malta showcase is a curated
TRANSCRIPT
Malta Showcase is a curated
collection of theatre, music, comedy
and interactive performance, all
created in Malta.
The Valletta 2018 Foundation,
St James Cavalier Centre for
Creativity and Arts Council Malta
actively work to support the creativity
and enhance the potential of Maltese
artists across all disciplines.January 2015© Valletta 2018 Foundation, St James Cavalier Centre for Creativity & Arts Council Malta
1
CONTENTS
Dance 5
Theatre 13
Music 27
Young Audiences 49
bands 87
lIST OF COMPANIES 102
The Pill -
The Rubberbodies Collective
3
DANCE REPERTOIRE
Maltese Folklore Dances The Daphne Lungaro Folklore Group
MindSet Moveo Dance Company
Iż-Żifna tal-Poeta Sarah Vella, Annekatrin Kiesel, Hendrik K. Kar, Sinja Maucher
Mindset -
Moveo Dance Company
5
THE DAPHNE LUNGARO FOLKLORE GROUP
As a celebration of Maltese culture, the repertoire offers a brief glimpse into specific aspects of the island’s history. Each dance is brought to life by a group of highly-skilled female dancers who perform in costume, further adding to the narrative of the dances. The set includes the Għonella Dance, performed with the għonella headdress which is unique to the island’s female costume heritage as well as the Sicilian-influenced Come let’s Dance, the nuanced Offering of The Candle and The Court Fan Dance.
20min per show
English
• Touring Company: 6 members• Minimum Performance Area: 10m x 8m
MALTESEFOLKLOREDANCES
7
MOVEO DANCE COMPANY
MINDSET
40min per show
Non-verbal
www.moveodancecompany.com
MindSet is an interdisciplinary, collaborative project between the Centre for Biomedical Cybernetics, the Department of Systems and Control Engineering, and Moveo Dance Company, focused on building up a new viewer-centred performance. It aims at translating brain activity into actions without physical action, through the use of Brain Computer Interface (BCI) Technology.
The performance will marry this emerging technology to contemporary dance to create an innovative performance in which the audience’s brain activity and the dancers’ movement communicate to create something quite unique. In this space, all actions, being physical or neurological can be detected and will interact with each other through visual and audio effects.
• Touring Company: 8 members• Minimum Performance Area: 6m x 5m
9
SARAH VELLA, ANNEKATRIN KIESEL,
HENDRIK K. KAR, SINJA MAUCHER
25-30min per show
Maltese, mostly non-verbal
Rużar Briffa, known as the poet of simplicity and beauty, is still an influential and major figure in Maltese literature. This performance revolves around Rużar Briffa’s poems in relation to dance, movement and music. Briffa’s work has inspired three dancers and one musician to explore how his writings could be expressed and translated through contemporary dance and music. The performance project is a celebration of the arts, Maltese identity and Maltese culture.
• Touring Company: 4 members• Maximum audience: 200 people• Minimum performance area: 10m x 8m
11
THEATRE REPERTOIRE
Waiting RoomAleateia Theatre Group
LacunaDù Theatre Group
Rendez Vous (Appuntamenti)Dù Theatre Group
Porn – The MusicalLaughing Matters
The PillThe Rubberbodies Collective
White Sea : Baħar Abjad The Rubberbodies Collective
13
ALEATEIA THEATRE GROUP
Everybody hates waiting. Waiting Room is a play written by Simon Bartolo that revolves around four women in a waiting room who come up with ingenious ways to kill time by resorting to some very interesting activities…Some of us might take a page out of their book and try out some of their fun stuff the next time we’re waiting for the lawyer, gynaecologist, dentist or hairdresser.
Who knows? We might make a few new friends…or enemies.
• Touring Company: 4 members (along with the inclusion 1-2 crew members)• Maximum audience: 200 (Performance may be adapted to more intimate or larger audiences)• Minimum performance area: Dependent on venue size [email protected]
60min per show
Maltese, English and French, Non-verbal or multilingual (dependingon context of performance)
www.aleateia.com
WAITING ROOM
Waiting Room -
Aleateia Theatre Group
15
DÙ THEATRE GROUP
Lacuna centres on four women in an empty space who have nothing in common. They don’t know who they are, where they are, or who the other three are. There’s only one common thread that connects them - the answers might lie in the Neapolitan song, Santa Lucia.
Lacuna is inspired from Sepja, a series of novellas written by Trevor Zahra. The performance piece is an original adaptation written by Dù Theatre founder Simone Spiteri.
