What's CrashTest?
Shows, workshops, people.
Training, research and network with the territory.
A brief history of the contemporary theatre festival in Valdagno.
Tenth edition (2021)
The tenth edition of CrashTest took place over ten days. This year the festival started with two shows at the same time: Sottovetro di Livello 4 - Nuove Generazioni, an interactive performance where about thirty students from high schools in Vicenza had the opportunity to tell the world and its future from their point of view, giving the audience the chance to decide, through an app, what to add and what to take away from their vision. At the same time, #binarycode was staged, a performance combining dance and technology born out of the collaboration between Livello 4, Trendeventi e e20danza; on stage were two mature dancers, representatives of a generation that has perhaps had less opportunity than others to develop the tools necessary to relate to the digital world.
Before each performance, a group of young people under 25, led by Livello 4 and Teatro Selvatico, invaded the town of Valdagno, bringing beauty to all those urban spaces that are so familiar to us.
The following days saw a series of different meetings and workshops suitable for all ages and interests: from the presentation of the book Cronache del Bambino Anatra by Sonia Antinori, to the meeting Comics VS Comics (with Giuliano Piccininno, James Loyd, Stefano Zattera, Davide Magaraggia and Claudia dalle Carbonare) and Lesa Realtà, Dalla Filosofia al Teatro,an evening of discussion on the theme of the edition opened by professor Giovanni Gurisatti. In the meantime, the dramaturgical writing workshop Il Mondo Senza Cielo held by Sonia Antinori and Musica per il Teatro o Teatro Musicale?, a musical composition workshop held by Mauro Montalbetti.
In the following evenings, the workshop Spettatori Critici, took place in which the participants had the opportunity to discuss the shows they had seen and theatre in general, followed by the four shows in competition. On Sunday, the companies held free practical workshops, followed byCollisioni - Punti di Vista a Confronto, a meeting where the participants of the workshopSpettatori Critici, the audience, the critics and the companies had the opportunity to discuss the theme Lesa Realtà. Afterwards, three studies created ad hoc for the festival by three winning companies of the previous editions of CrashTest were staged: Fantasie di Complotto by Anomalia Teatro, C'ero Una Volta Io by Elisabetta Granara and Les Misérables di C&C Company; the evening ended with the awards ceremony.
The of the edition: Lesa Realtà.
Selected artists: Cerbero Teatro with Oblio, Claudia Caldarano with Riflessioni, Kinesis CDC with Hu | Or | ME and Cantiere Artaud with L'Eco della Falena.
Giury: Sonia Antinori, Mauro Montalbetti e Andrea Pocosgnich.
Winner: Kinesis CDC (CrashTest 2021 Audience Award) and Claudia Caldarano (CrashTest 2021 Award).
Ninth edition (2020)
The ninth edition of CrashTest took place over four days: on Thursday 3th September, boys and girls of Livello 4 - Nuove Generazioni opened the festival with the performance Le Città Possibili, a small theatrical experiment in which forty young people from Vicenza high schools accompanied the spectators along four thematic paths across Valdagno. In more than thirty performances, the youngsters staged their relationship with the city's realities, facing the past, the present, the future and the unexpected, reappropriating urban spaces that had been off-limits for many months because of Covid-19. On the evenings of Friday 4th and Saturday 5th September the performances of the competing artists were presented, while Sunday 6th was dedicated to free practical workshops led by the artists themselves (in accordance with current health and hygiene regulations). The festival closed with Zoom - i teatri possibili, a meeting where the young people from the Zoom, officina per spettatori professionisti, critics, companies and spectators had the opportunity to discuss the theme UMANO 2.0.
The theme of the edition: Umano 2.0.
Selected artists: Teatro C'art with Zona Franca, MALTE/Collettivo ØNAR withTeoria della Classe Disagiata, Bernabéu/Covello with Un po' di più and Welcome Project with Angst Vor Der Angst.
Winner: Teatro C'art (CrashTest 2020 Audience Award).
Eighth edition (2019)
The eighth edition of CrashTest took place over eight days: from Sunday to Tuesday, the Performance in Città were held in various locations of Valdagno, involving the boys and girls of Livello 4 - Nuove Generazioni, who also opened the festival with the performance (out of competition) Distopia, staging it on the evenings of 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 5th September, twice per evenings, dedicated to fifty spectators. On Wednesday 4th September, at Palazzo Festari, Livello 4 had the opportunity to work with Giuliano Scabia to present La Commedia della Fine del Mondo, the last play published by the author of Padova. On Friday 6th and Saturday 7th September, the performances of the competing artists were presented, while Sunday 8th was dedicated to free workshops led by the artists themselves. The festival closed with the performance Portami con te (out of competition) by the Collettivo Artistico Jennifer Rosa, the result of the workshop held by the collective during the festival.
Theme of the edition: Futuri Voli.
Finalist artists: Siro Gugliemi with P!nk Elephant, Azul Teatro with Icaro, Barbe à Papa Teatro with Il Coro di Babele e Anomalia Teatro with Era Meglio Nascere Topi.
Jury: The jury was set up through a call for young critics under 35, chaired by Roberto Cuppone and Maria Cinzia Zanellato.
Winner: Anomalia Teatro (CrashTest 2019 Award and CrashTest 2019 Audience Award).
Seventh edition (2018)
The seventh edition of CrashTest took place over seven days: from Monday to Saturday, the Performance in Città were held in various locations in Valdagno, involving the boys and girls of Livello 4 - Nuove Generazioni, who also opened the festival with the show out of competition Il Drago by Evgenij Schwarz. On the evenings of Friday 7th and Saturday 8th September the performances of the competing artists were presented, while Sunday 9th was dedicated to free workshops led by the artists themselves; the festival closed with the performance (out of competition) Domino by Teatro Nucleo.
