Hay Barn Presents The Steak

An evening of theatre in the Reggio hills

Hay Barn Presents The Steak is a theatrical performance that brings a story by Jack London to the stage, in an evening of theatre with live music organized in Viano, a small municipality in the Apennines in the province of Reggio Emilia, in the heart of Emilia-Romagna. The event takes place in Via San Polo, in a space with a rural flavour that recalls the barn atmosphere evoked by the title of the series.

Jack London's story

The performance is freely adapted from "A Piece of Steak", one of Jack London's most famous short stories, dedicated to an aging boxer at the end of his career who, before the decisive fight of his life, doesn't even have the money to buy the meat he needs to face his opponent. It is a stark and deeply human story about dignity, hardship, and the struggle for survival, which theatre conveys with great emotional power.

On stage

The protagonist of the evening is actor Faustino Stigliani, a long-time performer in Reggio theatre, accompanied by live music performed by Max Marmiroli, Massimiliano Ariosti, and Omar Rizzi. The direction is by Fabio Santandrea. The interplay between spoken word and live musical accompaniment gives the performance a tight rhythm, capable of transporting the audience into the rough and poetic atmosphere of London's narrative.

A local event

The initiative is part of the summer cultural events promoted by the Municipality of Viano and is aimed at all lovers of theatre and good storytelling. In a village of a few hundred inhabitants, immersed in the green hills rising towards Monte Faggeto and Pietra di Bismantova, the evening also becomes an opportunity to discover an authentic corner of the Reggio Apennines, far from the main tourist routes and rich in landscape and tradition.

Why attend

• A classic by Jack London brought to the stage with live music.
• An intimate performance in a rural setting in Viano.
• Performers and musicians from the Reggio region.
• A summer evening in the hills of Emilia-Romagna, suitable for everyone.