• Touring Company: 7 members• Maximum audience: 200 people• Minimum performance area: 8m x 9m (can be adapted to suit venue size) [email protected]
60min per show
Maltese and English
www.dutheatre.com
LACUNA
17
DÙ THEATRE GROUP
Rendez Vous (Appuntamenti) tells the story of three couples who are experiencing troubles in their relationships. Because of this, the unhappy people in the relationships decide to look elsewhere for affection, approval and attention. Members from the different couples meet each other by chance. This chance encounter leads to flirtations and plans to meet up with their new potential love interest. Garcia Marquez’s classic Love in the time of Cholera features in the play, exchanging hands between the difference characters. At the end of the play, all the characters end up at the bus stop with the book in hand, and the revelations of infidelity ensue.
• Touring Company: 7-8 members• Maximum audience: 250 people• Minimum performance area: Can be adapted according to venue size [email protected]
60min per show
Maltese and English
www.dutheatre.com
RENDEZ VOUS
(Appuntamenti)
19
LAUGHING MATTERS
Porn – the Musical follows the adventures of a young and naïve guy from the Mediterranean island of Malta who goes to America to start a new life. Once in America, our young hero becomes more confident after being embraced by a lovable group of friends who work in the adult film industry. However, will his newfound assertiveness be enough to save the studio from ruin when disaster strikes?
• Maximum audience: 60 people (can be adapted to a larger audience depending on venue) • Minimum performance area: 9.14m x 4.57m x 3.05m to Minimum performance area: 9.14m x 4.57m x 3.05m [email protected]
Recommended Age: 16+
110min per show
English
Porn – The Musical
PORNTHE MUSICAL
21
THE RUBBERBODIES
COLLECTIVEThe Pill explores the role of medicine and illness in the lives of people. Through contemporary theatre, movement, play with objects and popularised scientific presentation, the story unfolds an amalgam of autobiographical narratives, fantasies, and associations, all exploring a surreal desire for an instant cure to all possible illnesses.
Through this performance, the Rubberbodies Collective continue to reaffirm their focus on the creation of innovative artistic productions, alongside the development of a community of both local and international collaborators.
The Pill is a solo act by Ira Melkonyan, who researched, wrote and performs the piece.
• Touring Company: 3 members• Maximum audience: 150 people• Minimum performance area: 5m x 5m x 7m
60min per show
English
www.rubberbodiescollective.com
THE PILL
23
THE RUBBERBODIES
COLLECTIVE
White Sea is a 50-minute non-verbal visual theatre performance about two women whose connection with the port has existed since childhood, bound by the trajectory of the Captain. The White Sea is what holds the eternal search of harmony in the life, soul and heart of the characters, and like the tidal rhythms, they swim towards, away, and past each other, looking for that moment of unity.
• Touring Company: 7 members• Maximum audience: 500 people• Minimum performance area: 7m x 7m x 12m
50min per show
Non-verbal
www.rubberbodiescollective.com
25
MUSIC REPERTOIREĠgantija 2013Ars Vitae Ensemble
BerneBerne
CygnaCygna
Contemporary Piano RecitalGabi Sultana
Musica MelitenseJoseph Lia
BellophoneMario Sammut
VelvetNadine Axisa
The Nafra Folk EnsembleSoundscapes
The Nisġa ProjectThe Nisġa Project
VIBE The Valletta International Baroque Festival
Ġgantija 2013 -
Ars Vitae Ensemble
27
ARS VITAE ENSEMBLE
Ġgantija 2013 represents a multidisciplinary work embracing music, visual art and literature in dialogue with Gozo’s Ġgantija temples. The project is also open to other historic venues throughout Europe as stages for interpretation.
The first phase of Ġgantija 2013 was launched in June 2013 thanks to a team comprising curator Dr Vince Briffa, Victor Agius, who handled the sculptural and light interventions, Mariella Cassar Cordina, who crafted the musical work, and lyricist Immanuel Mifsud. This has been followed by a second phase of the project consisting of educational workshops. The final phase, Ġgantija II, brings together compositions by Dr Cassar Cordina and the lyrical input of Mifsud. Past performances have featured documentation of the first phase through a 30-minute video-installation featuring new mixed-media sculptures and murals by Agius.
• Touring Company: 14 members• Maximum audience: 150-300 people (dependent on venue size)• Minimum performance Area: 10m x 10m x 5m
Ġgantija I 30min per showĠgantija II 13min per show
Maltese
Ars Vitae Ensemble
29
BERNE
Drawn towards writing dark and intriguing songs, Berne’s broad vocal range and arresting vocal delivery is driven by an organic piano sound. Her music offers delicacy and drama that lingers on.
