Ennio Marchetto

{{short description|Italian comedic live entertainer (born 1960)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=June 2024}} {{BLP sources|date=January 2025}} {{Infobox person | name = Ennio Marchetto | image = | caption = Ennio Marchetto photographed by [[Greg Gorman]] | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1960|2|20|df=yes}} | birth_place = [[Venice]], [[Italy]] | occupation = Stage [[comedian]] | spouse = | website = {{url|enniomarchetto.com}} | footnotes = | years_active = 1980s – present }}

'''Ennio Marchetto''' ({{IPA|it|ˈɛnnjo marˈketto}}; born 20 February 1960) is an Italian comedic live entertainer whose performances feature [[List of quick-change acts|quick-change]] artistry, impersonations and his trademark two-dimensional paper costumes. He is also known as '''The Living Paper Cartoon'''.

In his one-hour show he goes through more than fifty costume changes, in front of the audience without hiding behind drapes or screens and without any assistance by stage hands. In the last thirty years, Marchetto has performed in over 170 countries and has been seen by more than one million people. His shows have been honoured with numerous awards and highly praised by international critics.

==Biography==

=== Early years === Marchetto was born next to playwright [[Carlo Goldoni]]'s home. Inspired by cartoons, especially those by [[Walt Disney]] – he used to cut paper figures for his sister and decorations for the Christmas tree based on them – modern dance performances like those choreographed by [[Pina Bausch]] and the mime performer [[Lindsay Kemp]], his career began during the 1980s with various performances during the [[Venetian Carnival]].

Back then, Marchetto worked in his father's company, a repair shop for espresso machines. Everyone was convinced that he would carry on the family tradition, but Marchetto did not want to. While working there, he was lost in daydreams and in one of these he saw actress [[Marilyn Monroe]] before him – all dressed in paper. On the same day he created his first paper costume, which he showed to friends, family and amused people on the streets during the Carnival. In 1988, he received the [[Golden Lion]] prize from the [[Venice Entertainment Festival]] for his creations.

In subsequent years, he created more and more paper figures. With just a few costumes, Marchetto presented his show at the [[Zanzara d'Oro]] (the Golden Mosquito), an annual competition for young comedians. Marchetto was awarded the first prize and soon started appearing on television and in cabaret shows. He developed more and more characters and began to think about his own theatre show.

His first attempt was a written and staged piece by [[Daniele Sala]], which was about the life of the famous change artist [[Leopoldo Fregoli]] at the turn of the century. Marchetto sang, acted and transformed himself in quick succession using his paper costumes. However, he soon realized that this kind of show was not what he had in mind and called it off after only four performances.

After his last performance, he met Dutch [[costume designer]] [[Sosthen Hennekam]]. This encounter was the beginning of a long and prolific collaboration. Sosthen devised numerous improvements. For example, he introduced the [[origami]] technique thanks to which it was possible to change the costumes even faster. After a few months, Hennekam and Marchetto had designed enough costumes for a one-hour show. At the moment, he has around 350 characters in his repertoire, often celebrities, but that also include other cultural icons and works of art. Marchetto's first performance of his new show was at the [[Festa dell'Unità]] in [[Bologna]] and it was an instant success, which led to other television and guest appearances throughout Italy.

In 1989, the London producer [[Glynis Henderson]] saw a video recording of the show and offered Marchetto a spot at the [[Edinburgh Festival Fringe]]; Marchetto accepted the invitation. However, half of his costumes were Italian celebrities, unknown by the festival's international audience. In just two weeks, Marchetto created eighteen new characters, including crowd favourites like [[Elizabeth II|Queen Elizabeth II]], [[Freddie Mercury]], [[Tina Turner]] and the [[Venus de Milo]]. The first few days in Edinburgh were very hard; there were only a few spectators, but then the first critic came in, [[Malcolm Hay]] from ''[[Time Out (magazine)|Time Out]]'' magazine. He wrote an enthusiastic article. A few days later, the show was sold out up to the last date and Marchetto became a festival cult star. From then on, everything moved on very fast.

