A powerful piece of contemporary theatre is coming to the Abbey Stage this summer. From 28 August to 5 September, Dublin hosts Mirandolina, an urgent re-imagining of Carlo Goldoni’s 18th-century masterpiece La Locandiera.
Written by renowned Irish playwright Marina Carr, translated by Monica Capuani, and directed by Caitríona McLaughlin, the production brings a fresh, intense perspective to classic drama. Performed in Italian with English surtitles, the play centers on a young woman working in an Italian restaurant in Dublin, exploring female fear, the men who surround her, and the cost of living defiantly on her own terms.
Tickets and more info HERE
At the heart of this world premiere is Italian actress Gaja. Born in Terlizzi, Apulia, on 18 November 1997, Gaja has built an impressive profile across theatre, film, and television. Her acting path began during her classical high school years with a drama course at the Malalingua Cultural Association in Molfetta. In 2016, she gained admission to the prestigious Silvio d’Amico National Academy of Dramatic Art in Rome, graduating in 2019.
Following extensive stage work, Gaja made her film debut in 2020 as Federica in Sul più bello, directed by Alice Filippi. She reprised the role in the sequels Ancora più bello (2021) and Sempre più bello (2022), as well as in the 2024 Prime Video series Sul più bello – La serie.
Her screen work expanded rapidly. In 2023, Gaja appeared at the Venice Film Festival to receive the Starlight International Cinema Award as Revelation Actress. That same year, she starred alongside Michele Riondino, Miriam Leone, and Vinicio Marchioni in I leoni di Sicilia, directed by Paolo Genovese, which won the Nastro d’Argento for Best Drama Series. She played Miriam in the film Il vento soffia dove vuole and starred as Gloria in the RaiPlay teen drama series Eppure cadiamo felici, directed by Matteo Oleotto.
Alongside television and cinema, Gaja maintained a strong theatrical presence, touring Italy in 2023 in Arthur Miller’s A View from the Bridge (Uno sguardo dal ponte), directed by Massimo Popolizio. In 2024, she starred in C’è un posto nel mondo, directed by Francesco Falaschi, and appeared in the Rai 2 crime series Stucky alongside Giuseppe Battiston.
Now, Gaja brings her dynamic screen and stage presence to the Abbey Theatre in Dublin.
Mirandolina is a major international co-production between Ireland’s Abbey Theatre, Italy’s Teatro Stabile del Veneto, and Croatia’s Croatian National Theatre HNK Rijeka. The production arrived in Dublin after premiering earlier this year in Treviso and touring Italy and Croatia. It served as the sole theatre piece in the cultural programme accompanying the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games, and its Dublin run forms a key highlight of the cultural programming surrounding Ireland’s Presidency of the Council of the European Union.
The project is funded as part of the Department of Culture, Communications and Sport EU Presidency Culture Programme, with ongoing support for the Abbey Theatre provided by The Arts Council / An Comhairle Ealaíon. The creative team features set and costume design by Katie Davenport, lighting design by Paul Keogan, composition and sound design by Anna Mullarkey, assistant direction by Martina Testa, and assistant set and costume design by Florentina Burcea.
Radio Irlanda recently interviewed Gaja about her work and her role in the play, and listeners will be able to catch the broadcast in an upcoming episode.
“Pinocchio Magazine is thrilled to welcome Gaja to Dublin for this extraordinary production. Her brilliant career trajectory makes her the perfect choice to bring Marina Carr’s fierce, complex character to life on the Abbey stage. This performance is an absolute must-see event of the season.”
Tickets and more info HERE
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