Bottegavaga is culture in Venice: we provide theatre shows and courses for everyone, tailor made workshops and local experiences.

Using both physical and verbal languages rooted in the tradition of commedia dell’arte, Bottegava’s Arlecchino and Felicity offers a vibrant, magical, joyous, but melancholic world.

In the tiny Etcetera Theatre, Bottegavaga presents a little gem of a show. A delightful fusion of Shakespearean tragedy and Commedia dell’arte that’s both playful and charming.

Arlecchino is played with ballet dancer physical agility by Vanni Carpenedo […] Director Alberta Toninato seems to know exactly whom she has in her cast and how to unleash their talents. […] If you are visiting Venice you must short-list this on you itinerary. If not, you will miss out on seeing not only a gem of Italian culture, but a theater group at the top of their game.

I would like to congratulate the company and the actors for an absolutely outstanding performance. They worked magnificently. For me, it’s been one of the highlights of all the Festivals that I’ve had the pleasure to enjoy.

Vanni Carpenedo, as a scheming servant and harlequin clown Arlecchino, is a delight, terrific at characterful, physical theatre.

It was a real pleasure to watch. The show gives kids a taste of Venice, through music, language, costumes and you really were made to feel welcomed into the family. I felt like the kids had been introduced to a different cultural experience and not just the usual kids’ play/comedy. Really enjoyable.

Highly recommended for anyone interested in classic theatre! A wonderfully traditional Commedia dell’Arte performance, three masters of the art switching effortlessly from character to character bringing all the familiar figures to life.

Commedia dell’Arte is a difficult genre that requires excellent work on the body, perfect comedic timing and great storytelling skills in order to hook the audience. Bottegavaga’s retelling of Goldoni meets all the criteria and goes beyond it. Vanni Carpenedo is a wonderful Harlequin who boasts a natural talent in clowning and an elfish grace on stage.

They work in a theatre territory that has no borders, seeking to involve children, adults and elderly people in their theater game […]. All of this merely using inexpensive and handcrafted tools […] concentrating solely on the four actors’ transformations, vocal nuances, movement and gesture.

Il servitore in prova is an incredibly brave show that boasts great acting and directing […] Alberta Toninato’s directing is more meticulous than ever. Stefano Rota and Vanni Carpenedo stand out among the actors.

A great praise to director Alberta Toninato who managed to make the comedic script of Il Servitore in prova even more hilarious: the audience is sitting on their chairs laughing, laughing and laughing their hearts out.

Everything is metatheatrical and original, a constant twinkling whirlwind of gags where the physical characterization of every interpreter is triumphant.