Influenced by artists such as Regina Spektor, Imogen Heap, Agnes Obel and Sóley, Berne finds inspirations in the realities that surround us in our struggles. Through live vocal and instrumental looping, Berne creates rhythmic and melodic layers to produce an interesting contrast between repetition and interpretation, inviting the audience to witness a performance characterised by this musical craft.
• Touring Company: 1 member• Minimum performance Area: 2m x 2m x 2m
40min per show
English
www.berneofficial.com
BERNE
31
CYGNA
Cygna is best known for symphonic ambient compositions in which he connects contemporary ambient sound with classical instruments. His repertoire promises a 60-minute selection of original compositions covering genres like electronic, ambient, classical and theatre music. His album Opus Ena launched in 2011, further illustrates a unique ability to craft various genres together whilst creating a sound which is both ancient and futuristic.
As a composer and sound designer he composed and collaborated on theatre productions, dance projects, visual and interactive art works, live cinema performances, as well as composing for feature films, documentaries and TV series.
• Touring Company: 1 member• Minimum performance Area: 2m x 1m
60min per show
www.cygnamusic.com
CYGNA
33
GABI SULTANA
A highly acclaimed soloist and chamber musician, Gabi Sultana’s music is best described through her unique take on contemporary music published after 1950.
Her performances have earned rave reviews, with her ability in demonstrating the exhilarating and adventurous qualities of contemporary music. She has also won the ‘Contemporary Music Award’ and the ‘Outstanding Pianist’ awards at the 2013 IBLA International Music Competition in Sicily, followed by her debut in Carnegie Hall in New York in May 2014.
• Touring Company: 1 member• Maximum audience: 250 people • Minimum performance Area: 5m x 4m (dependent on piano size)
60min per show
www.gabisultana.com
CONTEMPORARY PIANORECITAL
35
JOSEPH LIA
MUSICA MELITENSE
60-75min per show
Maltese and Latin
www.josephlia.com
Musica Melitense is a celebration of classical and contemporary organ as well as organ and baritone music written by Maltese composers, ranging from Luigi Grech’s Sonata No 7 to Alex Vella Gregory’s more recent composition, Prelude and Fugue in memory of G. Pace. The repertoire is brought to life by Joseph Lia, an accomplished baritone singer who started receiving formal training in Malta before going on to further perfecting his art at the Rimsky-Korsakov St Petersburg State Conservatoire under the tuition of Prof. Sergei Riazantsev. He has also distinguished himself as a recitalist, mastering the lieder and oratorio repertoire.
• Touring Company: 2 members
37
MARIO SAMMUT
The Bellophone is a large scale instrument commissioned by Notte Bianca that uses real bells in church bell towers. It is a device which allows the audience to interact with the bells of two churches simultaneously with the use of a controller in Independence Square, Valletta. Big round buttons serve as a hit trigger to ring the 150 year old bells of St. Paul’s Anglican Pro-Cathedral and the Basilica of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, which can be both viewed from the square. The audience is invited to unleash their own creativity and play the melody they wish by using the sounds which have accompanied the Maltese population since childhood – church bells. The Bellophone’s location changes every year.
• Touring Company: 5-6 members• Maximum audience: Unlimited• Minimum performance area: button controller: 1.5m2, bells according to site (church bells or any sounding object)
Non-verbal
www.bellophone.org
BELLOPHONE
39
NADINE AXISA
Nadine Axisa has been contributing to the jazz scene since 2003. With plenty of experience of live performance, Nadine provides a high quality performance, together with a jazz trio/quartet. Her versatility allows for the interpretation of different styles, yet jazz remains the genre in which she excels. Nadine’s latest album, Velvet, brings together songs performed in English along with tracks in Maltese, namely Għanja.
Axisa also infuses local crowd favourites, such as Xemx and L-Aħħar Bidwi f’ Wied il-Għasel, with a distinctive jazz vibe.
• Touring Company: 5-6 members• Maximum audience: Dependent on venue size
VELVET60-80min per show
Maltese and English
www.nadineaxisa.com
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SOUNDSCAPES
The Nafra Folk Ensemble is a major international exponent of Malta’s music heritage. Composer Ruben Zahra is committed to the revival of traditional Maltese instruments such as the Maltese bagpipe, iż-Żaqq. Zahra established the Nafra Folk Ensemble, which portrays a versatile programme of Mediterranean folk-fusion embellished by the unique sonority of Maltese traditional instruments. This innovative approach to Mediterranean music has led Nafra to perform in major music festivals all over Europe as well as in Tunisia, Egypt, Hong Kong and India. Nafra also collaborates with larger groups such as chamber ensembles, brass bands and even symphony orchestras resulting in a blend of Mediterranean folk roots and other musical styles.
