The Festival of Ecological Theatre returns from 26 June to 4 July on Stromboli in the Aeolian Islands — a festival of theatre, music and dance unique of its kind because it is "staged" without the aid of any electricity. The island, its powerful beauty and its wild nature become the sole director of the performances. For the third edition, the theme is Shakespeare, the man who changed the history of literature and theatre in particular.

The force of nature is the director at the Festival of Ecological Theatre

This year marks the anniversary of 400 years since the death of William Shakespeare, the English playwright and poet who will also be celebrated on Stromboli during the Festival of Ecological Theatre — or eco-logical theatre, as its creators write, in reference both to the importance that logos — discourse — holds in theatre and in this theatrical event in particular, and to the eco nature of the festival as a whole. This festival, in fact, takes place entirely on the island, among its people, its beaches, its nature, beneath its sun, with no input of any electricity: nature becomes the protagonist, almost the director of every performance.

The centrepiece of the festival programme is undoubtedly Tempesta on the rocks, Alessandro Fabrizi's version of Shakespeare's The Tempest — a unique production, divided into three different moments, in three different locations on the island, the absolute protagonist of this Elizabethan comedy. Of this staging, Alessandro Fabrizi says: "I am not the director but the creator of this adventure, a production that is an adventure even before it is theatre." With him, Giorgio Rossi for movement, and Paolo Zuccari and Hossein Taheri among the actors, they speak to us of one of mankind's great conflicts — that between art and nature. "Since time immemorial," Fabrizi continues, "what man tries to do is to escape the power of nature and to tame it. The need for control defines the human being who, however, inevitably finds himself confronted with the impossibility of acting entirely as he believes he can, forced to bow to the force of nature."

An adventure, because staging a theatrical text in the open air means being at the mercy of the island, of the weather, of the natural elements that dominate man, almost stripping him of his will. Tempesta on the rocks will be "on stage" on Tuesday and Wednesday, 28 June from 18:00, in a unique yet mysterious and unknown atmosphere that could change at any moment, precisely at the "will of the island".

Fabrizi also says that "…the choice of Shakespeare as the theme of this third edition is due, beyond the 400th anniversary, to what the English playwright represents: a mix of the elevated and the popular that is the very essence of theatre, and is perfect on this island and in The Tempest as staged here. Among the people, without filters, on the island, without stages, without wings. Only the word, dialogue everywhere on the island."

Stromboli, Fabrizi tells us further, is an island that has responded positively to this artistic initiative, which for three years now has breathed life into every aspect and corner of this community. Everyone, in different ways and according to their own availability, helps this festival, follows it, feels part of it. The hope and the desire is that the sacredness of theatre understood in the classical sense will gradually fade on Stromboli, making way for a new mode of enjoyment — freer, more spontaneous, more natural, in the truest sense of the word: according to nature. Because theatre, even in Shakespeare's time, was a popular celebration.

Theatre without electricity but with the energy of nature

The artistic value of this festival of theatre and art comes through in the entire programme: on Monday 27 at 22:00, Bruce Myers, the great English actor who has worked through Shakespeare's plays with the most prestigious international companies (from the Royal Shakespeare Company to Peter Brook), shares his Shakespeares and offers some of the most beautiful sonnets from the Shakespearean sequence, the Book of Love from the Renaissance onwards.

Closing these days of theatre, on Sunday 3 July, is "L'ammore nunn'è ammore" with Lino Musella, who will perform verses by Dario Jacobelli, a late Neapolitan poet who devoted the final years of his life to translating into Neapolitan — and to betraying, as he liked to call it — 30 of Shakespeare's Sonnets. Two versions at opposite ends of the spectrum, two different worlds, one single great source of inspiration.

To the question "What do you expect from the 2016 Festival of Ecological Theatre?" Alessandro Fabrizi answers: "To survive." Theatre in Italy, and small adventurous productions like this one in particular, is in ever greater need of everyone's support: anyone wishing to support the Festival can make a donation — all the details are here — bearing in mind that all the artists perform free of charge, bringing a gift to the Festival, and that events are also free to attend.

Coming to the island of Stromboli during these days means being on a great stage and enjoying a dialogue between earth, fire, air and sea. On the island's beaches, in the village alleyways, on the harbour pier, in the woods, alongside the trail of fire traced by the incandescent lava of this unique place, all the events on the programme are set up, lit by the sun or by fire. A special event, a celebration of art, a gift for everyone.