=== 1990s === After several tours of the UK, guest performances in London's [[West End of London|West End]] and at international festivals, Marchetto's and Hennekam's show was nominated at the [[Laurence Olivier Award]]s in 1993 in London for [[Best Entertainment]].<ref>{{Cite web|title = Olivier Winners 1993|url = http://www.olivierawards.com/winners/view/item98527/olivier-winners-1993/|website = www.olivierawards.com|access-date = 24 February 2016}}</ref> In the same year, [[Granada Television Celebrations]] produced ''[[Paper Marilyn]]'', a one-hour documentary about Marchetto's life and his artistic career.

At the first [[MTV Europe Music Awards]] in [[Berlin]] the following year, Marchetto joined on stage with some of the same stars from his repertoire, including [[Prince (musician)|Prince]], [[George Michael]] and [[Björk]].<ref>{{Citation|title = MTV Europe Music Awards 1994|url = https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0495855/fullcredits?ref_=tt_ov_st_sm|date = 24 November 1994|accessdate = 24 February 2016}}</ref> Other international engagements followed, including a four-month run at the [[Théâtre Grevin]] in [[Paris]], a Germany tour with [[Erasure (duo)|Erasure]]<ref>{{Cite web|title = Brooklyn Sue's Erasure gig web page - 1997|url = http://www.erasuregig.com/1997.html|website = www.erasuregig.com|access-date = 24 February 2016}}</ref> and an appearance at [[Radio City Music Hall]] in [[New York City]].

In 1995, Marchetto won the [[Performance d’Acteur]] prize at the [[Cannes Film Festival|Cannes Festival]] and in 1996, the [[FAD Sebastià Gasch Award]] in [[Barcelona]].<ref>{{Cite web|title = Premis FAD Sebastià Gasch d'Arts Parateatrals|url = http://premisfadsebastiagasch.org/apartats_en/aplaudiments-internacionals.html|website = premisfadsebastiagasch.org|access-date = 24 February 2016}}</ref>

In 1998, Marchetto was invited to perform with the [[Spice Girls]], [[Bryan Adams]] and other artists on the [[Royal Variety Performance]] for then-[[Charles, Prince of Wales|Prince Charles]], broadcast by the [[BBC]]. He was also commissioned to celebrate the birthday of [[Beatrix of the Netherlands|Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands]] with an exclusive show for the Dutch royal family.

His [[off-off-Broadway]] show was nominated for a [[Drama Desk Award]] in 1999, followed by guest appearances in [[San Francisco]] and [[Los Angeles]], where he received the [[Back Stage Garland Awards|Garland Award]].

=== 2000s === In summer 2001, he was invited to perform at the [[White Tie and Tiara Ball]], an [[HIV/AIDS|AIDS]] gala hosted every year by [[Elton John|Sir Elton John]] at his estate in [[Oxfordshire]].<ref>{{Cite web|title = Master masker is a papercut above the rest; COMEDY: Ennio Marchetto. - Free Online Library|url = http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Master+masker+is+a+papercut+above+the+rest%253B+COMEDY%253A+Ennio+Marchetto.-a098690265|website = www.thefreelibrary.com|access-date = 24 February 2016}}</ref> The following year, Marchetto attended a performance by Elton John and [[José Carreras]] on the luxury liner ''[[Seven Seas Mariner]]''.

He has toured extensively in Italy and performed in theatres, including [[Teatro Ciak]] in [[Milan]], [[Teatro Parioli]] in [[Rome]] and [[Arena del Sole]] in Bologna. In Barcelona, he appeared for a six-week run at the [[Club Capitol]]. He also starred in various prime-time television programs.

In 2003, Marchetto returned to the UK and Ireland with sell-out shows. His great success was confirmed by appearances in the [[Live Floor Show]] on [[BBC Two|BBC2]] and the Italian television show ''[[Uno di noi (TV series)|Uno di Noi]]'' with [[Gianni Morandi]] on [[Rai 1|Rai Uno]].