• Touring Company: 5 members• Minimum performance area: 6m x 5m
60min per show
www.soundscapes.com.mt
THE NAFRA FOLK
ENSEMBLE
43
THE NISĠA PROJECT
The Nisġa Project is an ongoing initiative that attempts to weave the arts together. The project creates various bridges between different aspects within art in order to mould and fulfil a tangible experience through words and sound. Nisġa’s inception dates back to 2009, resulting in the creation of a project that has been expressed through a number of performances. Since then, other material in music and poetry was created and brought to the stage. The members, which change periodically, bring to the table their own individual experiences as artists from other projects. Mostly, these individual projects relate mainly to the media of music and literature. Previous performances include Notte Bianca, Għana Fest and Earth Garden.
• Touring Company: 5-6 members• Minimum performance area: 6m x 5m
60min per show
The Nisġa Project
45
THE VALLETTA INTERNATIONAL
BAROQUE ENSEMBLE
Formed in 2012, the Valletta International Baroque Ensemble (VIBE) is the residentensemble of the Valletta International Baroque Festival. The group plays on periodinstruments and is made up of established Malta-based musicians collaborating alongsideinternationally established early instrument specialists.
VIBE’s repertoire includes major works by Gabrieli, Monteverdi, Willaert, Usper, Handel, and J S Bach. The Ensemble has also been instrumental in the rediscovery and performance of works by Maltese composers from the 17th and 18th century.
• Touring Company: 10 members
VIBE
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Young AudiencesREPERTOIREFly FlynnDù Theatre Group
The Not So Cool Life of a Teenager Called JulianDù Theatre Group
Danny and the Monster ClothesHopping Donkey
Cookie and the Art of BullyingFlying Crumbs Theatre
Multinauti EstellaMighty Box
Multinauti Pirati!Mighty Box
Everything you Need to Know about Science (More or Less)More or Less Theatre
The Complete History of Europe (More or Less)More or Less Theatre
See-QuaticMoveo Dance Company and RedTape Dance Company
Sync in Progress RedTape Dance Company
Mrs Stork’s Mysterious EggsThe Rubberbodies Collective
Ħrejjef – Maltese FolktalesSoundscapes
KiranaSoundscapes
#babydaddyStudio 18
ClubTeatru Manoel Youth Theatre
The Three SunsetsTeatru Manoel Youth Theatre
Ir-Ritorn (The Return)Theatre Anon
Neith: Performing Our World
Cookie and the Art of Bullying -
Flying Crumbs Theatre
49
DÙ THEATRE GROUP
Fly Flynn is a shadow puppet theatre piece which tells the story of Flynn, a young awkward flamingo. While in flight with his family, Flynn loses his balance and falls to the ground without his family realising. Scared and lonely, he must bear the pain in his wing and make his way back to his family. On the way he meets several new friends and discovers a world he would have otherwise flown over.
The piece is aimed at young children of various backgrounds, as well as children who are unable to go to the theatre because of a medical/physical condition.
• Touring Company: 4 members• Maximum audience: 80 people• Minimum performance area: dependent on space provided. [email protected]
Recommended Age: 3+
20min per show
Visual/English
www.dutheatre.com
FLY FLYNN
51
DÙ THEATRE GROUP
The life of Julian, an intelligent but naughty 14 year-old, is, to put it simply, a disaster - and not cool at all. Bad news from school, no luck in joining the most popular gang, and to top it all, his mum and dad separated recently. However, Julian is also obsessed by Justin Artio, a RPG character he created - fearless, brave and smart. Basically, he’s all Julian wishes he was, but isn’t. Things get complicated when it seems that his mother has met someone, when the school gang starts noticing him, and it’s time for his exams. Julian needs to take some decisions but what to do? What would Justin Artio do?
Recommended Age: 12+
Maltese and English
www.dutheatre.com
• Touring Company: 7 members• Maximum audience: 250 people
THE NOT SO COOL LIFE OF A TEENAGER
CALLED JULIAN
53
HOPPING DONKEY
DANNY AND THE MONSTER
CLOTHES
One night, Danny is awoken by a strange noise coming from underneath a pile of clothes. He soon discovers one of his socks has magically come to life! Soon, more and more of Danny’s clothes start coming to life, but Danny’s excitement is cut short when he realises that these fiery clothes are a cycle short of a full load! Chaos ensues as the clothes start arguing between themselves, and Danny loses all control!
This madcap, interactive theatre/puppet show has, at its core, the theme of acceptance and diversity. It is a feast for the imagination which will leave audiences spellbound.
