THE CANNONEER By Silvia Manazzone
She was erased by history. Now she’s back, and she’ll make sure you remember her
The Cannoneer is the true story of Giuseppa “Peppa” Bolognaro Calcagno, an orphan, despised by society, who dressed as a man and, with the aid of a stolen cannon, tricked the oppressor’s cavalry in occupied Sicily in 1860. Did we steal the plot from Mulan? Well no. It’s documented history. She received a medal for military valour from the newborn Kingdom of Italy but was then, very conveniently, forgotten. Now she’s back, ready to tell her story. Blending remarkable historical anecdotes with clowning and audience participation, The Cannoneer brings Peppa’s rebellious spirit to the stage and asks who gets remembered, who gets forgotten, and ultimately brings the question to the audience: who gets to write history. Written, directed and performed by Silvia Manazzone, the show had its preview at the Theatre in The Shed in Frankfurt am Oder, Germany, in June 2026 and a short run at the Edinburgh Fringe this August 2026.
For information and tickets, click HERE