Theme of the edition: Domino, il gioco del potere.
Finalist artists: SNC Granara Mariottini Sorrentino Strazza with Proclami alla nazione, Compagnia Ragli with Macbeth Aut Idola Theatri, C&C Company with Beast Without Beauty and bologninicosta with ST(r)AGE.
Jury: The jury was set up through a call for young critics under 35, chaired by Sonia Antinori e Pier Giacomo Cirella.
Winner: C&C Company (CrashTest 2018 Award and CrashTest 2018 Audience Award).
Sixth edition (2017)
The sixth edition of CrashTest took place over four days: the opening performance (out of competition) Area 51 by Livello 4 - Nuove Generazioni, two evenings dedicated to the performances of the artists in competition and the last day dedicated to free workshops conducted by the finalist artists with an evening performance (out of competition) A.L.I.E.N.S by Circondiamoci to close the festival.
Theme of the edition: Alieni.
Finalist artists: FrequenzeAlfa Teatro with Interrail, Dehors /Audela with Perfetto Indefinito, Welcome Project with Intime Fremde and Jessica Leonello with Nuovo Eden.
Jury: The jury was set up through a call for young critics under 35, chaired by Sonia Antinori.
Winner: Welcome Project.
Fifth edition (2016)
The fifth edition of CrashTest took place over six days: a five-day theatre workshop for professionals actors held by Roberto Latini, two evenings dedicated to the performances of the competing artists and the last day dedicated to the free workshops conducted by the finalist artists with an evening performance (out of competition) Mixer di Livello 4 - Nuove Generazioni to close the festival.
Theme of the edition: Decibel, scenari sonori.
Finalist artists: Azul Teatro with Canto, La Fabbrica dei Gesti with Oltremundo, Gatto Vaccino Teatro with Niña and Te. Co. Teatro di contrabbando with Nonsense a Nord del Tamigi.
Jury: Chiara Bortoli, Mauro Montalbetti e Roberto Latini.
Winner: La Fabbrica dei Gesti.
Fourth edition (2015)
The fourth edition of CrashTest took place over six days: in June with a two-day workshop held by Antonella Bertoni, in July with a Vertical Dance workshop held by Vertical Waves Project and the presentation of two contemporary dance studies by Alessandro Bevilacqua and Valentina Dal Mas. In September there were two days of the festival divided into free workshops conducted by the finalist artists in the afternoon and performances in the evening.
Theme of the edition: Tempi Comici.
Finalist artists: Il Gruppo di Teatro Campestre with La vera storia dei Mole People, Amor Vacui with This is the only level, Trio Tiche with Mélange à trois, Jessica Leonello with Cingomma and Michael Capozzi with Vie.
Jury: Stefano Casi, Marigia Maggipinto e Massimo Munaro.
Winner: Il Gruppo di Teatro Campestre.
Third edition (2014)
The third edition of CrashTest took place over five days: in September with a parkour workshop held by Nextarea Parkour and in October the festival opened with the presentation of the book Come ho preso lo scolo by Tiziano Scarpa with a reading performance by the author and by Livello 4, followed by two days divided into free workshops led by the finalist artists in the afternoon and performances in the evening.
Theme of the edition: MIND THE GAP (Generazione Andata Persa).
Finalist artists: Alessandro Bevilacqua con Mirrors, Azzurra De Gregorio con Madre, DOYOUDaDA con Ballata per Venezia, ONG Teatri con Luci della città. Stefano Cucchi e Teatro dei Venti con Incerticorpi.
Jury: Tiziano Scarpa, Roberto Latini, Antonella Bertoni, Carlo Mangolini e Margherita Gallo.
Winner: Teatro dei Venti.
Second edition (2013)
The second edition of CrashTest took place over three days: the opening of the festival with the presentation of the book Canti del guardare lontano by Giuliano Scabia with a reading performance by the author and by Livello 4, followed by two days divided into free workshops led by the finalist artists in the afternoon and performances in the evening.
Theme of the edition: Qui sono io, relazione tra identità e territorio.
Finalist artists: Industria Indipendente with Crepacuore, Farmacia Zoo:è with Religions, Municipale Teatro with Tra acqua e treni, Consorzio Scenico with Darla via...la mia famiglia and Anticamera Teatro Grimaco Movimenti Umani with Bordermindproject.
Jury: Giuliano Scabia, Massimo Munaro, Fabrizio Paladin, Carlo Presotto, Patrizia Boscolo e Alessandra Agosti.
Winner: Anticamera Teatro Grimaco Movimenti Umani.
First edition (2012)
The first edition of CrashTest took place over two days with this formula: in the afternoon free workshops led by the finalist artists and in the evening the performances in competition.
Theme of the edition: CrashTest, collisione del corpo dell'attore con il fatto teatrale.
Finalist artists: nO(Dance first. Think later) with Non vedo l'ora! , 7/8 chili with Bramo, C&Ccompany with C&C, corpo e cultura, Macelleria Ettore_teatro al kg with ELEKTRIKA, un'opera techno, Elisa Turco Liveri e Chiara Condrò with Quod Supererat.
Jury: Piergiorgio Piccoli, Vitaliano Trevisan, Pino Costalunga, Patricia Zanco, Antonio Stefani, Andrea Pocosgnich e Michela Rossato.
Winner: Elisa Turco Liveri e Chiara Condrò.