Each Neapolitan self-respecting person has seen the fateful scene of coffee, nicely ristretto, brewed on the balcony, or, at Christmas time, received the question, "Do you like 'o nativity scene?" from a grandparent or uncle.

I mean, certain images are naturally part of the DNA and background campano, without making much effort.

You, too, retrace the footsteps of a theater legend by taking a tour of the city's various historic buildings between Chiaia and the historic center of Naples.

An extended family in which there is an air of theater

Eduardo De Filippo was born, in 1900, out of the relationship between the theatrical seamstress Luisa De Filippo and the well-known playwright Eduardo Scarpetta.

Eduardo takes his mother's surname, as his father, already married to Luisa's aunt, does not recognize him.

The actor and playwright was born in 14 Vittorio Colonna Street, a Chiaia, where, today, ironically, a plaque commemorates the residence of another character (a certain Giustino Fortunato).

Currently, the area is the heart of the nightlife, the right place to go for a drink.

Returning to the biography, Eduardo has two brothers with whom he holds a artistic partnership fortissimo: these are Titina, the older sister, and Peppino, the younger. Together with them he began to tread the stage, already at the age of 4.

He is a bright child who good-naturedly offers his father's playbooks to the teacher in elementary school when he has not studied.

The real debut, however, took place, in 1911, at the Mercadante Theater, when he stars as Peppiniello in Miseria e nobiltà. The Mercadante is an 18th-century theater, located in Piazza Municipio, which is still active and can be visited.

Early works and the success of Natale in casa Cupiello

In his 20s, he wrote his first play with a dramatic ending, Pharmacy on duty, later staged by the company of his half-brother Vincenzo Scarpetta. This first play was followed by two more pièces in the 1920s.

During this period, he married his first wife, Dorothy Pennington, who was responsible for translating and popularizing some of his works abroad.

The consecration of Eduardo-author, however, came in 1931, with his most famous comedy, Christmas in the Cupiello House, brought to the stage on December 25 by the new company founded by the three brothers. The performance took place in a theater that stood on the site of thecurrent Filangieri cinema.

The play, set entirely within Luca Cupiello's household, recounts the vicissitudes of "Lucariello" to which are intertwined those of his daughter Ninuccia. The gags between Lucariello and his wife Concetta are memorable.

From now on, the Humorous Theater Company will be in demand in the most important Italian theaters.

War, the enhancement of Neapolitan theater, and Filumena Marturano

The conflict years created quite a few difficulties for the theaters, but Eduardo and Peppino repeatedly subsidized the veterans of war and displaced people throughout Italy.

In 1944, the association with Peppino came to an end and, on December 10, Eduardo and Titina founded their own company, which, the following year, chronicled the war in Naples millionaire!, staged at the San Carlo Theater, for charity. The opera house, located in Plebiscite Square, is open to the public and still hosts dance performances and a museum.

'46 dates back to Filumena Marturano, the story of an ex-prostitute who tries to reunite her three children. Apparently Eduardo, was inspired by a real-life woman who lived in a brothel in Vico San Liborio, between Piazzetta Montesanto and Toledo Street. Today, at that spot, a small mural depicts Sophia Loren, an actress who played the role in the film Italian Wedding by Vittorio De Sica.

During this period, Eduardo, in crisis with his first American wife, meets the young actress Thea Prandi. At the same time, Titina's first heart problems arise, preventing her from acting.

In 1948, Eduardo, actively engaged in the recovery of the Neapolitan theater scene, bought the rubble of the St. Ferdinand to rebuild it into a state-of-the-art theater. Located near the Sanità District, is considered today the "home" of Neapolitan comedy. Here, you can visit a permanent exhibition dedicated to the most famous Neapolitan actors.

In the 1950s, De Filippo tried, unsuccessfully, to get the Naples Teatro Stabile off the ground and created the six-part TV series "Eduardo's Theater."

A dark period for affections, but full of professional satisfaction

Between 1960 and 1961, the author suffered two serious bereavements: the loss of his daughter Luisella and the loss of his second wife, Thea, from whom he was already separated. Despite the dark days, the work could not stop and the success of his works reached the USSR, Hungary, Austria and Belgium.

In the 1970s, he met international comedy stars such as Laurence Olivier.

In 1977, he married writer and translator Isabella Quarantotti in a civil ceremony.

In 1981, President Sandro Pertini named Eduardo De Filippo a senator for life.

Edwardian poetry: the verses that accompanied him throughout his career

One particular aspect that marked the author's creative process was his habit of composing poetry, especially in dialect, which was useful in aiding the writing of plays. The playwright, taking advantage of his many talents, used verse to quicken his drafting and give depth to the writing, picking up on themes and motifs that made the characters come alive. Among his most famous writings is the romantic "Si t "o sapesse dicere."

Ah... si putesse dicere/ Ah... if I could say.

Chello c' 'o core dice;/ what the heart says;

how happy/ how happy I would be

si t' 'o sapesse dì!/ if you knew how to say it.

And you put yourself sèntere/ And if then you felt

chello c' 'o core sente,/ what the heart feels

Would say, "Eternally/ would you say, 'Eternally.

voglio restà cu te!"/ I want to stay with you!"

Ma 'o core sape scrivere?/ But the heart cannot write,

'O core is illiterate,/ the heart is illiterate,

he's like a poet/ he's like a poet

ca nun sape cantà./ who can't sing.

Se mbroglia...move 'e vvirgule.../ He is wrong...move commas...

nu admirative point.../ an exclamation point...

puts nu subjunctive/ then puts a subjunctive

addò nun nce 'adda stà.../ there where it doesn't go.

E tu c' 'o staje a ssèntere/ And you're listening to him,

te mbruoglie appriess' a isso,/ you are wrong along with him,

comme succede spisso.../ as it happens often...

And goodbye Happiness!/ And goodbye Happiness!