Le avventure di Orlandino (the adventures of young Roland) were inspired by a long series of plays dedicated to the adventures of Charlemagne’s paladins, which used to be performed by the opera dei pupi. In the 1970s, when their traditional audience was disappearing, puppeteers from Palermo began performing for tourists. They would put on shows inspired by individual episodes of these adventures. At the time, Anna’s brother, Mimmo Cuticchio, was the first to write for young children, with a play on the theme of Orlando’s childhood.

After collaborating with her brother in the “Figli d’arte Cuticchio” company, Anna Cuticchio opened her own theatre anddecided to write her own version of Orlando’s childhood, in which she gave Bertha a greater role.

A shepherd finds Princess Bertha on a beach, after she was banished from the kingdom by her brother Carlo Magno. Bertha had sailed away with her lover Milone, but the captain of the boat kidnapped her. A tempest then sank the ship and dispersed all its passengers. The shepherd took the princess in as his own daughter and became the grandfather of the child she gave birth to – Orlandino.

Orlandino is an unruly child: he is always ready to hit someone with a stick. One day, he wins a tournament against the Governor’s child Oliviero. The Governor shows surprise at Orlandino’s victory, interrogates him and finds out he is Berta and Milone’s child. With the help of Duke Namo, Berta comes to Carlo Magno to ask for his forgiveness. But the king kicks her. As a consequence, Orlandino strikes the king with his stick. Carlo Magno and Berta finally reconcile. After biting him, Orlandino throws himself into his uncle’s arms. In him, his uncle sees the curse of the pagans and the champion of Christianity.