, aging, and the invisibility of the elderly in society. The Four Seasons Restaurant—a reference to Mark Rothko's refusal to sell his paintings to the fashionable dining spot—is a barrage of intense, seemingly disconnected sound and imagery that overwhelms the senses. FringeArts, one of the only presenters in the country to offer Castellucci's work, contextualizes these productions and their themes by offering post-show conversations, film screenings of other Castellucci works, and public conversations with academic experts and local faith leaders.