outstanding personalities were present like Ferrante Aporti and Charles Bon Compagni.1182
In the 1850s a true theatrical tradition had its beginnings at the Hospice in Valdocco.This tradition
would be enriched during the 1860s with a variety of theatrical fare: comedies and popular farces in
dialect and Italian; Latin comedies performed before an audience which included illustrious
personalities from the city of Turin; historical and sacred dramas; various kinds of musical
performances: operetta, melodrama, anthologies of musical numbers taken from theatre and musical
romances.
1183
In April 1861 the oratory saw the first performance of the Latin comedy Minerval written by Fr Palumbo, a Jesuit. On 2 June 1864 there was a performance of the Phasmatonices (Larvarum victor = victory over ghosts), a comedy which had already been performed on 12 May. It had been written by Bishop C.M. Rosini and adapted by Fr Palumbo.1184 In June l865 it was again performed at
Mirabello Monferrato.
1185
Latin theatrical performances and academic ent ertainments made up a remarkable portion of the
extracurricular activities of a school.
1186
Theatre, then, in its various expressions, was gradually
inserted with full rights into Don Bosco's educational system and considered to be an element which
was integr ating, helped build up an atmosphere of cheerfulness and was given a didactic purpose. The
immediate objective Don Bosco had for theatre performances was, naturally, a recreational one.
However, they also had a higher goal, a cultural and an educational g oal.
1187
Don Bosco addressed the Rectors regarding this with a lively address during the conferences of St
Francis de Sales in June 1871.
I see that things are no more they way they should be with us; they are not like in the early
days. We do not have teatrino (little theatre) anymore but real theatre. At any rate, my
intention is that the theatre performances should have this basic objective: to entertain and
instruct. Let there be no scenes which might harden the hearts of the boys or make a bad
impression on them. Let there be comedies, but of the simple type, with a moral message
added to them. Let there be singing, for singing, besides entertaining, is also part of
instruction and therefore a much needed tool these days.1188
Don Bosco did his best, on severa l occasions, to provide rules which would admit no exception, to
achieve these specific and compatible objectives of theatre performances. These rules were discussed
and clarified at the General Chapter. 'Entertaining' and 'cheering up' had to go with 'ins tructing' and 'educating'.
1189
The introduction to the rules for theatre performances found in the Rules for the houses sum up the many values of theatre:
Theatre performances, staged according to the rules of Christian morality, can be greatly
advantageous to youth when their objective is nothing but to cheer up, educate and instruct
1182 MB III 231, 535, 623-652; IV 279, 410-412; Em I 157; Storia dell'Oratorio..., BS 4 (1880) no. 12, Dec. pp. 5-6. 1183 Following on from John De Vecchi, a musician from the city, Salsians like Fr John Cagliero, Fr James Costamagna
and Joseph Dogliano would be responsible for well known musical compositions.
1184 See the invitation in Latin, 27 May 1864, Em II 50-51.
1185 Cf. letter of don Bosco to Marquis D. Fassati, 4 June 1865, Em II 140.
1186 Cf G. Proverbio, La scuola di don Bosco e l'insegnamento del latino (1850-1900), in F. Traniello (Ed.), Don Bosco
nella storia della letteratura popolare. Turin, SEI 1987, pp. 169-173.
1187 Cf. S. Stagnoli, Don Bosco e il teatro educativo salesiano. Milan, Eco degli Oratori 1968, 154. p.
1188 MB X 1057. We also have the manuscript of Don Bosco's address; his words on 'teatrino are recorded briefly and
incompletely, Fdb mcr 1.870 A9-B8. “One thing then that must be taken into consideration and fixed up are also the
texts and recitals they have. Ihave always tolerated them and still do, but it is my idea that 'teatrino' is done only for the
boys and not those that come from outside. In every house of education etc. “.
1189 Regole del Teatrino printed and sent to houses in a four page booklet in 1871. Reported in MB VI 106-108 and X
1059-1061. In 1877 they became part (with variations) of the Regolamento per le case and the Deliberazioni del
Capitolo generale della Pia Società Salesiana tenuto in Lanzo Torinese nel settembre 1877, OE XXIX 146-151 and
432-437.