-Francesco, let’s start by talking about The PlayGroup. Could you introduce the company to our readers, telling us how it was founded and what artistic vision guides it?

The Play Group was founded in 1989 by Eddie Roberts and Simon Edmonds, with Johnny, Eddie’s father, among the founders, after their experience at the British Council in Naples. In just a few years, the company grew into a national reality, also thanks to decisive collaborations with Le Nuvole and Casa del Contemporaneo. Our goal is clear: not to teach English, but to make it alive and desirable through theatre, combining emotion, playfulness, and stage discipline.

-How did the idea for The Curse of Hotel Morgue, freely inspired by The Murders in the Rue Morgue by Edgar Allan Poe, come about, and what makes this project so important for your company?

After Shakespeare, Conan Doyle, Stevenson and many others, we felt the need to explore a new author. Poe seemed perfect to us for blending mystery and visual suggestion. The Curse of Hotel Morgue merges theatrical and cinematic language: short projections become an integral part of the stage and guide comprehension. For us, it’s a natural evolution: more atmosphere, more rhythm, more engagement for a young audience.

-The production is performed in Italy and across Europe for middle and high schools, with adaptations for different educational levels. What are the challenges and rewards of bringing this story to a young audience?

The main challenge is finding the right balance between linguistic authenticity and comprehensibility: we adapt levels and pace without impoverishing the language. The greatest satisfaction is seeing students walk in timid and leave enthusiastic, running to the stage to talk to us and realizing that “English isn’t so difficult after all.” When a class asks us to return to their city, we know that theatre has hit the mark.

-On stage you share the scene with Eddie Roberts and Simon Edmonds. What is it like working as an Italian actor with two English colleagues, and how would you describe the chemistry and collaboration among the three of you during the production?

I have been with Eddie and Simon since 1998: first as assistant director to Enzo Musico, and then, since 2000, also as an actor. On stage and off we have become a true artistic family. Their experience is a constant strength, while my being Italian often works as a bridge for the young audience. We are practical: as Simon often repeats, “we don’t write anything in stone until all three of us agree.” Constant dialogue and the joy of having fun together remain our secret.

-The show, produced by The PlayGroup in collaboration with Casa del Contemporaneo, is distributed in Italy by WeTheatre of Cristina Liberatore and other distributors. How does this network of Italian distributors expand its reach and impact?

The co-production with Casa del Contemporaneo has lasted for over 25 years and represents a cornerstone of our activity. For over 10 years we have also collaborated with WeTheatre by Cristina Liberatore, which, together with other distributors, enables us to reach schools and theatres in different regions of Italy. This network greatly expands the scope and impact of our work: it supports us in logistics, promotion, and the preparation of educational materials linked to the show. Thanks to this synergy, we can consolidate our distribution in Italy and open new opportunities in Europe, increasing the visibility and educational effectiveness of our theatre projects.

-Looking to the future, what do you hope students and audiences will take away after seeing The Curse of Hotel Morgue, and how will this project influence your artistic journey?

I would like students to leave the theatre with a smile and with the awareness that they can understand and communicate in English, taking home curiosity and confidence in their own abilities. For me, each production is a living creature that grows with us: The Curse of Hotel Morgue too will influence our future choices, pushing us towards new blends of theatre and images, and towards pathways that always keep young audiences at the centre.