• Touring Company: 3 members• Maximum audience: 150 people• Minimum performance area: 4m x 3m x 5m
Recommended Age: 9+
60min per show
English/Maltese
55
FLYING CRUMBS THEATRE
Cookie is a six-year-old school girl who hates being bullied. One day she decides to take things into her own hands when she sees cool kid Rough bully the other kids. She makes a deal with Rough for him to teach her the art of bullying in exchange for delicious pastries from her family’s bakery. But bullying isn’t all it’s cracked out to be. Cookie is an original story by Veronica Stivala, Alexander Sobolla and Marta Vella, brought to life with sketches, puppets and monsters in school yards.
Recommended Age: 5+50min per show
English
www.cookiebully.com
• Touring Company: 2 members• Maximum audience: 150 people• Minimum performance area: 4m x 3m x 3m
COOKIE AND THE ART OF BULLYING
57
MIGHTY BOX
MULTINAUTI – ESTELLA is an unforgettable interactive audio-visual experience that is set to enthral the young and the young-at-heart alike. The installation follows the adventures of the star Estella as she explores territories and makes new friends in her journey from the heavens to the oceans. Multinauti is an environment created by means of a projection, where children are able to interact with a wide range of beautifully rendered elements such as stars, space-ships, leaves and flowers as well as insects and other creatures. The installation combines striking visuals and audio to provide a truly magical experience.
Recommended Age: 0-315min per showThe performance can be repeated immediately as soon as a new audience is ushered into the space.
Non-verbal
www.mightyboxgames.com
• Touring Company: 2 members• Maximum audience: 6 children• Minimum performance area: 5m x 4m x 6m
59
MIGHTY BOX
MULTINAUTI – PIRATI! is an interactive story which takes children on an adventure starting on a mysterious island, and then taking to the high seas to look for a pirate’s lost treasure! The enthralling story features Estella, the lovable fallen star from the first Multinauti - Estella, in a new setting.
Two animators enhance the experience by acting out the story and leading the kids through the interactive performance.
Recommended Age: 0-325min per showThe performance can be repeated immediately as soon as a new audience is ushered into the space.
Non-verbal
www.mightyboxgames.com
• Touring Company: 2 members (the company will require two local animators)• Maximum audience: 6 children• Minimum performance area: 5m x 4m x 6m
61
MORE OR LESS THEATRE
Presented by two curious comedians, EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT SCIENCE (MORE OR LESS) gives its young audiences a general overview of all things science – from the smallest particle all the way up to the vastness of the universe. The children are introduced to key figures in the history of science and become acquainted with their genius and eccentricities as they help them conduct live experiments. The play’s strengths lie in its ability to entertain its audiences while subtly feeding their curiosity about all things science.
Recommended Age: 8+60min per show
English
www.moreorlesstheatre.com
• Touring Company: 3 members• Maximum audience: 200 people• Minimum performance area: 4m x 4m x 4m
63
MORE OR LESS THEATRE
Starting from the Bronze Age and going all the way up until the current formation of the EU, THE COMPLETE HISTORY OF EUROPE (MORE OR LESS) goes through the entire history of Europe in a fun and hilarious way. Presented by a comedic duo using a boxful of costumes and props, this show cuts European history down to size by providing its young (and not so young) audiences with a very useful overview of what happened and when – enabling them to put history lessons into context. Relying on the performers’ energy and charisma, this play is highly transportable and versatile.
Recommended Age: 8+60min per show
English
www.moreorlesstheatre.com
• Touring Company: 3 members• Maximum audience: 200 people• Minimum performance area: 4m x 4m x 4m
65
MOVEO DANCE COMPANY AND REDTAPE
DANCE COMPANY
See-Quatic is an explorative dance journey which exposes children to a magical underwater experience. The performance evokes and stimulates the senses and provides children with unique, yet challenging experience. The children are invited to interact with their surroundings, allowing for viewing from different perspectives and an immersive experience. The performance, through the holistic linking of music, movement and visuals, suggests different viewpoints allowing children to be creative and construct their own stories. Based on children’s thematic interests, See-Quatic provides an immersive surreal experience through the art of dance.
• Touring Company: 7 members• Maximum audience: 30 people• Minimum performance area: 10m x 10m [email protected], [email protected]
SEE-QUATIC
Recommended Age: 3+30min per show
Non-verbal
www.moveodancecompany.com, www.redtapedance.com
67
REDTAPE DANCE COMPANY
“RedTape not only thrives on innovation but offers a distinctive outlook which is nothing short of engaging” Times of Malta
Technology wouldn’t exist without the human being, but are we arriving at a point where human beings can’t exist without technology? This project explores the positive and negative effects that technology has brought upon us. The interdisciplinary performance takes the form of a physical dance piece with spoken word and interactive projections, original music, digital animation and photography. It presents allegories that present visions of the future and play on the hopes and anxieties surrounding technology.
