Mon cousin Italien

What if the secret to a happy life was to keep dreaming far from home? What if optimism wasn't enough?

Pepemauro left his native Calabria and arrives in France in search of his mysterious cousin Pépé. Setting off to find him, he gradually discovers that he is also searching for himself.

Storytelling, original songs performed live, humor, and Commedia dell'Arte come together in this one-man show where a Calabrian tells with tenderness and self-mockery what it means to leave, become a stranger, and try to remain oneself.

Through his story, an unfamiliar Italy also reveals itself: that of Calabria and a South long stigmatized even in its own country.

With his guitar, his songs, and Giangurgolo, the mask of Calabrian Commedia dell'Arte, Pepemauro plays with degrees: from the first to the third, right up to the seventh... where absurdity meets reality. A satire where laughter becomes a way to reclaim one's voice.

And at the end of this quest, between disillusionment, music, and stubborn dreams, the show perhaps reveals a secret to living happily — when optimism alone is no longer enough.

So, what is the secret to a happy life? Pepemauro may have found the answer.

Presented at two editions of the Festival Off d'Avignon, notably at Théâtre Pierre de Lune, Mon Cousin

Italien continues its journey across France, notably with the Italiart Festival and the Festival de Pornic.