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Leo Bassi (Spain)

Leo Bassi, an Italian by origin, lives in Spain, on the island of Majorca, in his father’s house. He is someone who goes out of his way to look for and provoke extreme situa­tions. Even before his arrival in Moscow for the Theatre Olympics, he suggested that a barrel of shit should be blown up in the Duma, a suggestion that was eagerly pounced upon and elaborated in our press. Hearing that Polunin had publicized this wish of his at a press conference, Bassi further developed his theme: he asked for a second barrel with the same contents so that he could blow it up in the Ministry of Defense. In answer to our request that he send us information on himself, Leo answered that he was Socrates, not Plato. He decides his performance fee by looking at a mineralogical map of the country where he is giving his performance, but in special cases he is ready to reduce it.

He once worked in the «black quarter» of New York where white men are not wel­come. He returned somewhat the worse for wear: beaten up, bruised, with broken limbs, but shouting defiantly: “All the same, I showed them what real theatre is!” He played a fabulous practical joke in Uzbekistan where he announced himself to be Minister for Culture of the European Parliament. They believed him, and continued to dd so for a whole week, giving him VIP treatment. Leo played out his role with alacrity. He visited official organizations, delivering speeches on the vital importance of culture until, that is, he was unmasked by journalists. But in what way is an outstanding artist inferior to an international bureaucrat? Perhaps the Uzbeks were lucky?!

Leo Bassi is a slap in the face to public taste. He has something of Mussolini in his make-up, and an artistic aggression is an attribute of his indomitable energy.

His father was a juggler. And at 18 he himself became one of the best jugglers in the world. At 25, be took to the streets doing solo acrobatic numbers. Working on the street, he experienced poverty and humiliation. But this was the price he paid for his freedom. Things began to pick up, when Bassi realized that this form of humiliation was a theatrical convention of a sort, unvoiced agreement. People hurled money at him, he picked it up because such are the laws of street theatre.

Great jugglers are terrifying, lonely people, real daredevils. They could be excellent clowns because they possess the necessary energy. This energy is like being in love with someone: it either burns away inside one, or it bursts out into the open... Sometimes I feel like physically attacking my audience but, when I manage to sup­press this feeling, I feel great tenderness, happiness, which are absolutely incompati­ble with 'attacking' people’.
Leo Bassi

June 22-24; June 26-28
Hermitage Theatre/ Hermitage Garden