Pfor an evening of pure fun, it is broadcast at 9.20pm on Canale 5 Love + VATrecording at the Verona Arena of the record-breaking show that Checco Zalone brought to Italian theatres throughout 2023. An unmissable event for those who haven’t been able to see the comedian.
Love + VATthe show
111 performances, 350,000 tickets sold with a border crossing into Switzerland. These record numbers of Love + VATthe sold-out theater show written by Checco with Sergio Rubino and Antonio Iammarino.
In the show, the Apulian comedian brings to the stage – with the usual highly original, politically incorrect and counter-current style – his entire extraordinary repertoire. Made of imitations, parodies, stories, songs and lots of music. Mixture of irony and self-irony forged over the last few years. And not just for the sake of laughter, but to introduce introspective moments and reflection on society and the world.
Together with him on stage, four musicians and three singers. Respectively: Antonio Iammarino on keyboards, Felice Di Turi on drums, Egidio Maggio on guitar and Pierpaolo Giandomenico on guitar. Accompanied by the splendid voices of Alice Grasso, Kristyna Kachtikova and Maurizio Bousso. That together with Checco they will sing some of the songs he brought to success as Immigrant, The first Republic And Not very rich.
Checco Zalone. (La Presse)
Checco Zalone’s style
Luca Medici (Checco’s real name) is one of few modern comedians have managed to move, with extreme ease, from TV programs to cinema, winning over audiences and critics. And superlative takings in a genre, comedy, which after the glories of the past has seen the depreciation of heavyweights like Roberto Benigni and Leonardo Pieraccioni. Instead he, since his debut with I fall from the clouds, he recorded record astronomical figures.
The secrets of this success? Not only an irresistible comic mask but also a vocation for political incorrectness and mockery of famous and powerful people. But it doesn’t end there, if the films, and the character Checco, are so successful it’s because his alter ego perfectly embodies the stereotype of the average Italian.
With its merits, but above all with its defects on which the comedian wants to make the spectator reflect along with the ugliness and paradoxes of contemporary society.
The highly confidential private life
Now famous for over twenty years, Checco rarely talks about his daily life and his affections. With some exceptions: as for linterview given to Aldo Cazzullo for the Corriere della Sera a couple of months ago. In which she told how she conquered his partner Mariangela Eboli (at the time employed in a karaoke).
That is, through a painful excuse, according to Zalone: to perform with him in some Wedding party. An invitation accepted by Mariangela which will be the spark of an overwhelming love. Crowned by the birth of two daughters: Gaia in 2013 and Greta four years later.
Checco Zalone and his partner Mariangela Eboli in 2013.
A solid and happy union though. at the moment, it does not include a wedding, as the comedian declared in a TV guest appearance. «I forgot about getting married. Mariangela also turned to the European Court of Human Rights. But the truth is that we are fine like this.”
Future projects
At the moment, after the triumphant but burdensome tour of Love + VATfor the comedian there are no projects on the horizon. Except for a new film, as he always declared to Cazzullo. On what topic? «The evil of the century is narcissism. Today everything can be said, and even those who don’t deserve it are given a voice. Our mirror of Narcissus is the mobile phone, and I’m thinking of making a film on this theme».
So later Tolo Tolo – released on 6 December 2019, dividing opinions somewhat for the subject (immigration) and held back in consistently high takings by the outbreak of Covid – perhaps we will soon see Checco on the big screen again. With another irreverent parable which, as usual, will make us reflect on society while we laugh out loud.
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