Ettore Bassi, crowned “The Most Handsome Man in Italy” by Patrizia Rossetti in the 1990s and one of the most iconic faces of the TV series “Carabinieri”, has been able to transform the beauty that first brought him to prominence into dramatic and civic depth.Engaged in numerous cultural activities, he returns to the stage with a show that embodies the noblest meaning of contemporary theater.
“Il sindaco pescatore” (The Fisherman Mayor), a monologue dedicated to the memory of Angelo Vassallo (the mayor of Pollica who was killed for daring to defend legality and the common good), is not only a theatrical reconstruction, but a living testimony to how civil courage continues to speak to our consciences.
The show will be staged at the Teatro Politeama on December 3, 2025, and the proceeds will go to Edela – an association supporting victims of femicide and orphans of domestic crimes. The show tells a story that goes beyond memory to become a lesson for the present. Bassi, who has made the stage a place of ethical commitment and human exploration, explains the value of this theatrical mission with words that combine emotion and awareness.
“When I stand in front of the audience with this story, I experience an emotion that does not stop at the curtain,” says Ettore Bassi. “It is not just a theatrical story: it is the testimony of a man who chose to serve his community with absolute integrity, and that choice continues to speak to our present. It is an enormous privilege to bring the figure of Angelo Vassallo to the stage, because every performance reminds me that civil courage is not a page in history, but an ongoing responsibility.“
”Civil theater,“ he continues, ”has the power to transform memory into awareness, pain into hope. When I step onto this stage, I am not just playing a character: I am embarking on an extraordinary human journey and, together with the audience, I try to understand what it means to dedicate one’s life to the ideals of justice and dignity. The beauty of this story lies in the fact that its messages do not end with the show: they remain within us, in our communities, in our daily choices.
“In Prato, I will have the great honor of sharing this lesson in legality and love for the common good with a community that believes, like us, that civic engagement has value,” concludes Bassi. “Because when I meet young people, when I see young people and citizens gathered around a story of true humanity, I understand that theater is the place where true history becomes contemporary. I invite you to join me at the Teatro Politeama on December 3: together we will remember that Angelo Vassallo is not a distant memory, but a living lesson for the present we want to build.”
A show in support of the most vulnerable, with Edela embracing the orphans of femicide
The non-profit association Edela, promoter and beneficiary of the proceeds from the show, was founded ten years ago thanks to the determination and tenacity of Dr. Roberta Beolchi, entrepreneur and founder of the association. The show “Il sindaco pescatore” (The Fisherman Mayor) is the hub of a network of interventions spread throughout the country, which helps Edela support the daily lives and futures of young and very young orphans of victims of femicide.
“The figures for femicide are unfortunately dramatic, and each crime often condemns one or more children to an uncertain future,” recalls Roberta Beolchi, president of Edela, during a radio broadcast on White Radio. “With every case of femicide I heard about, I was struck by the fact that no one ever talked about what happened afterwards, in the daily lives of the people who were left behind, who were orphans, in all respects survivors. So I realized that something had to be done: I started an association to shine a light on the issue, taking a comprehensive approach to the health of the most vulnerable,” she continues.
“Edela works alongside institutions to raise awareness and promote ad hoc laws, provides education in schools with the book ”La Fata Mamy e la magia dell’Amore” (The Fairy Mamy and the Magic of Love) published by Graus Edizioni, and above all, helps raise the orphans of femicide and guide them towards a happiness that they have found themselves desperately seeking. We assist them with everything from daily expenses to building a future that, through studies or work placements, will lead them to independence.”
“Edela is an active network of volunteers and professionals,” adds Elisa Chiappinelli, a psychotherapist from Prato specializing in gender violence and criminology. “It was born out of the urgent need to give back a future to those who have seen their childhoods shattered by violence. Staging a civil play such as ”Il sindaco pescatore” means shining a light on stories of courage and hope that concern us all, especially the youngest among us. From a psychological and social point of view, both femicide and the mafia crime discussed in the play are rooted in common cultural patterns based on domination and oppression, in which violence becomes a tool for exercising power and control. The play is a gesture that transforms pain into collective participation and responsibility: through theater, memory becomes concrete commitment and a vision of a more just society.”
“Il sindaco pescatore”: tickets and information
Tickets for “Il sindaco pescatore” are already available on Ticketone.it.
Schools and interested parties in the Prato area can also contact the Edela Toscana representative, Elisa Chiappinelli, directly at elisachiappinelli@virgilio.it
The event is sponsored by the Province of Prato and organized by Rewind Project, in collaboration with Lions Club Toscana, Distretto Leo 108A, The Gram Journal, White Radio, Confcommercio Prato e Pistoia, Fondazione Ami Prato, White Radio, and Teatro Tv – La cultura sul Web. It also sees the collaboration of the Aglianese, Galcianese, and Montemurlo soccer teams, and the participation of the Club delle Pagliette.
Sponsors of the show include Big Mat Alfaedil, I Vivai, Belfor, Gruppo GMG S.p.A., and Mercedes Benz.
The proceeds will be donated to the non-profit association Edela, in support of the orphans of femicide.
