«Il male oscuro» by Giuseppe Berto, directed by Giuseppe Dipasquale: Tuesday, January 26 to Sunday, January 31, 2027

From January 26 to 31, 2027, Teatro Valle (located at Via del Teatro Valle 21) stages «Il male oscuro» (The Dark Malady), from Giuseppe Berto's novel, in an adaptation and staging by Giuseppe Dipasquale. There are six performances, from Tuesday, January 26 to Sunday, January 31.

Updated November 6, 2026.

The event

«Il male oscuro» is a classic of Italian literature, an immediate success in 1964 after a complicated publishing path. A strongly autobiographical novel, it tells of the deep crisis of a writer marked by guilt over his father's death and unable to steer his emotional and professional life.

Between depression, irony and estrangement, the protagonist begins a course of psychoanalysis that lays bare a malaise that still feels current. On stage the text lives again in the adaptation by Giuseppe Dipasquale, who conveys the force of lucid, painful writing, able to portray a self divided between duty and desire, fragility and the search for meaning.

The performers are Alessio Vassallo, Ninni Bruschetta, Cesare Biondolillo, Lucia Fossi, Luca Iacono, Viviana Lombardo, Consuelo Lupo and Ginevra Pisani. The language of the show is Italian.

Where it takes place: Teatro Valle

A short walk from Sant'Andrea della Valle, at Via del Teatro Valle 21, stands one of the oldest theaters in the city, reopened by the Fondazione Teatro di Roma on October 16, 2026. The program continues through February 2027 with other drama titles. For the neighborhood see also Caffè Sant'Eustachio.

Practical information

• Dates: January 26, 27, 28, 29, 30 and 31, 2027.
• Venue: Teatro Valle, Via del Teatro Valle 21, 00186 Roma.
• Language: Italian.
• Ticket prices at Teatro Valle: orchestra armchairs 44 euros (reduced 35); boxes, stalls, first and second tier 35 euros (reduced 30); boxes on the third and fourth tier 26 euros (reduced 20).
• Purchase: online through the Teatro di Roma channel or at the Teatro Argentina box office (Largo di Torre Argentina 52).
• Getting there: use the ATAC route planner.

Frequently asked questions about «Il male oscuro» by Giuseppe Berto, directed by Giuseppe Dipasquale

Which book is the show based on?

«Il male oscuro» by Giuseppe Berto, published in 1964.

Who adapted it?

Giuseppe Dipasquale, who is responsible for both adaptation and direction.

Who are the main performers?

Alessio Vassallo and Ninni Bruschetta, with six other actors.

Article written by the editorial team of Tour Leader Pro, contact them for Private/Corporate/V.I.P. Tours and Experiences.

Planning a trip to Rome? The English guides to visit the city are on ItalyPlanner.com.