Recommended Age: 12+40min per show
English
www.redtapedance.com
• Touring Company: 9 members• Maximum audience: 150 people• Minimum performance area: 8m x 8m
69
THE RUBBERBODIES
COLLECTIVE
High up in the clear blue sky, Mrs Stork flies a mischievous little egg to its nest far away. As they rest, the egg grows impatient and decides to sneak away, only to end up in the clutches of the hungry thief with an appetite for eggs! Mrs Stork is distraught when she wakes up alone the next day, but a valiant man with a flying machine who happens to be flying by hears her cries and offers his assistance. Will Mrs Stork and the flying man find the poor egg in time?
The Rubberbodies Collective presents a visual treat with a performance including puppets and animation which transports children into a world of adventure.
Recommended Age: 7+35min per show
English
www.rubberbodiescollective.com
• Touring Company: 6 members• Maximum audience: 100 people• Minimum performance area: 5m x 5m x 5m
71
• Touring Company: 3 members• Maximum audience: subject to size of screen and amplification• Minimum performance area: 4m x 6m
SOUNDSCAPES
Recommended Age: 7-1130min per showThe performance can be repeated immediately as soon as a new audience is ushered in the space.
English, Maltese, Italian and can be devised and translated into host language
www.soundscapes.com.mt
“Zahra shows considerable prowess as a composer of atonal music, able to convey moods that range all over the place, always in support of the stories” RootsWorld
Ħrejjef – Maltese folktales is a captivating interdisciplinary production which brings together traditional stories, shadow puppetry, contemporary music and digital animation. At its core lies a collection of four Maltese folktales, presented in the style of a traditional storyteller accompanied by a live piano recital that acts as a soundtrack to the stories.
73
SOUNDSCAPES
KIRANA is an interdisciplinary performance that has been designed to connect children with professional artists. Four professional artists from Malta travel to an international festival and conduct a 5-day workshop with the children of a particular city. The children contribute directly to the performance with their own rhythms, movements and language. Some of the scenes are supported by digital animation projections which breathe life into artworks created by children. KIRANA introduces children to a wide range of new artistic experiences: from contemporary music to percussion workshops, digital animation and light painting.
• Touring Company: 4 members
KIRANARecommended Age: 10-1445min per show
Any Language
www.soundscapes.com.mt
75
STUDIO 18
Matt is seventeen. He is popular, smart, and also cocky at times, but likable nonetheless. He dreams of one day becoming a world class photographer, but right now all that matters is getting his exam results and being promoted to second year sixth form, after which he’s all set to enjoy the summer of his dreams.
However, on the day his results are due, he receives another piece of information: his ex-girlfriend is pregnant. The next nine months will prove challenging on a number of levels - Matt must now face his family and friends (old and new), his ex-girlfriend, a great deal of multitasking and ultimately… parenthood!
Recommended Age: 14+90min per show
Maltese and English
www.studio18malta.com
• Touring Company: 14-15 members• Maximum audience: 250-300 people (dependent on performance area)• Minimum performance area: 5m x 8m x 4m
#BABYDADDY
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TEATRU MANOEL YOUTH THEATRE
“Director Denise Mulholland steered these young people towards high technical standards and run a tight enough ship not to have a single badly-paced scene” Times of Malta
How does a group of teenagers deal with the death of a friend? Some of them deny, some get angry, some bargain, some sink into depression- but all of them club. Focusing on a group of teenagers dealing with the aftermath of a tragic accident, this original piece has been created by the members of Teatru Manoel Youth Theatre. Using a mixture of dance, music, physical theatre and original material scripted by the actors CLUB explores the world of today’s cyber-teenager. It deals with consequences and asks the question ‘How far would you go to belong?’
Recommended Age: 13+60min per show
English
www.teatrumanoel.com.mt
• Touring Company: 15 members• Maximum audience: 200 people• Minimum performance area: 5m x 5m x 5m
79
TEATRU MANOEL YOUTH THEATRE
Somewhere not far from here is a forest. It isn’t hidden, it isn’t secret and it’s there foreveryone to see. But nowadays, people, especially children, don’t go for walks like they used to…they stay at home and watch TV, chat online, or play Candy Crush. So, over the years, thisforest has become a bit of a secret, and it is quite lonely for the two people who live there -The Old Man and The Girl. Neither of them has aged in a very long time, nor have they madeany memories of their own. They never leave the forest. They are the custodians of all thememories in the world. Every memory ever created in the world is kept here, filed within theeccentric system known only to The Old Man. But now something frightening is happening -memories are being stolen. When one memory is stolen, hundreds of other memoriesdisappear as a consequence. If this is not resolved by the end of just three sunsets, there willbe no memories left in the world and so The Girl sets out to retrieve the lost memories, butwhat she finds is far beyond her expectations.
