Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1168782
maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 18 SEPTEMBER 2019 12 CULTURE IN St John's Gospel (11:1-44) there is a full account of the raising of Lazarus of Bethany from the dead by Jesus. It is evident that he was a much-loved friend of Jesus. Not surprisingly, various tradi- tions developed about him in the early Church, especially in Cyprus and in France. Then there is the well-known parable of the rich man and the poor Lazarus in the Gospel of Luke (16:19–31) which describes the relationship, during life and after death, between an unnamed rich man and a poor beggar named Lazarus. Today, one rarely hears about these two Lazarite figures, al- though their patronal feast is still celebrated annually on 17 Decem- ber by the Grand Commandery of the Castello, based in Mensija, a jurisdiction of the Military and Hospitaller Order of St Lazarus of Jerusalem. To shed more light on St La- zarus, the Grand Commandery (VO/1558) has invited Rev Dr Jonathan Farrugia, a lecturer in Patristics at the University of Malta, to deliver a talk entitled "The figure of St Lazarus in early Christian writings". This will be delivered at Cas- tello Lanzun, Triq is-Santwarju, Mensija, San Gwann on Thursday September, starting at 7.30pm. All €20 per person donations will go towards the Grand Command- ery's charities in Malta, India and Uganda. Currently, funds are be- ing raised to purchase an ambu- lance for Women in Need (www. women-in-need.co.uk) operating among lepers, mostly women, in India. As seating is limited, places for this event will be on a first come first served basis, so it is recom- mended that attendees confirm their booking, as soon as possible, and before Tuesday 24th Septem- ber 2019 by contacting the Chan- cellor Alan Miller on alandavid- miller56@gmail.com or on 7996 5432. The talk will be followed by a reception. This event forms part of the Castello Lanzun Lecture Series and offers an opportunity to visit this unique example of a fortified farmhouse in this part of Malta. The figure of St Lazarus in early Christian writings A statue of St Lazarus in the Castello Lanzun Chapel and (below) Torri ta' Lanzun, Mensija, San Gwann UNDER Milk Wood, the classic play by acclaimed Welsh poet and playwright Dylan Thomas, is soon to be performed in Malta by British company, Moon- light Theatre. Set in a fictional Welsh seaside town, Under Milk Wood tells the story of its colourful mix of quirky and eccentric residents. Noting the similarities between the two small countries of Wales and Malta, the touring company felt that Valletta would be the ideal place to stage the show. "The themes in Under Milk Wood – set in a small seaside town with quirky char- acters – seem to lend themselves very well to Valletta and many communities in Malta," said Ainslie Freeman, one of the play's lead actors. "The play travels very well: it has comedy, it has some trag- edy and it has beautiful, lyrical language." Dylan Thomas called his new drama a 'play for voices' when it was first per- formed in New York in 1953, but Un- der Milk Wood works equally well on radio or stage, and there have also been memorable versions produced for the small and big screen. Described by renowned Welsh actor Richard Burton as a 'comic master- piece', the hugely funny and charming foibles of the play's mix of characters are as resonant today as they were nearly 70 years ago. Meanwhile, Welsh company Moon- light Theatre is more than equipped to showcase this much-loved comic play. Founded in 1998, the troupe first staged open air musical theatre productions in Wales, becoming an annual fixture on the local theatre scene for a decade. They will be continuing that tradi- tion with live music in this produc- tion. Most recently, Moonlight staged the highly-acclaimed professional pre- miere in London of a stage adaptation of 'The Iron Woman' by late poet laure- ate, Ted Hughes. Moonlight Theatre's touring cast of 11 actors for Under Milk Wood mostly hail from Cardiff or Swansea - home town of Dylan Thomas, while the di- rector, John Rhys Thomas, is a former chairman of the Dylan Thomas Society. He has already received critical acclaim for touring productions of the play in New York, Harvard and Canada. The Moonlight Theatre production of Under Milk Wood by Dylan Thomas will be performed at Valletta Campus Theatre (ex MITP), Valletta, on 17, 18, 19, 20 October 2019, with all per- formances starting at 7.30pm. Tickets start at €10 and are available online at www.ticketline.com.mt. British theatre company to bring classic play to Malta Widower Waldo sings in the Sailors' Arms