Theatre Ouest End (What Rough Beast, The Covenant, Still Got Something to Say, Okay Boomer), in partnership with the Italian-Canadian Community Foundation, brings you the world premiere production of Mickey & Joe (Good. Bad. Ugly. Dirty.) by playwright-performer Michaela Di Cesare, directed by internationally acclaimed director and immersive artist Daniele Bartolini. From Theatre Ouest End , “We are honoured to present this timely and important play by one of Montreal’s most talented writers.” At the lavish Mirella and Lino Saputo Theatre from May 17-25.

155 years after the “unification” of Italy, a forgotten player finds herself trapped in limbo with her sworn
enemy. Dirty Mickey, hailing from the dark Southern underbelly of an otherwise glorious country, fought in
the resistance. Joe was the golden boy of the Risorgimento (literally, resurrection), forever remembered as a
political hero. What happens when Mickey, an outlaw who was silenced, murdered and erased for Joe’s
benefit, now threatens his legacy? This two-hander is the ultimate Italian standoff.

There will be a post-show discussion moderated by CBC radio host Sabrina Marandola after the May 24
matinee. To enrich the authenticity of the production, some of the dialogue will be in Italian, with English
surtitles.

The play is based on a startling discovery made by playwright Di Cesare a few years ago: she is directly
descended from La Brigantessa (bandit) Michelina Di Cesare who opposed Giuseppe Garibaldi’s mission to
unite Italy. “When I began this project, I couldn’t imagine the significance it would have in terms of both
current events and my personal life. The people from a large portion of what we call the South of Italy
believed their land was stolen during unification. For them, it was a war of colonization in which their land
was annexed. Many of the resistors were deported, imprisoned, or executed—sound familiar? And now I
have a daughter who is a Di Cesare too. Through both the play and my baby, Michelina won’t be forgotten.”
This contemporary spaghetti western challenges our collective memory, or collective amnesia…