Recommended Age: 7+
70min per show
English
www.teatrumanoel.com.mt
• Touring Company: 20-30 members• Minimum performance area: 9m x 9m x 5m
THE THREE SUNSETS
81
• Touring Company: 6 members• Maximum audience: 250 people• Minimum performance area: 8m x 8m x 8m
THEATRE ANON
Recommended Age: 8+60min per show
Maltese and English
www.theatreanon.com
Six actors retell Homer’s epic poem in sixty breath-taking minutes mixing drama with humour and tragedy with slapstick in a tale of perseverance, cunning and courage in the face of danger....perhaps the greatest adventure story of all time!
IR-RITORN (THE RETURN)
83
This performance, which is inspired by the Egyptian myth of Neith – goddess of water and creation, is built on the idea of water being the ultimate primordial source.
Neith: Performing Our World invites an audience of adolescents with profound and multiple learning disabilities into a space that engages them three-dimensionally as Earth and the elements emerge around them. This serves as a platform for a multi-sensory experience of rhythm, texture, sound, and colour. The performance experience is facilitated in an interactive way for every teenager present to be given their own individual space and time to engage with the creative experience.
Recommended Age: 10+40min per show
Non-verbal
• Touring Company: 3 members• Maximum audience: 10 young people (incl. 5 wheelchair spaces) + 10 accompanying persons OR 12 young people (incl. 3 wheelchair spaces) + 10 accompanying persons OR 14 young people (max. 1 wheelchair space) + 10 accompanying persons.• Minimum performance area: 6.5m x 6.5m x 2.7m
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BANDs REPERTOIRE
MarietteAirport Impressions
*etnika*etnika (touring band) KantilenaKantilena
KażinSkaKażinSka
GħeraPlato’s Dream Machine
Can’t Stop the PeopleThe Rifffs
TraniaTrania
*etnika
(touring band)
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AIRPORT IMPRESSIONS
As one of the most successful bands to have emerged locally in recent years, Airport Impressions have clocked up countless radio hits along the way, among them Borderline, Walk With Me, and more recently Hymns of June and Berlin. The journey of Airport Impressions has brought with it some great experiences, including numerous local awards. Their last single, Berlin, has also earned the band international recognition. Their latest album Mariette perfectly captures the band’s versatility as it embraces pop and rock as much as it does country and indie folk, perfectly blending these genres. The live performance of Mariette also includes other previously released material along with the possibility of acoustic sessions.
• Touring Company: 5 members• Maximum audience: 1,000 people• Minimum performance area: 5m x 7m x 0.5m
60-90min per show
English
www.airportimpressions.com
MARIETTE
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*ETNIKA (TOURING BAND)
Some 15 years ago, a small but enthusiastic group of friends on the Mediterranean island ofMalta strived to revive the Maltese roots music. The unlikely yet irresistible resultwas enchanting – music that challenged people’s perception of their own musical identity.
*etnika are all about diversity, which is why their 6-piece band format consists of an unlikely mix of artists and characters that play different instruments. The Maltese flute, oud, biambo, double bass, Flamenco footwork and Maltese lullabies all feature in the band’s performances.
• Touring Company: 6 members• Minimum performance Area: 6m x 8m x 1.2m
60min per festival show90min per club show
Maltese
Etnika
*ETNIKA
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KANTILENA
Kantilena presents a brand of modern and contemporary folk with traditional roots. Theband consists of four core members: violinist James Baldacchino, accordionist Albert Garzia,vocalist and pianist Alessandro Lia, and vocalist and guitarist Drinu Camilleri. “Kantilena’smusic is fundamentally Maltese,” explains Baldacchino. “However we are also inspired byvarious sources, including music from other countries and cultures. We’ve been told a fewtimes that our music sometimes reminds people of Jewish music or Balkan or Sicilian.”
60min per show
Maltese
www.kantilenamalta.com
• Touring Company: 4-6 members (dependent on setup)• Minimum performance area: 6m x 5m
KANTILENA
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KAŻINSKA
KażinSka is a band as well as an ongoing project embracing Maltese roots by combining traditional music and culture with a more contemporary sound as well as a comedic approach.
The music of KażinSka, as the name suggests, focuses primarily on ska music as well as on the traditional banda marches. KażinSka, however, gives its own interpretation of the banda marches’ melodies incorporating these into ska, reggae, samba, jazz, R&B and other styles. This creates a joyous atmosphere synonymous with the ‘Festa Maltija’, yet with a contemporary sound. KażinSka play mostly instrumental music with sporadic lyrics uttered in association with the particular tune.
