InSuburbia [Theater]

Theater that inhabits the city

InSuburbia [Theater] is an itinerant theater festival that brings live performances into unconventional urban spaces in Calenzano, in the heart of the Florentine Plain, in the province of Florence, Tuscany. Courtyards, squares, residential parking lots, nursing homes, and industrial warehouses become open-air stages for a few nights, restoring theater to its most ancient function: gathering a community around a story.

A proximity project by Fa.R.M.

The festival is conceived and organized by the Fa.R.M. - Fabbrica dei Racconti e della Memoria association, with director and actress Giusi Salis as one of the driving forces behind the project. The core idea is simple yet radical: if people don't go to the theater, the theater goes to the people. That is why performances take place directly in the settings of daily life, often in suburban areas and public housing, where cultural offerings are harder to reach.

Performances for everyone, free and accessible

All InSuburbia [Theater] events are free of charge. A hallmark of the festival is its strong focus on accessibility: performances include full LIS translation (Italian Sign Language) and dedicated accessibility for the visually impaired, ensuring no one is excluded from the theatrical experience.

A program spanning memory, childhood, and the suburbs

The program alternates between different registers, from social theater to children's theater, from tragicomic monologues to site-specific creations designed for the host location. It ranges from stories exploring collective memory and local history to shows designed for children and families, as well as participatory paths that involve neighborhood residents.

Calenzano and the Florence metropolitan area

The Calenzano leg is part of a broader festival that spans the Florence metropolitan area. The Municipality of Calenzano, located at the gates of Florence along the Plain, hosts the festival in various parts of the city, from the center to districts like Settimello. For theater lovers and visitors, InSuburbia [Theater] is an original way to discover the less touristy and more authentic side of Tuscany—the one of neighborhoods and everyday life.