IMMAGINA - Rome International Puppet and Figure Theatre Festival

A city-wide festival for figure theatre

IMMAGINA - Rome International Puppet and Figure Theatre Festival is the Capital's premier event dedicated to puppets, marionettes, shadow theatre, object theatre, and animated figures. Created to bring an ancient yet surprisingly contemporary language back to the center of the Roman stage, the festival is a city-wide event: not just a single stage, but a network of theatres and institutions scattered between the center and the suburbs of Rome, in the Lazio region.

The format embraces the entire city thanks to the collaboration of the Teatri in Comune - Teatro Villa Pamphilj, Teatro Biblioteca Quarticciolo, Teatro Tor Bella Monaca, and Teatro del Lido di Ostia - along with the Museum of Civilizations (MUCIV) and the Central Institute for Intangible Heritage (ICPI), the Spazio Rossellini of the Lazio Region, and the Teatro Verde. A cultural geography that unites major institutional venues and neighborhood spaces, bringing performances both to the heart of Rome and to the Ostia coastline.

Marionettes, puppets, shadows, and objects

Figure theatre is an incredibly rich universe: from the traditional folk puppet to the string marionette, from shadow theatre to the most experimental forms of object theatre and animated figures. IMMAGINA explores this plurality of languages by fostering a dialogue between historic companies and young research-based groups, with programming designed for families as well as enthusiasts and professionals.

Each edition brings companies from different countries to Rome, featuring performances in their original language and visually striking productions. Alongside the shows, the festival offers workshops on construction and manipulation, meetings and talks, and exhibitions dedicated to the art of figure theatre, often hosted within the spaces of the Museum of Civilizations.

A cultural network for the Capital

IMMAGINA is promoted by a network of theatres and institutions united by a framework agreement and benefits from collaborations with Roma Tre University - DAMS, the Academy of Fine Arts of Rome, and SIAE, under the patronage of UNIMA Italia, the international organization for figure theatre. This network of partners makes the festival not only a showcase for performances but also a laboratory for training, reflection, and the promotion of intangible heritage.

For the Municipality of Rome and the entire Lazio Region, IMMAGINA represents a spring highlight that brings culture into neighborhood theatres and peripheral spaces, introducing new audiences to an art form capable of speaking to children without sacrificing the depth of the themes addressed.

When and where

The festival takes place in spring, typically between April and May, with four days of intense programming spread across multiple venues. The main spaces are the Teatro Villa Pamphilj (Monteverde), Teatro Biblioteca Quarticciolo, Teatro Tor Bella Monaca, Teatro del Lido di Ostia, and the Museum of Civilizations in the EUR district. The city-wide nature of the event invites you to discover different neighborhoods of Rome by following the thread of the performances.