In our ongoing Edinburgh Fringe 2026 interview series, we are speaking to artists and creatives who are bringing their shows to the Scottish capital this summer.
In this interview, we speak with Compagnia Bellanda about Il canto dell’assiolo.
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| Photo by Marta Mariotti |
What can you tell me about your show?
Our show “Il canto dell’assiolo” is a duet built around a primarily physical form of storytelling. It explores relationships, the difficulty of communication, and the challenge of truly listening to one another. But when we say "couple", we don't only mean a romantic relationship. We think of a duo in a much broader sense: every human relationship exists between an "I" and an "other", and therefore every relationship is fundamentally dual, shaped by similar dynamics and forces.
Beyond that, we'd like to tell you something that isn't already in the programme notes. We created this piece by weaving together different artistic languages in order to activate multiple channels of communication that work together and bring us closer to the audience.
Alongside dance, there is spoken text. Although it is performed in Italian, we believe its meaning is communicated through tone of voice, rhythm and emotional intention, making it understandable even without knowing the language.
Music is not simply a soundtrack: it behaves more like film music, constantly evolving to build or release tension. Alongside the score, amplified sounds become part of the performance. Microphones capture our breathing, heartbeats and the impact of our bodies on the floor, transforming them into distorted textures and rhythmic landscapes.
How would you describe the style of your show to anyone who has never seen you before?
We don't think our show belongs to a clearly defined style. We were searching for a form that doesn't yet have a name.
Rather than taking inspiration from something that already exists, we tried to build our own language. So the only real way to know whether you'll like it is to come and see it.
The piece sits on the edge of different genres. The movement vocabulary, the use of sound, and the spoken text all move beyond conventional boundaries, creating something that doesn't fit neatly into a single category.
What was the lightbulb moment that led to the creation of this piece?
It all clicked when we realized that what matters most to us is connecting with the audience. What we want most is to connect with the audience, through shared experiences and emotions, and then, based on that, we created the show.
What makes 2026 the perfect year for this specific story or performance?
2026 is the year the show was completed. We didn’t set out to finish it in 2026 with a specific deadline in mind. We work with the goal of considering it finished when we feel it’s complete and ready to be shown. As it happened, we reached that conclusion in 2026.
How will you mentally and physically prepare for a run at the Fringe?
In many ways, we're preparing by trying to solve every possible problem before we even arrive in Edinburgh.
Some challenges are practical. We're travelling from Italy with oversized stage equipment, so organising the journey has taken a surprising amount of planning.
Another challenge was deciding to keep the spoken text in Italian. We chose not to translate it because its sound and rhythm are just as important as its meaning. Instead, we've created a QR code where audiences can read the English translation.
Other preparations are physical. Performing every day at the Fringe is demanding, so we've built a training programme, adjusted our nutrition, and stocked up on electrolytes and supplements to help us recover throughout the run.
And, of course, we're still refining the artistic details of the performance. Even now, we're looking for ways to make it stronger.
If you couldn’t use a flyer to attract audiences, what ridiculous object would you hand out to people to get them into your show?
I don't think I'd use anything ridiculous to attract the audience. I think I'd just use the sound of a scops owl's call as a lure.
What is the one item in your Fringe Survival Kit that you can’t live without at the Fringe?
Like any good Italians, the one item that won’t be missing from our Fringe Survival Kit is our coffee maker. But it’s a special kind: the “caffettiera napoletana” coffee maker, called a “cuccumella.” We always carry it with us!
What would you deem as success at the end of the Fringe?
Success is a delicate balance for us.
On one hand, we hope audiences connect with the work emotionally. Their response is the reason we create live performance in the first place.
On the other hand, we also hope the show resonates with festival directors, programmers and presenters, leading to future invitations and new work opportunities.
These two kinds of success don't always go together.
As live performance artists, we ultimately create for audiences. Their emotional response is our greatest reward. But we also depend on the trust of programmers who give our work a place to exist.
Other than your own show, are there any other shows you would recommend at the Fringe this year?
We recommend all the shows. The more you see, the better! Go see as many shows as you can. Everyone deserves your support. Everyone will be at the Fringe giving it their all, doing their very best. You should see them all—whether out of curiosity or out of respect.
What is one Edinburgh spot that you would recommend people to visit when they're not watching performances?
This will actually be our very first visit to Edinburgh. So instead of answering the question... we'd love to ask you! We'd happily take your recommendations.
Can you describe the show in 5 words?
Play, empathy, magnetism, visceral, emotional
What keeps you inspired?
What keeps us inspired is the desire to understand what we’re doing. The desire to comprehend what we create. To figure out how to improve what we create. To find and understand the “recipes” for putting together shows—regardless of “taste.” What keeps us inspired is the desire to understand the methods and techniques of this great machine capable of creating worlds, dimensions that can move the people who enter them.
Understanding how to move people. We think this is our greatest motivation.
What would you hope someone takes away from seeing the show?
An emotion.
Amazement. Curiosity. Deep feeling. Any emotion that makes him/her feel, at the end of the show, even just a gram “fuller” or “different” than he/she was before the show even began.
When and where can people see the show?
You can find us at Assembly / DB1, 18-30th August / 20:30
We can’t wait to meet you there.
Tickets are available from https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/il-canto-dell-assiolo
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| Photo by Marta Mariotti |
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