After two months of guest performances in Berlin and [[Hamburg]], Marchetto returned once again to Los Angeles to amuse audiences in packed houses. Furthermore, his performance was the opening show at the [[Napa Valley Opera House]] in [[Napa County, California]], where seats were sold out for the entire three-week run.<ref>{{Cite web|title = Napa Valley Opera House|url = http://www.bohemian.com/northbay/napa-valley-opera-house/Content?oid=2179076|website = North Bay Bohemian|access-date = 24 February 2016|first = Greg|last = Cahill| date=31 July 2003 }}</ref>

Further guest performances in Germany and Edinburgh followed in 2004, after the première of Marchetto's new show in [[Amsterdam]] in the historic [[Nieuwe de la Mar Theater]]. He then performed in [[Palm Beach, Florida]], at the [[Cuillo Centre for the Arts]].<ref>{{Cite web|title = Ennio Spoofs Past, Present Celebrities As Paper Dolls|url = http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/2004-12-11/lifestyle/0412091071_1_lip-ennio-marchetto-three-tenors|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160304134804/http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/2004-12-11/lifestyle/0412091071_1_lip-ennio-marchetto-three-tenors|url-status = dead|archive-date = 4 March 2016|website = tribunedigital-sunsentinel|access-date = 24 February 2016}}</ref> Together with [[Nancy Sinatra]], the [[New York Dolls]], [[Morrissey]] and [[Sparks (band)|Sparks]], he appeared at the Morrissey-launched [[Meltdown (festival)|Meltdown Festival]] at the [[Southbank Centre]] in London. In addition, he appeared again in the Royal Variety Show.

At the beginning of 2005, the 200th birthday of Danish writer [[Hans Christian Andersen]] was celebrated in [[Copenhagen]]'s [[Parken Stadium]] and transmitted on television throughout Europe. For the occasion, Marchetto performed with specially designed costumes to honour the Anderson in front of the Danish royal family and 40,000 other spectators.<ref>{{Cite web|title = Denmark Andersen {{!}} AP Archive|url = http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/Denmark-Andersen/c7518ec30d1e6c028d498051b2fb75a6?query=UK+ROYAL+FAMILY&current=2&orderBy=Relevance&hits=3&referrer=search&search=%252Fsearch%253Fquery%253DUK%252520ROYAL%252520FAMILY%2526allFilters%253DVNR%253ASource%252CMen's%252520sports%253ASubject&allFilters=VNR%253ASource%252CMen's+sports%253ASubject&productType=IncludedProducts&page=1&b=fb75a6|website = www.aparchive.com|access-date = 24 February 2016}}</ref> Among the guests were also [[Olivia Newton-John]], Tina Turner, [[Isabel Allende]], [[Jean Michel Jarre]] and [[Roger Moore|Sir Roger Moore]].

In Paris's [[Auditorium Saint-Germain]], Marchetto premiered with many new French characters and later in the winter season he returned once again to the city to perform at [[La Cigale]]. He was also seen on the French television show ''[[Star Académie]]''. Marchetto continued to tour all over the world, in the U.S. (Los Angeles, Napa Valley and [[Austin, Texas|Austin]]), [[Hong Kong]], [[Singapore]] and Germany ([[Mannheim]], [[Düsseldorf]] and Berlin).

At the beginning of 2006, Marchetto continued his show in Berlin and started on an extensive tour to Italy. He performed for three weeks in Rome and returned to his hometown to perform at a special Carnival show at the [[Teatro Goldoni (Venice)|Teatro Goldoni]], filmed and broadcast by [[SkyTV]] several times. He also took part in various worldwide charities. At [[Berkeley Repertory Theatre|Berkeley Repertory Theater]] in California his show was an absolute summer hit. Marchetto ended the year with full houses in Rome and a special Christmas programme at the Southbank Centre in London, a show with many new pop icons, including [[Lily Allen]], [[Boy George]] as a street sweeper and a crazy [[Vincent van Gogh]] in the style of [[Gnarls Barkley]].<ref>{{Cite web|title = Venetian plays a blinder with paper fancy dress|url = https://www.standard.co.uk/goingout/theatre/venetian-plays-a-blinder-with-paper-fancy-dress-7391625.html|website = Evening Standard| date=10 April 2012 |access-date = 24 February 2016|language = en-GB}}</ref>

In 2007, Marchetto toured in Italy, Berlin, the [[Netherlands]], [[New Zealand]], [[South Africa]], [[Dubai]] and the U.S. He was also a regular guest on the cult show ''[[Markette]]'' on the Italian television channel [[La7]].

