RUN – The Festival Escaping the Center

A festival that escapes the center

RUN – The Festival Escaping the Center is a theatrical event that deliberately chooses the suburbs as its stage. Born from the experience of Teatro Hamlet, a historic venue in the Pigneto district active since 2014, the festival brings live culture away from the major circuits of the historic center, enlivening Rome's Municipio V, between Pigneto and Prenestino. The artistic direction is led by Gina Merulla, the heart of Teatro Hamlet, while organization is managed by Teatro Hamlet APS with the support of Roma Capitale.

A multidisciplinary program

From September to November, RUN unfolds a schedule that spans eras and languages: from the great Greek classics to Shakespearean works, from contemporary drama to musical shows, and from narrative theater to more experimental forms. Each week, a new event alternates between the two venues, composing a mosaic of voices, styles, and generations. The festival creates space for both established artists and emerging companies, fostering a constant dialogue between tradition and research.

Theater meets virtual reality

One of RUN's distinctive features is its openness to new technologies applied to the stage. Among the highlights that have defined the festival is its virtual reality theater experience, where the viewer is immersed through a headset in a story specifically crafted for 3D language. It is the hallmark of a festival that is not afraid to challenge the boundaries between stage, cinema, and digital installation.

More than just shows: workshops

Alongside the evening program, RUN offers educational workshops designed for the local area and community: paths that bring different generations closer to theater, as well as improvisation activities also aimed at an international audience. The festival thus becomes a cultural hub for the neighborhood, a space for meeting and learning as well as for entertainment.

The venues

Events take place across two locations in Municipio V: Teatro Hamlet, at Via Alberto da Giussano 13, in the heart of Pigneto, and Teatro Sala Vignoli, at Via Bartolomeo d'Alviano 1. Two intimate-sized halls that foster closeness between actors and the audience, restoring theater to its most personal dimension.

Rome and Lazio

As an expression of the capital's vibrant independent theater scene, RUN tells the story of a Rome different from its monumental side: the Rome of neighborhoods, creative suburbs, and community theaters that keep local culture alive in Lazio. With free admission, the festival reaffirms its popular and inclusive vocation, offering residents and curious visitors a simple way to rediscover theater right in their own backyard.