Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1141804
maltatoday | SUNDAY • 14 JULY 2019 5 THIS WEEK THEATRE at homelessness haps 'attracted' is not the right word in this context, but I guess I was drawn to how different we were, to how lucky I have been to have had a roof over my head and unburdened by worries and finally, how ignorant I was about what was happening just a few kilometres away from where I live. Another thing was that Zayden doesn't seem to have a filter for his story-telling, and this is something that is very different from myself. Do you believe that dramas like Zayden can help to highlight upsetting and often overlooked elements of contemporary Maltese society? TG: I think it is essential for the theatre to bring these untold sto- ries to the surface. This has been the function and the responsibility of the theatre over the centuries. History provides us with ample examples. Theatre is brave enough to venture into those areas that we ignore or whose realities we don't want to con- front, for whatever reason. But since it presents us these stories through a narrative, the theatre offers us a ve- hicle by which we can relate more to these realities. It is not a cold analysis presented in a text-book. It is hap- pening right before our own eyes and places us in a position where we can no longer deny that this is true, and hopefully, this will lead us to take ac- tion. Up to a certain point, the thea- tre places its audience in a situation where it has to act and react. JP: I must admit that since this is the first time I shall be doing this kind of drama, I am unsure of what the general perception of people will be. Zayden will hopefully bring aware- ness to a subject which – speaking from my own experience – has some- what been given the cold shoulder. By recounting his past anecdotes di- rectly to the audience, this character aims to be on par with his viewers in the sense that he ignores/forgets the prestige which divides him from them and simply says his story as it is. What do you make of the local theatrical scene? What would you change about it? JP: Malta's theatrical and cultural scene has recently seen quite a boom, in that both artistic creations and au- dience attendance have flourished. However, a nagging question I keep having is this: how can we attract my parents', aunts' and uncles' genera- tion to come watch certain theatrical works being produced today? What's also worth noting is that not all that much was happening on the scene up until a decade or so ago, and now certain artists are even making a liv- ing out of the profession… something that was unthinkable back then. What's next for you? JP: Not sure, I wish I could say but… I'm not sure. Zayden will be staged at The Splen- did, Strait Street, Valletta. Premier- ing on July 25 at 8pm, the show will continue with two performances a night – at 7.30pm and 9pm – on July 26, 27 and 28. Bookings: www. showshappening.com "Theatre happens right before our own eyes and places us in a position where we can no longer deny that this is true, and hopefully, this will lead us to take action" - Tyrone Grima