Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1060184
11 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 9 DECEMBER 2018 CULTURE ENVIRONMENT PEOPLE generally approve of bees. Their examplary in- dustriousness, their pollinating services and their honey- making ability far outshine that little matter of the sting: in our human-centred way of looking at the world, we con- sider the bee Man's Friend. But apart from the honey-bee we have dozens of other bee species buzzing around our countryside, and one of these is the bumblebee. It's like a miniature plush soft toy: furry, striped black-and-yellow with a distinctive white bottom (like it's wearing a nappy!). It's nowhere as common as the honey-bee but it's a social insect nonetheless, living in underground colonies with a queen in command. The bumblebee (M. bomblu) doesn't make honey but feeds its young on pollen and nectar that she collects from flowers. Autumn and winter are not ex- actly the best times for the bumblebee and its relatives, but as long as sunny days persist and flowers abound, bees will out! Visit Friends of the Earth's website for more information about our work, as well as for information about how to join us. You can also support us by sending us a donation - www.foemalta.org/donate GREEN IDEA OF THE WEEK 542: Give your friends and family a wonderful gift that's good for the planet www.foemalta.org/blog/christmashampers18/ Text and Photo Victor Falzon 542 - CHRISTMAS GIFTS 638. BUMBLEBEE TRADITION can be a wonderful thing, par- ticularly when it refers to The Comedy Knights' latest show, Let's Talk About Six! That's right, Malta's most gallant ensemble of comedic actors will be returning with an all-new serving of the sketches you've all come to know and love, be- tween 26 December 2018 and 13 January 2019. Following his brief break last year, I was curi- ous about how Colin would be preparing him- self for his much-anticipated return to the show. "Well, I wish I could say 'exercise and healthy eating', but I won't lie to you. The mind is willing but the body, sadly, is weak. So I'm compensat- ing by really trying to learn my lines early and maybe contributing a sketch or two," he says. Directed by Wesley Ellul, the innuendo-laced 'Let's Talk About Six!' will be reuniting the usual suspects – Colin Fitz, Chris Dingli, Pia Zammit, Marc Cabourdin, Thomas Camilleri, Jo Carua- na, Steve Hili and Chantelle Micallef Grimaud – together on the Salesian Theatre's stage this fes- tive season, to the delight of the many die-hard Comedy Knights fans. As a child, Colin found his niche in drama class. "I never excelled at sports, and being good at lessons doesn't really count at that age. But by 1989, the year I finished school, a friend who had been asked to play a small role in a Manoel Theatre production suggested me for another small role. And from that day, my parts simply grew bigger, so to speak… " Fast-forward to 2012 and Colin found him- self getting ready for the first edition of Com- edy Knights – which, unbeknown to the troupe, would take the Islands by storm and quickly be- come an integral part of thousands of Maltese people's Christmas. "It's been a blur of laughs and hard work, really," says Colin. "Our writers have really honed themselves into an epically ac- curate team of observers of Maltese society, as they always seem to come up with hilarious an- gles on our Islands' many trials and tribulations." And what does a knight get up to when he's not observing Maltese society through a Swiftian magnifying glass? Colin has kept himself busy throughout the year with theatre, hosting, and his Saturday morning show on Magic Malta, the latest leg of his successful 25-year radio career. "In reality, I approach my radio shows as though they were theatrical pieces, so I don't see any real difference between the two, bar the fact that ra- dio is usually a one-man-show." Colin has also had the luxury of presenting the last-ever Malta Song for Europe show in Feb- ruary, which has now been replaced by The X- Factor (for better, or worse), as well as hosting at Fashion Week Malta, The Malta Military Tattoo and Fondazzjoni Wirt Artna events. "I also en- joyed playing a tragic part in 'The Crucible' at Teatru Manoel, after many years of taking part in lighter pieces," says Colin. Yes, tradition can be wonderful indeed: "This year, I hope to perform a satirical song in Let's Talk About Six! I will not, however, be looking forward to wearing the tight black spandex cos- tume I've become a little legendary for in some quarters," Colin concludes. The Comedy Knights: Let's Talk About Six!, produced by Wesley Ellul, Chris Dingli and Marc Cabourdin, will return to the Salesians Theatre from Wednesday 26 December until Sunday 13 January, excluding New Year's Eve and New Year's Day. Tickets also include free parking and can be purchased from www.ticketline.com.mt start- ing from just €10. Comedy Knights: Let's Talk About Six! is powered by XFM and supported by Strongbow, Carlsberg, Revolut, Marks and Spencer, Jesmond Mizzi Financial Advisors, and Findit.com.mt. Ahead of the sixth-edition of The Comedy Knights annual show, Carla Zahra speaks to well-known actor COLIN FITZ about his highly-anticipated return Let's talk about six PHOTO BY MATA HATI