One of Italy's leading performance artists, Dario D'Ambrosi, is in residence at NY's La MaMa through Nov. 16 in La Trota (The Trout).

The play, written and directed by and featuring D'Ambrosi, is about an old man who lives in a ramshackle room and makes a living repairing broken dishes.

D'Ambrosi, who describes his work as being akin to commedia dell'arte, stands alongside of Italy's theatrical giants Pirandello, DiFilippo and Dario Fo. In 1994, D'Ambrosi was honored with a prize for lifetime achievement in the theatre from the Instituto del Drama Italiano (Italy's equivalent of a Tony Award).

La Trota was originally presented by La MaMa in 1986. One journalist observed then that "Mr. D'Ambrosi played the madman so well that one was tempted not to laugh out of politeness, trained as we are not to find humor in the antics of the afflicted."

D'Ambrosi is performing through Nov. 16 at La MaMa in the East Village. For tickets, call (212) 475-7710. -- By Rebecca Paller