In the summer period, and more specifically during the month of July, you can visit the park in the afternoon and then go to the open-air theater at night.
I returned after many years to the Villa Duchessa di Galliera night shows in the Voltri neighborhood two years ago and, since then, the open-air theatrical show at the park has become a must-do of my summers. They have recently restored the Belvedere Castle, with its caves and artificial waterfalls and the area with deer and Tibetan goats. This park is truly a magical journey of over 15 kilometers of paths in nature close to the city. This 18th century park has hosted nobles and ambassadors from European kingdoms in the past when it was the residence of a noble family from Genoa.
It offers to the visitors a large Italian garden, a magnificent theater dated 1785, a romantic forest, a castle with grottoes and artificial waterfalls, olive trees, deer, Tibetan goats and even an ancient sanctuary built on a hill overlooking Genoa and the Ligurian Sea between Genoa and Savona.
For its 50th anniversary, the Teatro della Tosse theatrical company from Genoa has chosen to look towards the future by crossing some impressions from the past and they have chosen once again this park as the setting.
For almost an entire month, from July 2nd to 26th this year, the company held shows every evening except for Monday nights, in the beautiful historical setting of the historic park.
This year, like every year, the company performed a live itinerant show and this year’s title was “Gothica.”
”Gothica” can be described as a new immersive production divided into diverse stages that invite audiences to put aside their seats and put on comfortable shoes, because here you don’t sit down on a chair and watch passively but you rather walk through the huge park of the villa ‘looking for’ the actors.
This year’s show was rooted in contemporary horror and 19th century fantasy and it transformed the gardens and spaces of the Villa into a journey full of mirrors, dark curtains and suspended atmospheres, where the line between real and unreal supposedly became increasingly blurred.
Inspiration came from the great masters of fantasy exploring the darkest side of human experience leading the viewer into a veritable labyrinth of the soul, where reason is no longer sufficient to explain what is happening. A tale that speaks to the contradictions of an age striving for progress yet irresistibly drawn to mystery, a tension that, as the Teatro della Tosse company emphasizes, continues to resonate in the present.
The monologues were inspired by Edgar Allan Poe, Dracula and many others.
It is also worth mentioning that the Aperitivo nel Parco food festival which took place prior to the shows entertained theater-goers with food and drinks in the gorgeous set of the Villa's Italian garden.
It has been an opportunity to enjoy a moment of conviviality before immersing oneself in the Gothic atmosphere of the show with the plus of live music surrounded by all the greenery.
Food trucks offering anything from ice-cream to handmade pasta dishes were parked on the grounds and garden tables and chairs were positioned for the occasion.
The food truck offered mostly local specialties: pesto, savory pies and sandwiches made with local ingredients.
The actors involved in the show were simply wonderful I must say.
The acting is in Italian which is a pity given the high number of tourists in the area during the summer months who could truly enjoy the event, the atmosphere and the enchanting plots.
I definitely recommend watching this show if you speak the language because as dark falls the atmosphere changes and plays along with the story they are about to tell.
Highly recommended, as always.
