"Nello stesso mare" La Nuova Comune dentro e fuori il carcere

Theatre as a tool for individual and collective transformation, an opportunity for encounters between seemingly distant worlds, and a concrete possibility for new perspectives on life. This is the vision behind the project *“In the Same Sea,”* promoted by *La Nuova Comune* APS and selected for the Ministry of Justice’s 2026 Fund for the promotion and support of theatrical activities in prisons. The project is aimed at incarcerated students in the S4 High-Security Unit of Secondigliano Prison.

Presented on Friday, November 6, in the Magna Hall of the Department of Architecture at the University of Naples Federico II, as part of a conference series entitled *“Social and Civic Theatre and the Arts as Tools for Education, Prevention and Information,”* the project began on October 16 at the Neapolitan prison in the presence of Don Tonino Palmese, President of the Polis Foundation, and Samuele Ciambriello, the Ombudsman for Prisoners in the Campania Region. It will continue its journey through the city and the region, culminating on Wednesday, December 9, and Thursday, December 10, at 10:00 a.m., in the theatre of the *Pasquale Mandato* Detention Centre in Secondigliano, with the performance *“And the Ship Does Not Go.”*

The script was written by Deborah Di Francesco, Costanzo Salatiello and the incarcerated actor-trainees, who will perform alongside Supervising Magistrate Paola Cervo and professionals from the Association.

Reservations must be made no later than Friday, November 13, by sending a valid identity document to: lanuovacomuneteatrocarcere@gmail.com, or by completing the form available at:
https://forms.gle/YBriRmQogiydBva1A

Information: lanuovacomune@gmail.com, 349 132 5497, 342 752 9196.

“We want people to understand the value of our work and the importance of building a network among social actors,” says Valentina Coppola, Vice President of La Nuova Comune. “A shared sea, then—because theatre does not merely recount reality: it can help transform it, and we have proof of this every day,” adds Deborah Di Francesco, the project’s director and artistic director. The project was promoted together with Josepha Pangia, Costanzo Salatiello and Stefania Romagna, with the participation of Francesco Barra, Alessio Palumbo and Tommaso Caruso.

This project focuses on the educational value of theatre and brings together universities, institutions, schools, professionals and local organizations in a broader process of discussion and awareness-raising about the role of the arts in society. It grew out of a three-year program “behind the walls” which, this year, thanks to cooperation with the FOCOM Training Organisation, will enable participants to obtain a professional qualification as Stagecraft Operators, as well as certificates of competence in Costume Design, Acting, and Filming and Editing, recognized by the Campania Region.

This is not merely a workshop experience, but a path combining personal growth, artistic expression and the acquisition of skills in the theatrical professions. It fully reflects the rehabilitative purpose of a prison sentence and the constitutional principle that social reintegration must translate into real opportunities. The project aims to involve the incarcerated students ever more directly in the creation of the artistic work, giving them the opportunity to meet professionals such as Carlo Cerciello, Gaetano Liguori, Mario Gelardi, Francesco Serpico, Roberta Bevilacqua and Daniele Moschetti.

The network also includes the Xenia Cooperative—whose services include Anti-Violence Centres and shelters for abused women—chaired by Maria Carillo; Spazio ART33, managed by Maria Rosaria Teatro; the Evangelical Centre for Recovery from Drug Addiction (CERT), directed by Pasquale Carotenuto; the La Paranza social regeneration cooperative; writer and police inspector Francesco Paolo Oreste; and Roberta Gaeta, a member of the Regional Observatory on the Conditions of Detained Persons, who says:

“Projects like this allow incarcerated people to have essential experiences in preparation for their return to society. They also enable those unfamiliar with prison life to understand who these people are, creating the conditions for a different kind of return.”

“I entered this world one step at a time, but I felt the need to go deeper into the rehabilitation process through a new tool,” explains Supervising Magistrate Dr Paola Cervo. “Seeing incarcerated students performing on stage alongside a judge conveys the deepest meaning of the experience: bringing closer realities that often remain separate, and recognizing culture and art as possible spaces for encounter and transformation.”

“It is a project that acts as a powerful engine of change,” says Gianfranco Marcello, Director of the Detention Centre. “In keeping with constitutional principles, activities must also focus on ensuring that the skills acquired can be put to practical use,” emphasizes Bruno Boccuni, Head of the Legal and Educational Department of the Detention Centre.

Upcoming free events open to the public:

- Tuesday, November 10, at 6:30 p.m. — Mensa Don Pietro Ottena, Torre Annunziata
- Wednesday, November 11, at 8:30 p.m. — Botanical Bar, Via Santa Maria La Nova, Naples
- Friday, November 13, at 11:00 a.m. — *Francesco Severi* Scientific High School, Castellammare di Stabia
- Friday, November 13, at 6:00 p.m. — ART33 Cultural HUB, San Giovanni a Teduccio
- Friday, November 20, at 5:00 p.m. — Cantieri Stupore, Naples

**La Nuova Comune APS:** lanuovacomune@gmail.com, 349 132 5497, 342 752 9196
Web: www.lanuovacomune.com/