Chiostro in Scena

Theatre amidst the cloister stones

In the heart of the historic centre of Veroli, in the province of Frosinone, the Sant'Agostino cloister transforms into an open-air theatre every summer. Chiostro in Scena is the festival that brings prose, comedy, and cross-disciplinary artistic performances to one of the most evocative corners of this ancient Hernician city: the stone arches, the evening silence, and the Ciociaria summer sky provide a natural backdrop, creating an intimate atmosphere that indoor theatres struggle to replicate.

A festival born to keep theatre alive

The first edition took place in the summer of 2020, when the Duecento22 – Arti e Spettacolo association, which manages the Veroli Municipal Theatre, decided to bring live performances back to the city following months of lockdown, with the support of the municipal administration, the Pro Loco, and the Council of Associations. The stage set up in the cloister hosted, among others, Molière's "The Imaginary Invalid" performed by the Accademia del Teatro Studio di Frosinone and the comedy "Separati in causa" by the Commedianti del Cilindro. What began as a response to an emergency has since become a staple of the Veroli summer.

The formula: historic cloisters as a stage

The heart of the festival is the Sant'Agostino cloister, but over the years, Chiostro in Scena has also utilised other monastic spaces in the area: in 2022, for the third edition, four performances were split between Sant'Agostino and the cloister of the Redemptorist Fathers' convent in the Scifelli district, featuring titles such as "Rouge – Riccardino e i pomodori freschi" by Medusa Teatro, directed by Ivano Capocciama. The fifth edition, in July 2025, focused on theatre and the blending of artistic languages, confirming the festival's commitment to mixing prose, music, and storytelling over two nights under the stars.

Part of the Veroli summer

Chiostro in Scena is a key element of the summer programme promoted by the Municipality of Veroli, which brings the historic centre and surrounding districts to life from June to September with dozens of events: from the Verolibri literary festival to the Philosophy Festival, from the Fasti Verolani international street theatre festival to Ernica Etnica and the Pantasema. Within this mosaic, the cloister festival represents the most intimate and theatrical soul of the Veroli summer, inviting audiences to sit back, listen, and be surprised by actors just a few steps away.

Veroli, a city of art in Ciociaria

Attending a performance at Chiostro in Scena is also a perfect opportunity to discover Veroli, one of the most fascinating art cities in southern Lazio: the Basilica of Santa Salome with its Holy Stairs, the Giovardiana Library, the cyclopean remains of the Hernician walls, and the medieval alleys winding up towards the fortress. The festival fits into this setting with discretion, enhancing an architectural and religious heritage—the cloisters—that returns for an evening to being a place of meeting and community, just as it has been for centuries.