“I have always loved animals. I am particularly fascinated by the diversity in nature. My family knows it well. Since I was a little girl I brought home all kinds of stray cats and dogs, but also worms, frogs, insects…” – Isabella Rossellini
Originally a Sundance show, Green Porno is a surprising and bizarre production based on the curiosities of animal reproduction. The show is both an avant-garde live stage performance and an exploration of biology and the landscape of reproduction.
Rossellini becomes the animals and insects she studies. She presents to her audience — through both performance and science — the myriad ways nature reproduces, and the weird wonders that happen during the process. As the writer of Green Porno Jean-Claude Carriere notes, “how can we ever be bored? Indeed, biology is the greatest show on Earth.”
Green Porno also marks the first collaboration between the Italian Cultural Centre and the PuSh Festival. The executive director of the Italian Cultural Centre Mauro Vescera, spoke to The Peak about this new partnership that brings Green Porno to Vancouver.
The Peak: This is the first time that the Italian Cultural Centre and PuSh have collaborated, what brought that on?
Vescera: It was brought about through a mutual objective of exciting, different artistic performances. The partnership came to realization when I decided to bring Isabella Rossellini’s work to the Italian Cultural Centre through the form of Green Porno. After discussion with Rossellini to bring Green Porno to Vancouver, it was decided that PuSh would make for a great fit. I hope that this will lead to future collaborations between the Italian Cultural Centre and PuSh.
P: How did the partnership with Isabella Rossellini come to be?
V: Rossellini comes from a prominent Italian family as well as Hollywood royalty as the daughter of actress Ingrid Bergman and director Roberto Rossellini. It was first decided to attempt a partnership with Rossellini for the Italian Film Festival, but as Rossellini’s schedule did not allow for time, the live show was decided instead.
P: What do you think Isabella Rossellini will bring to the ICC?
V: As Rossellini is significant within the Italian community, the hope is that she will bring a transformation to the ICC in a way that it is becoming more of a multicultural centre while the community moves into a type of continuum into the new generations and generations to come.
P: How do you hope audiences will respond to Green Porno?
V: As an independent and diverse show, Green Porno has a tradition of not being afraid which matches the tradition of Italian culture. [It] is certainly a show that complements Vancouver as a city aware of “green” ideals and being a green city itself. As for porno. . . well, that has a place in the city as well. The hope is that this show will receive a positive reaction that will hopefully lead to further collaborations with Isabella Rossellini. Green Porno is a cool and completely unique show and Vancouver is very lucky to be able to host such a piece of art.
Green Porno will be presented by the PuSh International Performing Arts Festival and the Italian Cultural Centre on April 25 at the Vancouver Playhouse. For more information, visit pushfestival.ca.
