Francis the Holy jester is a one man show without props and without scenery, in which a whole range of characters from 13^th Century Italy are brought to life before us: Popes and Cardinals, Dukes and Duchesses, soldiers on the battlefield, traders in the marketplace and St Francis himself.

The play includes episodes from the Saint’s life which are often unknown or overlooked: the tirade for peace in Bologna, the meeting of the wolf of Gubbio, the meeting with Pope Innocent III seeking permission to preach, and St. Francis going off to die  powefully singing the Canticle to Sister Death.

The play offers four episodes from St Francis’ life, reflecting his role as a preacher of Christian values, but also his passionate work as an environmental activist and campaigner for social justice. One of these episodes re-creates an actual event when St Francis spoke and performed to over 5,000 people in the main square in Bologna in August 1222. In this address, he used his whole being to express himself and communicate his message. The address was so powerful it caused warring factions to embrace lasting peace for the first time in many years. Pirovano’s masterful re-creation of this event is one of many highlights in his performance in Francis The Holy Jester.

A must-see for those interested in the life of this celebrated figure, Fo’s play is also very much a play for our times, presenting Saint Francis as a passionate social activist, relentlessly campaigning against hypocrisy, corrupt authority and social injustice. For one night only.