Diffusioni Teatrali

A widespread theatre festival in the heart of the Ossola Valley

Diffusioni Teatrali is a contemporary theatre festival conceived and organized by the Compagnia dell'Ozio, a cultural group active in Domodossola and throughout the Ossola Valley, in the province of Verbano-Cusio-Ossola (Piedmont). As the name suggests, the festival 'diffuses' theatre across the territory: performances are not confined to a single venue but travel through diverse locations, from the Auditorium don Tullio Bertamini at the Collegio Mellerio Rosmini in Domodossola to sanctuaries, town squares, and historic sites in nearby villages.

The 2026 edition: Fo and Francis

The third edition, scheduled for spring 2026, is titled 'Fo and Francis - The Church and the Square'. This theme was born from a symbolic coincidence: in 2026, Italy commemorates the 800th anniversary of the death of Saint Francis of Assisi and the centenary of the birth of Dario Fo, the Nobel Prize-winning playwright. These two figures, while seemingly distant, are united by their ability to speak to the people using a direct language, suspended between the sacred nature of the church and the irreverent irony of the public square.

Performances and venues

The 2026 program alternates major works of civic theatre with productions from the young and independent scene. Highlights range from Dario Fo's 'Mistero Buffo', the masterpiece that earned the author the Nobel Prize, to 'S (Messing with Stravinskij)', an atypical, punk-inspired show loosely based on 'The Soldier's Tale'. The events take place across several municipalities in the Ossola Valley, from Domodossola to Bannio Anzino and Varzo, confirming the festival's itinerant nature.

A project rooted in the territory

Diffusioni Teatrali is supported by local entities and organizations, including the Fondazione Comunitaria del VCO, the Fondazione CRT, and various local Pro Loco associations and municipalities. Today, the festival is a key reference point for the theatrical culture of the Verbano-Cusio-Ossola region, successfully uniting mountain villages and urban audiences through high-quality programming.