In 2008, he appeared in the music video for [[Blow-Up]]'s song "[[John Travolta]]" for which he created an original costume and in January 2009, Marchetto appeared on the show ''[[World of Comedy]]'' (RTL), together with celebrities including [[Eminem]] and [[Gloria Gaynor]].

=== 2010s === Marchetto continues to be extremely popular and tour the world with his show. He has been a recurring guest at the [[Tipi Am Kanzleramt]] in Berlin ever since 2008 and every year tours extensively in Germany. In 2010 and 2012, he took part in the [[Cavalchina Grand Ball]] at the [[La Fenice|Teatro La Fenice]] in Venice to celebrate the Carnival together with [[Grace Jones]] and Italian singer [[Ornella Vanoni]].

In May 2011, Marchetto went on a short tour of Spain, followed by an appearance at the [[Festival Ple de Riure]]. Later in the year, he was invited to perform at the [[New York Musical Theatre Festival]] and in October he performed at the [[Jürgen Hart Satire Matinee]] at the end of the [[Leipziger Lachmesse]].<ref>{{Cite web|title = 13.-23. OKTOBER 2011 Lachmesse 2011 - 21. Europäisches Humor- und Satire- Festival Leipzig - Klassenfahrt Leipzig - Studienfahrt und Jugendreise Leipzig|url = http://www.jugendreisen-leipzig.de/de/blog/item/72-13-23-oktober-2011-lachmesse-2011-21-europaeisches-humor-und-satire-festival-leipzig|website = www.jugendreisen-leipzig.de|access-date = 24 February 2016}}</ref>

Over the next few years, he took part in several television programmes in Belgium, Spain, Brazil, the Netherlands and Italy ([[Zelig TV|Zelig]]). For the first time in 2013 he performed on the Chinese television programme ''[[CCTV International Humour Festival]]'' and again in 2015 he participated in the Chinese New Year's celebrations on the [[BTV Spring Gala]], alongside many Chinese and international artists, including [[Celine Dion]].

==Awards== * 1987: [[Golden Lion]], Venice Entertainment Festival * 1988: Zanzara d'Oro, "Best New Comedian" category, Bologna * 1994: nominated for the [[Laurence Olivier Award for Best Entertainment]] * 1995: "Best Show", Cannes Performance d'Acteur * 1996: FAD Sebastià Gasch Award, Barcelona * 1999: nominated for Drama Desk Award for a "Unique Theatrical Experience", New York * 1999: [[Back Stage Garland Awards|Back Stage West Garland Award]], "Best Costume Design" category, Los Angeles * 2007: Arosa Schneestern, Audience award from the Arosa Humor-Festival * 2008: Nominated for an [[IRNE Award]], "Best solo performance at a large theatre" category, Boston * 2011: NYMF award for "Outstanding Performance", [[New York Musical Theatre Festival]], New York

==References== {{Reflist|30em}}

==External links== * {{url|enniomarchetto.com}}, Marchetto's official web site * {{IMDb name|id=0545590}} * [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sAFI1i5FIBc Ennio Marchetto Theatre Trailer HD] on [[YouTube]]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Marchetto, Ennio}} [[Category:1960 births]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:20th-century Italian comedians]] [[Category:20th-century Italian LGBTQ people]] [[Category:20th-century Italian male artists]] [[Category:21st-century Italian comedians]] [[Category:21st-century Italian LGBTQ people]] [[Category:21st-century Italian male artists]] [[Category:Artists from Venice]] [[Category:Italian male comedians]] [[Category:Italian LGBTQ comedians]] [[Category:Italian performance artists]]