Neither here nor there

Written By

Margaret Rose and Emanuela Rossini

1936, Giustino, Italy. After marrying by proxy Giacomo (a second generation Italian living in London) Laura leaves her Italian village to move to the East End of London, where her in laws own a fish and chips shop. She doesn’t speak the language, old “nonna” and Mary (her sister in law) make her work like a slave. Giacomo uninterested in sharing their marital bed, and is increasingly attracted by Fascism.

She dreams to return to Italy, to her house and village. When WW2 begins, and Italians are declared “Enemy aliens”, Giacomo is arrested and placed on the Arandora Star, a boat heading to Canada. When news breaks the Arandora has sunk Laura, Mary and nonna are left to fend for themselves in a country that doesn’t want them. Is pretending to be British the right thing to do?

In the meantime, back in the village occupied by German soldiers, her cousin Adele is resentful and bitter: Laura was the lucky one. Once the war is over, she claims sole ownership of the family house. Laura returns to Italy to discover she has no home left. And the old country has changed.

Written By

Margaret Rose and Emanuela Rossini

Dramaturg

Lara Parmiani

Director

Tanya Hossick and Becka McFadden

Translated By

Matthew Morrison and the cast

Cast

Roberto Carretta, Susannah Costner, Leslie Csuth, Lisa Genovese, Elena Mazzon, Francesca Nider, Lara Parmiani

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