Genre Characteristics

• Political Farce: Accidental Death of an Anarchist is considered a political farce, as it combines humour and satire to critique and expose corruption within society, specifically in regards to the police and judiciary.
• Commedia dell’arte: Dario Fo was heavily influenced by this Italian form of theatre, known for its stock characters and improvised performances. This can be seen in the Maniac's use of multiple disguises and exaggerated physical comedy.
• Agitprop: A form of political propaganda in art or literature, Agitprop theatre was used to incite change and spur reaction from its audiences. The play uses farce and satire to highlight serious political issues and encourage action.

Fo's Style

• Farce and Satire: Fo uses these stylistic devices to ridicule the powerful and highlight their abuses. This is depicted through the absurdity of the police's cover-ups and the Maniac's manipulation of them.
• Bad Taste Humour: To undermine the gravity of the institutions he criticises, Fo employs crude and 'bad taste' humour. This can be seen in the humorous portrayal of serious matters such as the policeman's defenestration.
• Improvisation: In line with commedia dell'arte traditions, Fo's scripts are often viewed as blueprints with sections encouraged to be improvised. Actors should feel empowered to adapt dialogue and action to suit the political climate of their performance.

Interpretation of the Play

• Social and Political Commentary: The humour and farce of the play serve to comment on real incidents and critique the Italian government, judiciary, and police.
• Historical Significance: The play references the real incident of Giuseppe Pinelli's death and the subsequent cover-ups, corrupt practices, and incompetence of authorities.
• Exposing Corruption: The overriding focus is to expose corruption within society. This is achieved through the exaggerated portrayal of police officers and their inability to maintain their constructed narratives.