There is a subtle thread linking Colle di Brescia to New York. On reading these words, there will certainly be some who think: how is it possible that there could be a connection between two places so different – the metropolis that symbolises the United States and a tiny village tucked away in the mountains of the Marche region?
And yet it was right here, in Colle di Brescia, in the outbuildings of Villa Lori Olivieri, that the world premiere of the puppetry show *Road of Useless Splendor* took place on 4 August 2023; ten days later, it was performed at the theatre of the Clemente Soto Velez Cultural & Educational Centre in Lower Manhattan.
The author is an artist of New Zealand origin who has been living in Puerto Rico for over thirty years. Deborah Hunt is internationally regarded as one of the most influential figures in contemporary puppetry. A master at creating masks, marionettes, puppets and papier-mâché giants, she practises shadow theatre, visual theatre and street theatre, working both in traditional theatre spaces and in urban and performative contexts open to the public.
Her creations, which combine craftsmanship, the performing arts and theatrical research, have been presented across Asia, Europe and the Americas through performances, workshops, seminars and workshops dedicated to mask-making and puppetry.
It was initially a love affair that led her to the Caribbean island of Puerto Rico, a territory associated with the United States but characterised by a strong cultural identity. Subsequently, it was her passion for this place and her interest in its social and political issues that kept her there.
In Europe, Deborah Hunt has collaborated extensively with Eugenio Barba’s Odin Teatret and with numerous international theatre organisations. She is also a member of the global network of women in theatre, The Magdalena Project, through which she met Teresa Ruggeri, an actress, theatre trainer and director of La Rosa del Colle.
Situated in the heart of the Alto Maceratese region, amidst the hills, woods and unspoilt landscapes of the Marche, La Rosa del Colle is not merely a farm holiday accommodation offering rooms and rural hospitality, but also a space dedicated to artistic research, creative residencies, workshops and encounters with artists from all over the world.
Here, nature, culture and the performing arts come together to create a unique experience that combines cultural tourism, wellbeing, creativity and education.
In 2022, during a trip to Italy, Deborah Hunt discovered the landscapes of the Alto Maceratese and the expansive grounds of Villa Lori Olivieri and the La Rosa del Colle farm, and was deeply impressed by them. That visit gave rise to an artistic collaboration destined to develop over the years through mask-making workshops, puppetry workshops, demonstrations of craft and creative projects open to the community and enthusiasts of the performing arts.
The first project in Colle began in July 2023, following the mask-making workshop *The Gift*, held in June at the Fivizzano 27 venue in Rome’s Pigneto neighbourhood, which concluded with a spectacular parade along the neighbourhood’s main street.
Together with her daughter Guie Beeu Guerrero Hunt, Deborah created the show *Road of Useless Splendor* from scratch, crafting and painting papier-mâché puppets, theatrical masks and stage costumes with extraordinary care.
A vibrant set design took shape day by day under the curious gaze of guests and staff at La Rosa del Colle, offering a rare opportunity to observe at close quarters the creative process of one of the most important international artists in the field of puppetry.
Amidst the mountains of the Upper Macerata region, dreams, images and imagination took shape, transforming into tangible works of art, in a continuous dialogue between art, landscape and community.
The magic was repeated in the summer of 2024 when Deborah Hunt, this time on her own, returned to the Marche region to stage Volverè, a performance conceived as a prelude to *Road of Useless Splendor*.
The artist arrived in Colle bringing with her what she describes as an ‘artefacto’, a sort of ‘suitcase of wonders’ crafted by a Puerto Rican artisan. It is a small portable theatre that draws on the tradition of marionettes and object theatre, within which papier-mâché characters, scenes and creatures come to life.
In the film, shot largely in Deborah Hunt’s workshop in the Marche region at La Rosa del Colle, images and music accompany the narrative of the entire creative process behind *Volverè*, offering a unique insight into the work of an artist who has been exploring the expressive possibilities of contemporary puppetry, masks and the performing arts for decades.
â–¶ Watch the documentary on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lN5e_5tlzS8
The collaboration between Deborah Hunt and La Rosa del Colle continues through projects dedicated to training, theatre research and artistic creation. Workshops, mask-making sessions, creative residencies and demonstrations of the creative process allow participants and audiences to engage directly with artistic processes that are normally hidden from public view.
La Rosa del Colle thus reaffirms its role as a meeting place where rural hospitality, culture and the performing arts converge, capable of welcoming international artists and offering authentic experiences in the heart of the Marche region.
