Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1201983
maltatoday | SUNDAY • 19 JANUARY 2020 8 CULTURE THEATRE AN Interrogation, a Stroke of Bad Luck, an exhibition about the past decade of scenographic history in Malta and the return of a children's festival, are just part of the exciting new season launched by Teatru Malta last night during the official opening of XENI at Spazju Kreattiv. We've got used to the fact that Teatru Malta do things differ- ently. In fact, the model they chose to brand 2020 is Loren- zo, a Pharaoh Hound. The dog is on the front cover of the programme which references the Pharaoh Hound as Malta's National Dog much like Teatru Malta is Malta's National The- atre Company. Their upcoming season pro- gramme for January up until April, will be the first of three seasonal programmes to be launched in 2020 by the Na- tional Theatre company. Dur- ing the event, Artistic Director Sean Buhagiar explained that as from this year, Teatru Malta will roll out their programme plans every four months, thus having three seasonal launches instead of their usual annual launch. "That way we can be more flexible and urgent, on the pulse of what's in demand and what's going on around us", said Buhagiar. The evening also marked the opening of the highly antici- pated retrospective exhibition XENI, a project encompassing the past decade of scenograph- ic history across the Maltese Islands. The exhibition, a first of its kind locally, is curated by Italian set designer Romualdo Moretti and boasts the work of set designers and visual artists: Matthew Pandolfino, Austin Camilleri, Adrian Mamo, Clau- dio Apap, Andrew Borg Wirth and Moretti himself, to name a few. Past work by a total of 12 artists will be on show in Spaz- ju Kreattiv spaces C1-C3 until the 23rd of February. Moretti refers to XENI as "the beginning of a long and winding journey into the world of Entertainment'', an ambi- tious project that will include three workshops on set design, set painting and set lighting along with two accompanying talks to increase awareness and knowledge on the subject of scenography. More details on the workshops and how to apply can be found on Teatru Malta's website. There are only very few places left. Teatru Malta's first produc- tion for 2020 L-Interrogazzjo- ni will see writer Alfred Butt- igieg's latest work be staged in a living room in a villa in Għargħur under the direction of Lee-N Abela this February. The crime-thriller will be a two-woman show starring ac- tresses Clare Agius and Ange- le Galea who play each other's love interest in the play. The host will also be treating the audience to tea and wine and will be cooking a special dinner for Valentine's Day. A Stroke of Bad Luck, the endear- ing play about the real life of Collin Willis will make it's re- turn to the MADC Club Rooms stage this April after having to be postponed last year where- as Trikki Trakki Youth Thea- tre Festival announces Simon Bartolo, Clive Piscopo, Isa- belle Gatt, Denise Mulholland, Nicole Cuschieri and Chris Gatt as its school stage direc- tors and will see Antonella Ax- isa direct the festival for a third year running this March! Recent December production Ħax-Xjuħ will be developed in- to a club for people aged 60 or over with the aim of encourag- ing members to get active the- atrically. Valletta will also be sur- prised with the sporadic Xilallu shows, a street theatre and parkour project which pre- miered in 2019, and which is aimed for teenage hang outs in the capital city. As part of their commitment towards the National Climate Emergency, Buhagiar also an- nounced that Teatru Malta will be going Vegetarian and that as from 2020 all Teatru Malta events will serve scrumptious vegetarian food. For more information on the Teatru Malta Jan-Apr 2020 season programme, visit tea- trumalta.org.mt today. Teatru Malta's vision for 2020