The story takes place in a city inspired by New York in the 70s and 80s, a period when the economic recession plunged the metropolis into chaos, leaving it violent, degraded, but paradoxically vibrant and creative. With the public coffers on the brink of bankruptcy and essential services collapsing, entire neighborhoods were taken over by abandonment and crime. At the same time, this scenario gave rise to a cultural explosion, where artists and opportunists coexisted in a chaotic environment, shaping the city's unique character.
The characters navigate a world where everything seemed possible – for better or for worse. Abandoned buildings were occupied by artistic collectives, like those that turned SoHo into a hub for contemporary art. In the Bronx, young people without access to traditional spaces reinvented music and dance, giving birth to hip-hop. Meanwhile, gangs like the Savage Skulls and the Black Spades dominated territories, while police corruption and drug trafficking thrived in the shadows.
The contrast between luxury and misery was also evident. At the legendary Studio 54, celebrities, politicians, and mobsters mixed in nights of excess and debauchery, while on the other side of the city, neighborhoods like South Bronx were burning in arson fires, the result of real estate speculation and lack of government assistance.
In this story, the characters may resemble real figures from the time, but are reinvented with a more laid-back and stylized touch. The focus is not on faithfully recreating historical events, but on capturing the essence of this chaotic and fascinating period. The scenographic approach brings the aesthetic of the time, populated by typical figures: marginal artists, charming delinquents, decadent mobsters, and misunderstood visionaries, all trying to survive in the whirlwind of a city that, even in ruins, pulsated with creative and unpredictable energy.
