A group of Italian language students from the University of Melbourne will present a play at Galen Catholic College later this month, with the public invited to attend.

Italian studies lecturer Matt Absalom said each year students in his Italian 6 class (typically those who have completed VCE Italian) worked together on a performance of a single-act farce by Nobel Prize-winning Italian playwright Dario Fo.

'Non tutti i ladri vengono per nuocere' ('The Virtuous Burglar') was written in the 1950s, and reflects the huge societal changes that took place in Italy during that period.

In preparing the performance, students learn about this time in history, and about the work of Dario Fo and his wife Franca Rame, who were at the forefront of Italian theatre when they were charged with developing a performance in Italian which was also accessible to people with little or no Italian.

"One of my aims with this project is to reach outside the university and invite people in to see the work that we do," Matt said.

"For this reason, I have been organising trips to country Victoria for many years to engage with schools and communities, particularly in areas where Italian migration has had a notable impact."

The group visited Wangaratta two years ago, and is looking forward to returning on Tuesday, 28 October for a public performance in the Galen Catholic College Performing Arts Centre from 5pm.

The play is about a seemingly ordinary burglar who breaks into an elegant apartment, expecting an easy night's work.

However, as the owners and their lovers arrive unexpectedly, the burglar finds himself tangled in a whirlwind of mistaken identities, secret affairs, and desperate improvisations.

Each lie spirals into another, showcasing the chaos that ensues within a web of deceit.

Matt said the support of local language teachers Claudia Bellani and Franco Cudini had been invaluable in organising the Galen visit, and there was also a Wangaratta connection through performer Vinnie Delany Barbara, who has family links to the area.

Vinnie said his connection to the North East had followed him throughout his life.

"My dad's family, the Delanys, live up in the hills of Whitlands, but my dad and his siblings all went to school in Wangaratta," he said.

"I visit Wangaratta a couple of times every year to see my Aunty Rita, and to visit my grandparents in Whitlands.

"The Italian community in Wangaratta has had a profound effect on my life.

"My dad always said that it was the support he received from the Italian community and the teachers at Galen College that allowed him to succeed in school and develop a deep appreciation for Italian culture.

"He passed this appreciation on to me, and I followed in his footsteps, completing Italian in VCE and now studying it at Melbourne University.

"I'm happy that through this play, I'll be able to give back to the Wangaratta community and demonstrate how its vibrant multicultural population has positively influenced me and my family."

For more information and to book free tickets, visit https://nontuttiiladri.wordpress.com/