God's Honest Lies

God's Honest Lies - - Theatre performance adapted from “ Le bugie con le gambe lunghe” di Eduardo De Filippo

Following the success of Poor Piero and High Heels from the Big Boot, the Gaudeamus Theatre Company returns to the stage with one of the great authors of the Italian theatrical tradition: Eduardo De Filippo. Eduardo De Filippo (1900–1984) was one of Italy’s most celebrated playwrights and actors, and one of the defining voices of Neapolitan theatre. His work combines humour, humanity and social criticism, exploring the contradictions of everyday life with a sharp yet deeply compassionate gaze.

Inspired by Le Bugie con le Gambe Lunghe, the production presents a bitter, ironic and surprisingly contemporary comedy that lays bare social hypocrisy and the power of convention.

At the heart of the story is Libero Incoronato, a simple man who finds himself immersed in a world ruled by appearances. Here, everyone lies: to protect their reputation, avoid a scandal, or save a relationship. Little by little, however, lies become so widespread that the truth itself becomes almost irrelevant.

Set in the immediate post-war period, the production retains the authentic Neapolitan flavour of Eduardo’s original text, while bringing it to today’s audiences through a more dynamic and contemporary acting style.

A new prologue and a new epilogue broaden the perspective of the story, creating a direct bridge between the world portrayed by Eduardo and contemporary society.

The result is an ensemble production built around the power of words, rhythm and misunderstandings, where the boundary between truth and fiction becomes increasingly blurred.

With his customary sharp and ironic gaze, Eduardo shows us a society willing to accept any lie in order to preserve a fragile balance.

A comedy that makes us smile, but also leaves us with a question:

How far are we willing to go with our lies in order for us all to keep living together?

Performed in Italian with live English surtitles, the production is also designed for an international audience, while preserving the musicality, irony and Neapolitan soul of Eduardo’s theatre.

Written and Directed by: Eva D’Amico
Language: Italian with English subtitles
Duration: 1hour and 30 minutes ( 2 acts)
Audience: Suitable for all ages