'E sorde co 'nteresse (Money with interests) is a one-act play belonging to a long cycle of Neapolitan shows about criminals. For several months, the audience could watch a new episode of this long story every evening. These long cycles were typical of the opera dei pupi. In the 19th century, in Naples as well as in Sicily, pupi theatres specialised in cycles of shows about the feats of Charlemagne and his paladins, drawing inspiration from several chivalric poems from the Italian Renaissance (such as Arioste’s Orlando Furioso, Boiardo’s Orlando innamorato or Pulci’s Morgante). Then at the beginning of the 20th century Neapolitan theatres also performed cycles about cammoristi (a type of Italian criminals).

Among the cycles on the Camorra, the one that was most often performed dealt with Tore 'e Criscienzo (Salvatore De Crescenzo). This episode is taken from it. This camorrist (who truly existed) is infamous mostly because in 1860, when the king of the Two Sicilies ran away from Naples and Garibaldi arrived in town, the prefect appointed him head of the civil guard. This repertory much loved by the audience features stories about camorristi, robbers, prisoners, police officers and camorristi-policemen. This episode in one act deals with a single hero: Nicolino Iossa, a “guappo sciammeria” (a guappo from the bourgeoisie or aristocracy who wears a sort of tail-coat called sciammeria and uses force to enforce justice).

The play was probably written first in 1860 by Francesco Verbale (the first author of the Tore 'e Criscienzo cycle) and belonged to puppeteer Ciro Perna, who performed in Frattamaggiore (near Naples) in the second half of the 20th century. Ciro Perna had reworked it by introducing local expressions from Frattamaggiore.

A moneylender nicknamed “'a Sberressa” (the policewoman) insults an old man and another poor man who cannot repay their debts. Her partner Nirone helps her and smacks every defaulting debtor. The Sberressa even forces one of the debtors, Rosenella, to give her money she had saved on the side to pay for medicine for her dying mother. These last abuses of power prompt two debtors to ask for Nicolino Iossa’s help. Nicolina does not hesitate and helps the poor victims of the moneylender. As punishment, he smacks the Sberressa and Nirone and forces them to give Rosenella her money back.