What really happens in 1952 when Frank Sinatra, blinded by jealousy for Ava Gardner, plummeted down from New York to Nairobi on the set of the film Mogambo, which her fiery Hollywood companion, Hollywood actress Clark Gable, was shooting next to the cracker Clark Gable?
And what adventures did the great writer Ernest Hemingway hold back in Kenya, between big hunting in the reserves and deep sea fishing in Watamu?
What are the most famous Italians who have passed from Malindi since Kenya's independence to the present day?
These stories, with the accompaniment of songs and poems, are part of the series of shows entitled "I know the song of Africa", four evenings starting from Thursday 21 December, curated by the journalist and writer Freddie del Curatolo with the participation of the musician and singer Marco "Sbringo" Bigi.
Freddie will retrace episodes, curiosities and exciting background scenes of famous "wazungu" in Kenya, with the outline of Africa's disease and nostalgia for a world evoked by the songs played by the two.
The classics of Frank Sinatra and swing 1950s will be the ideal soundtrack for the first episode: "Frank Sinatra and Ava Gardner's escape of love" (Thursday, December 21, at 9 p. m.), while jazz and its best age will serve as a counterpoint to the stories from Hemingway's writings and adventurous life, narrated on the second evening "Ernest Hemingway between Watamu and the Savana" (Thursday, December 28th, at the same time).
Fifty years of Italian songs will mark the story of the third episode entitled "Italiani in Kenya, da Moravia a Briatore"on Thursday, January 4th. Closing of the festival between history, music, culture and anecdotes with an evening of "Poems and songs of Africa" to be discovered. Thursday 11 January, again at 9 pm.
For information and reservations (we recommend you reserve tables well in advance), tel. 0700766704