Mimmo Mangione

Mimmo Mangione was born on the 5^th of September 1958 in Santa Elisabetta, in the province of Agrigento, where he grew up and had his first theatrical experiences acting at the Cine-Teatro Belvedere, built by his grandfather. In Agrigento he graduated from the “F. Brunelleschi” Istituto Tecnico per Geometri in 1978. He wanted to attend the Silvio D'Amico National Academy of Dramatic Art in Rome, but this was not possible for financial reasons.

He began working as a construction site manager and draughtsman for some architect friends. Meanwhile, he created the theatre company “I Curtigliara” (so-named because they rehearsed in a courtyard, the Italian word for courtyard being “cortile”), where he worked as director and actor.

In July 1982, he met Diana Grigoletto, his future wife, who was of Italian-Australian origin. In December of the same year, he boarded a flight from Rome Fiumicino to Melbourne.

When he arrived in Australia he couldn't speak a word of English and often used Beatles song titles to make himself understood: “A Day in the Life”, “Come Together”, “Don't Let me Down”.

He attended an English course at Melbourne's Trobe University and got married in 1983. His love of theatre continued in Australia, where he began participating in various theatre productions and, in 1989, created his own company, Commeartefò, with which he had the opportunity to stage a repertoire of culturally prestigious plays.

Between 1995 and 1998, he worked as an opera director at the Victorian College of the Arts, staging important productions and dedicating an important trilogy to Luigi Pirandello: “Sei personaggi in cerca d’autore”, “Il berretto a sonagli” and “Enrico IV” with which he “retired” his Commeartefò, in September 2014, after 25 years of performing.

Every year for the “Settimana della Lingua Italiana” the presented a series of lecture-shows on topics such as Pier Paolo Pasolini, Luigi Pirandello, the Italian language in the theatre, the Comedy of Art and modern Italian poetry.

In September 2009, Mimmo received the title of Cavaliere della Solidarietà Italiana, in 2019 the Alessio Di Giovanni Prize for the dissemination of Sicilian culture in the world and the Luigi Pirandello Commemorative Silver Medal for having contributed to making this great author known in Australia.

Story compiled in collaboration with the CO.AS.IT of Melbourne, Australia.