“I tell stories (which contain stories (which contain other stories)). Sometimes on a stage. Sometimes on video. Sometimes inside a book.”
Roberto Mercadini (Cesena, 1978), narrator, author-actor, writer, poet and popularizer, performs throughout Italy with his monologues which range from the Hebrew Bible to the origins of philosophy, from evolutionism to happiness, from the great interpreters of literature on social issues (bullying, environment and ecology).
In 2018, ‘Storia perfetta dell’errore’ was published by Rizzoli, his first novel. In 2019 the Teatro Stabile d’Abruzzo (with artistic direction by Simone Cristicchi) produces its theatrical show ‘Vita di Leonardo’ directed by Alessandro Maggi and texts by Mercadini himself.
In 2020, ‘Bomba atomica’ was released, again by Rizzoli, elected as the Best Book of 2020 by the competition organized by Robinson (cultural insert of La Repubblica) with a jury made up of ‘strong’ readers from all over Italy. In 2022 the book ‘L’Ingegno e le tenebre: Leonardo e Michelangelo’ will be published. Two rival geniuses in the dark heart of the Renaissance, also published
by Rizzoli. Since January 2023 he has been a guest on the program “Splendida cornice” hosted by Geppi Cucciari broadcast on Rai 3 in prime time as a ‘communicator’.
Active online, he has a YouTube channel followed by over 170,000 followers.

Among his monologues
Fuoco nero su fuoco bianco – un viaggio nella Bibbia Ebraica. With translation from ancient Hebrew by the author. Noi siamo il suolo, noi siamo la terra – monologo per una cittadinanza planetaria. A production by Banca Popolare Etica. Felicità for dummies – felicità per negati. La più strana delle meraviglie – monologo da e su Shakespeare. Dante. Più nobile è il volgare – monologo. Moby Dick. Sebbene molti abbiano tentato – monologo L’arte di essere nuovi – lezione- spettacolo sulla pittura del Rinascimento

Books
L’ingegno e le tenebre. Leonardo e Michelangelo, due geni rivali nel cuore oscuro del Rinascimento | Rizzoli, 2022 Bomba Atomica | Rizzoli, 2020 Storia perfetta dell’errore | Rizzoli, 2018
Io non scrivo mai niente. Monologhi cosmici | Sagoma, 2016 Sull’origine della luce è buio pesto | Miraggi Edizioni, 2016 Madrigali per surfisti estatici | Il Ponte Vecchio, 2011 – rist. 2019