Sensory Theatre in the Dark: ASTERIONE at Romaeuropa Festival

By Alyssa | WhatsOn local events writer Alyssa picks out timely events, local favourites and useful places to eat, stay and explore.

Rome’s contemporary arts scene takes a bold plunge into the pitch black this October with ASTERIONE - Romaeuropa Festival Rome's most daring theatrical offering of the season. Staged inside the cavernous, industrial halls of the Mattatoio in Testaccio, this intensely immersive performance completely strips away the audience’s sense of sight to rebuild the myth of the Minotaur purely through sound. It is a brilliant, unsettling collision of vocal mastery and musical composition spearheaded by performer Giovanni Onorato, offering a visceral alternative to the capital's classical itineraries for anyone brave enough to simply sit in the dark.

Voices and Echoes in the Void

Without visual cues, every rustle, breath, and engineered sound effect becomes magnified. The vast space of the former abattoir feels simultaneously infinite and claustrophobically intimate as Onorato's vocal performance weaves around the room. You are not passively watching a stage; you are enveloped in a sweeping acoustic landscape where ancient Greek myth meets sharp, modern musical composition. Expect heavy, resonant bass tones that vibrate through the floorboards and sudden, piercing vocal acrobatics that trick your ears into sensing movement just inches away. It’s an exercise in sensory deprivation that heightens your remaining senses to breaking point, leaving you entirely at the mercy of the soundscape.

A Shared Thrill in the Shadows

The crowd drawn to this experimental pocket of the Romaeuropa Festival is delightfully varied, pulling in adventurous locals from the surrounding Testaccio neighbourhood alongside international theatre-goers seeking out the avant-garde. The communal atmosphere is striking: before the doors close, there is an electric, nervous chatter that instantly evaporates the second the lights cut out. Without the ability to make eye contact or read the room, the collective silence of the audience becomes part of the performance itself. You can feel the tension and the shared, held breath of hundreds of strangers navigating the dark together, trusting the performers to guide them through the labyrinth.

Know Before You Go

• Arrive early: Given the strict sensory nature of the performance, latecomers will absolutely not be admitted once the venue plunges into darkness. Give yourself plenty of time to navigate the Mattatoio complex and find your seat.
• What to expect: This is a sensory-intense environment designed to disorient. If you suffer from severe claustrophobia or a fear of the dark, this might not be the ideal evening out.
• Secure your spot: With only a two-night run and the intimate nature of the performance space, demand is high. Book your entry directly via the official Romaeuropa Festival site.
• Getting there: The Mattatoio is easily reachable by taking the Metro B to Piramide, followed by a short ten-minute walk past the iconic Pyramid of Cestius.

Make a Weekend of It

The Mattatoio sits right in the beating heart of Rome’s historic culinary district, making an evening out here the perfect excuse to indulge. For a memorable pre-theatre dinner, take a short trip across the river into Trastevere to Rione 13 Ristorante. The service here is famously warm and intuitive, and their traditional Roman plates will set you up perfectly for the night ahead. If you want something even more casual and lively, the bustling patio at Tonnarello serves up arguably some of the best meatballs and fresh pasta in the city to the soundtrack of acoustic guitars. The next morning, shake off the intensity of the performance with a leisurely start near the Colosseum at Ristoro della Salute for coffee and breakfast, before treating yourself to an afternoon wander through Piazza di Spagna, capping the day off with a multi-flavour cone—perhaps the pistachio and cremino—from Venchi Cioccolato e Gelato.

Have a brilliant time navigating the shadows, and I'll see you in the stalls. — Alyssa