Yesterday afternoon, the Teatro Karol in Castellammare di Stabia – now the hub of the city's artistic scene – served as the backdrop for Gigi Longobardi's creative universe.
Artist of the word – multifaceted and versatile – Longobardi presented his latest work, “Excuse me… I'm still locked in the vate”. In audiobook version, published by Il Papavero, the work mixes poetry, quick comedies and short stories in an innovative experience, which immerses you in a surprising and engaging exploration of literary art in the round.
The event, curated by Casa del Contemporaneo, saw the journalist Pierluigi Fiorenza, dialogue with the author. Fiorenza also promptly favored the artist's brilliant rhythm and wordplay, giving life to a lively and entertaining exchange of jokes. Their complicity gave the audience moments of spontaneous and joyful happiness.
An exceptional introduction enriched the work. Supported by a video, the writer Maurizio De Giovanni – linked to Gigi Longobardi by a friendship based on mutual respect – pleasantly burst into the room with words full of admiration, confirming the uniqueness of the author's comic approach: "It makes you laugh a moment later, when the thought has connected, and when it has connected to his particular, special, absolutely unique way. You will see, you will read, you will witness in this work his particular way of seeing life. I can guarantee, I don't know anyone else who has this extraordinary way of interpreting comedy."
Behind his witty and energetic irony – the artist said – lies a deep passion for words, a dedication that has its roots in a distant past. Since his school days, the young Gigi Longobardi loved learning poems by heart, an activity particularly appreciated by his teacher.
This exercise has therefore led him to the discovery of the deepest meaning of words, their sense, rhythms and times. A scholastic practice that has then transformed into a solid and precious habit, which has arrived at art with authentic and natural spontaneity.
That passion, born on the school benches, evolved over time also thanks to the inspiration derived from the discovery of an author very dear to him, Ettore Petrolini, whose linguistic nonconformism he deeply appreciated.
« I have always loved and followed an artist, who I discovered through Proietti, who uses the word in an ironic, very irreverent way, even in a dissociated way: Petrolini. He said that his studies, his research, refer to the human foolishness that devastates man. He, through the use of the word in a… let's say, thoughtless way, broke with the conformism and banality that often governs language.»
Gigi Longobardi, born with a deep passion for the word, explained how the 'Poet' uses it at his own pleasure, which gives life to a work divided into sections: Poems, Nano-stories and Comedies in three bars.
To create this original work, the author has availed himself of the precious collaboration of well-known artists, his friends for a long time. On the stage of the Teatro Karol, some of them have interpreted some pieces with personal expressive creativity. The actor Peppe De Rosa has read a funny poem live, already recited in a video accessible via QR code present in the book.
The actress Giulia Conte, instead, won over the audience by performing, together with Longobardi, in one of the quick comedies, also accessible via QR code inserted in the text. The performances have therefore added significant authenticity to the presentation of the work.
The incessant search for meanings projects the artist's gaze and attentive ear every day towards the world around him, always ready to capture banal phrases in everyday dialogues or gags picked up on the street.
Over time, social media has become a precious source of inspiration for his creativity: a virtual stage where his meticulous attention translates into brilliant jokes, capable of surprising and entertaining the public. His interventions, sometimes biting and always captivating, stimulate increasingly lively conversations and give more than one smile, which interrupts the routine of those who read.
“Excuse me… I’m still locked in the toilet” – a title that alone anticipates the humorous key underlying this innovative work – is therefore the fruit of a genius that has grown with dedication over the years. The acute observation of reality and the constant attention to life, move the author towards his own interior world and that of others.
This perspective, marked by an undeniable sensitivity and a deep competence, has given life to a work that surprises, involves and ensures a surreal journey through the stage of imagination. Thanks to the multimedia version of the text, which integrates readings, audio and video accessible via QR code, you can live in a singular and exclusive mode, always available. A truly unique experience.
Article published on March 29, 2025 - 11pm
The event at Teatro Karol was very interesting and provided a great opportunity to discover Longobardi's art. I liked his way of using words, but some parts were difficult to follow and confusing.