Coppia Aperta, Quasi Spalancata

Coppia Aperta, Quasi Spalancata is an Italian play by Dario Fo (1926-2016)[1] and Franca Rame (1929-2013)[2].

The original text

A play about a couple who test the boundaries of their relationship, written and first performed in 1983, when the Italian censors restricted it to audiences over the age of 18, since Rame had included her monologue Lo stupro (The Rape, inspired by her own rape) as a prologue.

Translations and adaptations

Translated into a number of languages over the years. Known as The Open Couple in English, as translated by Stuart Hood and published by Samuel French.

Performance history in South Africa

2000: Performed at the Baxter Theatre as The Open Couple with and Warrick Grier, who won a Fleur du Cap Theatre Award as Best Actor for his role as "Barry".

2014: Produced and directed by Christopher Weare, and performed by Larica Schnell and Nathan Lynn, at Nicholas Ellenbogen's intimate Rosebank Theatre in May, as a double-bill with an Afrikaans adaptation of Anton Chekhov's (as Die Buffel),

2014: The same production played in the Alexander Upstairs Theatre (at The Alexander Bar & Café) in November.