One of Naples last traditional puppet masters has been forced to shut up shop, dealing a fresh blow to the endangered art of Italian puppetry.
Bruno Leone said his Istituto delle Guarattelle theatre in Naples' central Palazzo dello Spagnolo will stage its last show this weekend after running into financial trouble.
Leone has delighted children for years with his innovative plays in which the traditional Neapolitan Pulcinella character meets far-away cultures and personalities.
The roots of Neapolitan Puppetry (or 'Guarattelle' in the local dialect) go back to Medieval times.
The art has been a central part of the city's rich cultural heritage for centuries.
Its figurehead is Pulcinella, a character who originated in 17th-century Commedia dell'Arte street theatre and gave life to the Mr Punch figure of English puppetry.
He is a crafty, aggressive character with a huge nose who usually wears a white cloak and talks in Neapolitan dialect.
Leone said the arrival of rivals for children's attention like TV, the Internet and computer games has hit the popularity of the 'Guarattelle' and other styles of tradition puppetry in Italy.
The number of puppeteers and companies practising the art is dwindling as a result and the nation is in danger of losing it, he said.
Leone, however, has vowed to press ahead.
He said he will continue to promote the 'Guarattelle' and teach its secrets to anyone interested in continuing the tradition.
He also intends to travel and put on shows to raise money for good causes.
"I'll be a touring puppeteer at the service of the poor and the oppressed because they are my brothers and sisters, an audience that understands me to the full," he said.
Leone has promised to keep livening up Naples' traditional festivals and religious celebrations with his shows too.
