"Judgement at Midnight" the Secret Play Text by Andrea Camilleri

The literary genius of the unforgettable Andrea Camilleri continues to hold surprises even after his death on 17 July 2019. A new chapter in the creative life of the famous Sicilian writer recently opened with the discovery of an unpublished play, thanks to the discovery of his daughter Andreina Camilleri. Despite his skills as a novelist, Camilleri had always ruled out the possibility of becoming a playwright. However, the incredible discovery of this work, which had been hidden in the author's home in Rome, demonstrated the Sicilian writer's artistic versatility.

The news of the discovery of the text was divulged by director Giuseppe Dipasquale, who had the privilege of knowing Camilleri initially as a teacher and later as a friend. The rediscovered theatrical text, entitled "Judgement at midnight"is a one-act play dating back to 1947. Camilleri was just 22 years old when he sent his work to the commission for the prestigious Faber Prize in Florence, chaired by the renowned theatre critic Silvio d'Amico. Camilleri's work won first prize, and the author himself travelled to Florence to collect it. However, the young writer was apparently not completely satisfied. On the return trip to Sicily, rereading his prize-winning play, he exclaimed: "What is this rubbish?" Surprisingly, he threw the text out of the train window, distancing himself from the play, which, according to him, "reeked of modernism."

The posthumous publication of 'Riccardino,' the last novel featuring the famous Commissario Montalbano character, had led one to think that there were no other unpublished works by Andrea Camilleri. The discovery of this play shows how much of Camilleri's literary heritage remains to be discovered. Giuseppe Dipasquale enthusiastically announced that the rediscovered text will soon be published, once again highlighting the artistic genius of one of the greatest Sicilian authors of the 20th century.