Teatro delle Commedie

The Teatro delle Commedie is a small theatre in Livorno, near the Cisternone and Sant’Andrea church. It stands in the Gherardesca complex, once a workhouse, on the side facing Via Giuseppe Maria Terreni. The building was designed by Alessandro Gherardesca between 1844 and 1861, with Angiolo della Valle taking over during the Risorgimento years. By 1874 it was already hosting plays and concerts for the institute’s guests. After the Second World War it fell into disuse, losing its furnishings and stage equipment. Public bodies later bought the site and restored it, finishing in 1979.

The theatre reopened as a multi-purpose cultural centre after modern safety and technical upgrades. In 2010 it became Teatro C – Nuovo Teatro delle Commedie, managed by Cooperativa Theatralia with partners ARCI, Ars Nova and Edgarluve. Since then it has presented theatre, classical and jazz concerts, pop, avant-garde performances, art exhibitions and film screenings. The JazzLab run by Andrea Pellegrini started here in November 2011. Each 30 April the theatre hosts Livorno’s Unesco International Jazz Day, launched by Unesco in 2012.

Inside, the main hall seats a compact audience close to the stage. Adjacent rooms host rehearsals, workshops and smaller exhibitions. The building’s plain neoclassical façade gives little hint of the lively programme within. Outside, the walk from the Cisternone’s great arches to the church door passes the theatre’s modest entrance. The surrounding streets keep the rhythm of daily Livorno life while the stage inside offers a quiet space for music and ideas.