Milan, March 28, 2026 – A commemorative plaque dedicated to the iconic Italian artists Dario Fo and Franca Rame was unveiled today at Corso di Porta Romana 132, the building where they lived together. The ceremony, attended by city officials and family members, served as a tribute to their profound impact on Italian theater, culture, and social activism.
A Lifetime of Art and Activism
Dario Fo and Franca Rame shared nearly 60 years of life and work, performing on grand theater stages and television, but also in popular venues such as factories, prisons, town squares, and working-class neighborhoods. They collaborated on numerous masterpieces and tirelessly advocated for the working class, anarchists, women, and the oppressed. As actors, writers, and playwrights, they demonstrated how theater could be a powerful tool for emancipation and political reflection, transcending mere entertainment.
In 1997, the same year he received the Nobel Prize in Literature, Dario Fo was offered Milan’s prestigious ‘Ambrogino d’oro’ civic award, which he famously declined in protest against the then-current administration. Franca Rame passed away in 2013, followed by Dario Fo on October 13, three years later. They now rest side-by-side in the Crypt of the Famedio at the Monumental Cemetery.
Vicesindaca Anna Scavuzzo Highlights Their Enduring Legacy
Vicesindaca Anna Scavuzzo commented on the unveiling, stating, “Dario Fo and Franca Rame wrote memorable pages in the cultural history of our country and our city. The motivation for the Nobel Prize perfectly captures the essence of these art professionals: ‘following the tradition of medieval jesters, they deride power by restoring dignity to the oppressed.’ They were free, inconvenient, and irreverent voices, possessing extraordinary talent and intellect, always on the side of the marginalized, and always serving a strong civic and political commitment that was never neutral. Today, we remember them with a ceremony that entrusts Milan, the city that witnessed the birth and rise of their talent, with the task of recognizing their greatness and thanking them for the legacy they left us.”
Centenary Celebrations and Future Initiatives
The plaque unveiling is the first in a series of initiatives planned throughout the year to honor Dario Fo’s memory, coinciding with the centenary of his birth on March 24, 1926. Alongside Vicesindaca Scavuzzo, Mattea Fo, the couple’s granddaughter and President of the Fo Rame Foundation, also spoke at the event. Students from the Luca Ronconi Theater School of the Piccolo Teatro di Milano – Teatro d’Europa, Desideria Cucchiara and Francesco Fontana, performed readings of the artists’ texts.
The event underscores Milan’s commitment to preserving the memory of its cultural giants and ensuring that their messages of social justice and artistic innovation continue to resonate with future generations. The enduring influence of Dario Fo and Franca Rame serves as a testament to the power of art to challenge, inspire, and provoke change.