• Touring Company: 8 members• Minimum performance area: 6m x 5m
KAzINSKA60min per show
Mostly Non-verbal/Maltese
KazinSka
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PLATO’S DREAM MACHINE
Plato’s Dream Machine has successfully re-invented Maltese music with a contemporary twist. Led by singer-songwriter Robert Farrugia Flores, their semi-organic electronic sound, set on top of drone riffs and beats, are fused with poetic lyrics sung in the Maltese language. This is a testament that Maltese music is not only alive and kicking, but also evolving andflourishing as a genre. Għera, released in 2014, charts the band’s journey through relatively new terrain in the local scene.
The band’s aim is to directly take on this music tradition and provide an outlet for it to maintain an ever-growing following in this day and age.
60min per show
Maltese
Plato’s Dream Machine
• Touring Company: 5 members• Maximum audience: 300 people• Minimum performance Area: 7m x 4m x 1.5m
97
THE RIFFFS
Can’t Stop the People sees the re-emergence of The Rifffs, a band which was at the forefront of the local alternative music scene during the 1980’s. Originally established in 1979, the 5-piece group captured the imagination of the island’s youth at the time through their active touring which eventually lead to them securing a record deal with an independent UK record label and the subsequent release of their single Dance Music for the 80’s Depression. Written by the band’s front man, Ray Mercieca, Can’t Stop the People revolves around negative feelings that stem from everyday life whilst also addressing social issues related to that negativity. However, the music is delivered through the infectious and fun medium of Ska which continues to be the group’s main form of expression.
• Touring Company: 10 members• Maximum audience: 1,000 people• Minimum performance Area: 5m x 7m x 5m
75min per show
English and Maltese
www.therifffs.com
CAN’T STOP THE PEOPLE
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TRANIA
Formed in 2008, Trania is a contemporary ethnic and world music group that plays Maltese and Mediterranean music. Its main aim is to revive and promote contemporary Maltese folk and traditional music through the use of various rhythmic styles from the Mediterranean basin. As a result, the merging of modern and traditional instruments has given the band’s music a truly unique sound.
To date, the quartet has performed at a number of local festivals, the Mood Indigo festival in India and also in Varna, Bulgaria. Trania released a music CD of original compositions in 2011. The band’s repertoire features instrumental and Maltese language compositions.
• Touring Company: 4 members• Minimum performance area: 5m x 7m
TRANIA60-75min per show
Maltese
Trania
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LIST OFCOMPANIESAirport [email protected]
Aleateia Theatre [email protected]
Ars Vitae EnsembleFacebook: Ars Vitae [email protected]
Cygnawww.cygnamusic.com [email protected]
The Daphne Lungaro Folklore [email protected]
Dù Theatre [email protected]
*etnikaFacebook: [email protected]
Flying Crumbs [email protected]
Gabi [email protected]
Hopping [email protected]
KażinskaFacebook: Każ[email protected]
Laughing [email protected]
Joseph [email protected]
Mighty [email protected]
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More or Less Theatrewww.moreorlesstheatre.com [email protected]
Moveo Dance Companywww.moveodancecompany.com [email protected]
Nadine Axisa www.nadineaxisa.com [email protected]
Neith: Performing Our World [email protected]
The Nisġa Project Facebook: Nisġa [email protected]
Plato’s Dream MachineFacebook: Plato’s Dream [email protected]
Red Tape Dance [email protected]
The Rubberbodies [email protected]
Sarah Vella, Annekatrin Kiesel, Hendrik K. Kar, Sinja [email protected]
Studio [email protected]
Teatru Manoel Youth [email protected]
Theatre [email protected]
TraniaFacebook: [email protected]
The Valletta International Baroque [email protected]
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ORGANISING CULTURAL ENTITIESThe Valletta 2018 Foundation is responsible for the implementation of Valletta’s title of European Capital of Culture 2018. Through creativity and artistic expression, the title will enable social, economic, cultural and environmental changes that will have a lasting legacy in Valletta and around Malta.www.valletta2018.org
St James Cavalier Centre for Creativity champions Malta’s cultural aspirations, supportingthe contemporary arts scene while acknowledging our country’s heritage and local culture.www.sjcav.org
ŻiguŻajg International Arts Festival for Children and Young People showcases professional work, specifically designed for children and young people, at a high level of excellence. The Festival is produced by St James Cavalier Centre for Creativity.www.ziguzajg.org
Arts Council Malta is Malta’s national agency for the strategic development of the cultural and creative sectors. It is also the national funding body and is supporting Malta Showcase as part of the new internationalisation programme.www.maltaculture.com
