Amid shifting light and shadow, happiness quietly blooms.

Adapted from the internationally bestselling picture book The Little Flower King by Květa Pacovská, recipient of the Hans Christian Andersen Award for Illustration, The story begins with the classic fairy-tale opening: “Once upon a time…”. A little king lives alone in his castle, tending a garden filled with tulips yet quietly longing for companionship. One day, he decides to set out on a journey in search of a princess.

At the same time, parallel story quietly unfolds. Across from each other live a young man and woman who have never truly met. Through small notes left in the flowerbed between their homes, a quiet connection slowly grows, stirring a shared curiosity about the happiness that might lie just beyond their everyday lives.

Co-created by Italy’s renowned Teatro Gioco Vita and Balletto di Roma, the production weaves shadow puppets, music, and dance into a gentle and poetic stage language, inviting audiences on a journey in search of happiness.

The vibrant and imaginative visual world of Květa Pacovská is transformed into dreamlike,layered landscapes of light and shadow. As if opening the pages of a pop-up picture book in motion, the stage unfolds in a cascade of color and imagery, creating a visually dazzling and deeply enchanting theatrical experience.

Production / Teatro Gioco Vita
Founded in 1971, Teatro Gioco Vita is one of the first theater companies in Italy to engage in animazione teatrale (theater animation) and innovative puppet theater. The company is internationally renowned for its distinctive work in shadow theater (teatro d’ombre).
Its productions often draw inspiration from mythology, fairy tales, and musical themes. By blending traditional shadow techniques with contemporary storytelling, music, and visual experimentation, the company creates a unique stage language using movable screens, layered lighting, and live music to forge a theatrical aesthetic unique to shadow puppetry.
For decades, Teatro Gioco Vita has been a regular presence at major festivals and has toured in more than 30 countries worldwide, establishing itself as one of the leading voices in contemporary European shadow theater.
 

Co-production / Balletto di Roma
Founded in 1960 by two Italian dances, Franca Bartolomei and Walter Zappolini, Balletto di Roma is one of the earliest privately established dance companies in Italy to receive national recognition. It has been designated a Historic Brand of National Interest, a distinction granted to institutions that have made a significant contribution to Italian cultural heritage.
The company has long been committed to nurturing new generations of dancers through its own dance school. Committed to promoting Italian dance, Balletto di Roma builds on its traditional core values while embracing innovation and collaborating with contemporary choreographers.
In 2023, its adaptation of the classic Juliet and Romeo toured extensively, reaching more than 350 performances and attracting over 200,000 audience members, and was widely acclaimed as one of the most popular dance productions in Italy.

Producer／ Fabrizio Montecchi, Valerio Longo 
Playwright, Director & Stage Design／Fabrizio Montecchi 
Choreographer／Valerio Longo 
Playwright／Enrica Carini 
Performer／ Eleonora Poligioni, Lorenzo Lippera 
Music Design／Paolo Codognola 
Shadow puppets Design／Nicoletta Garioni, Agnese Meroni(from drawings by Květa Pacovská) 
Costume DesignSara Bartesaghi Gallo, Nicoletta Garioni 
Lighting Design／Anna Adorno
Light and Sound Technician／Cesare Lavezzoli
Production Manager／Jacopo Maj
Prop Consultant／ Giovanni Mutti, Nicoletta Garioni, Agnese Meroni Co-Production ／Teatro Gioco Vita, Balletto di Roma

Airfare for this production is supported by ATER Fondazione.