Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1311619
maltatoday | SUNDAY • 22 NOVEMBER 2020 4 THEATRE MARTA VELLA ZiguZajg Festival Director Name and Nickname growing up: Bapsy, Beġiġa What do you do (job): Artistic Director of Ziguzajg, writer and actress Favourite hobby: reading and photogra- phy Favourite food: tortellini Are you a cat or dog person: dog Favourite ice cream flavour: nocciola How many ZiguZajg Festivals have you participated in: three before becoming ar- tistic director; 2012, 2014 and 2017. Something special to share about your show for this year's festival: We have creat- ed 10 special shows for the festival's 10 year anniversary! A short message to this year's kids: don't let this year's circumstances limit your fun, life will give you plenty of opportunities where you'll need to be crazy busy, travel around the world and be out. Savour this time and don't take it for granted! Finally if you could give your 10-year-old self a few words of advice what would they be: believe in yourself, anything is possible and the older you grow always keep that 10-year-old child in you alive! CHRISTIAN DEBONO Director of Ninni Ninni Name and Nickname growing up: Stjanu Debono, Chrichri What do you do (job): Singing Wizard Favourite hobby: Singing spells to sad people and magically make them happy Favourite food: Chocolate Frogs Are you a cat or dog person: How about a chihuahua person? Favourite ice cream flavour: Fairy Dust Ice-Cream How many ZiguZajg Festivals have you participated in: two Something special to share about your show for this year's festival: Get ready to listen to seven different lullabies from 7 different countries in seven different lan- guages! A short message to this year's kids: Al- though times are different, and sometimes a little bit hard remember to do what you love and when you can share some of your love with someone else! Finally if you could give your 10-year-old self a few words of advice what would they be: Find yourself something that reminds you to be hopeful! BETTINA PARIS Director of Follow Fruit with Fig Name and Nickname growing up: My name is Bettina and I had quite a few nick- names growing up. Bett & Tina are the ones that have stuck over time. However there was also Tee, Tinerz, Tin, Boo: What do you do (job): I pretend to be oth- er people, tell stories and create things for a living. A lot of my time is also spent in front of my laptop (something no one in the cre- ative world Aever told me would be a thing until I came to realise it myself!) Favourite hobby: Cooking! Favourite food: I like anything I can eat. Are you a cat or dog person: I grew up with cats but I also love dogs. Favourite ice cream flavour: Hmmm, ei- ther a really good, refreshing fruit sorbet, or an indulgent chocolate concoction of some sort: How many ZiguZajg Festivals have you participated in: I've taken on quite a few dif- ferent roles throughout ZiguZajg over the last few years… I think no less than four? Maybe Maybe? Something special to share about your show for this year's festival: It'll leave your tastebuds tingling, your hands messy and your soul singing! I've set out to create a performance that both parents, guardians, and their little ones can enjoy together. A short message to this year's kids: Your imagination is one of the most powerful and special things you have. Use it, nurture it and share it with the world. Finally if you could give your 10-year-old self a few words of advice what would they be: Keep playing, keep exploring, always ask questions. You can never know enough. There is ALWAYS more to learn. Most im- portantly, have fun! JEAN MARC CAFA Director of Inez (Kienet Perfetta) Name and Nickname growing up: Jean- Marc, also known as Jean-Marker, Jay, JMC, Juan, Master Juan What do you do (job): good question? Help me out here: play? learn? Enable peo- ple to play and learn? Favourite hobby: People watching! Favourite food: Indian or Thai.. and ice- cream Are you a cat or dog person: Catas during the week, dogs at the weekend Favourite ice cream flavour: OH WOW, Dark chocolate, nutella, Kinder Cereali, amarena How many ZiguZajg Festivals have you participated in: 9 out of ten, in every shape, form and manner! Something special to share about your show for this year's festival: this is actual- ly an adaptation of a piece conceived for ZiguZajg's 6th edition - we always wanted to bring it back, but we wished to re-invent it and wait till the time was right. In many ways, it is a labour of love, so much so that the original cast all cameo somewhere in this version! A short message to this year's kids: Play, Never forget to play. Then, every task you undertake, becomes a piece of cake- Mary Poppins got that right. Finally if you could give your 10-year-old self a few words of advice what would they be: Listen less to others and more to your gut. You know you, avoid getting lost in the backgroud noise. And love yourself a little too! MICHAEL RICHARDSON Director Trouser Girl Name and Nickname growing up: Mi- chael. Ritchie What do you do (job) Theatre director Favourite hobby: Cooking Favourite food: Mexican - chicken fajitas. Naturally I make my own, not from a pack- et ;) Are you a cat or dog person: Dog. Cat's hate me. Favourite ice cream flavour: Pistachio How many ZiguZajg Festivals have you participated in: This is my first - I have only been working in Malta for one year. Something special to share about your show for this year's festival: The film is part teenage rom com and part superhero action move - but watch out for Trouser Girl. She has no super powers, but even so she is the one who in the end everybody else relies on. A short message to this year's kids: Hope you enjoy this film - it's been great fun to make and all of us are looking forward to finding out what you thought of it. Finally if you could give your 10-year-old self a few words of advice what would they be: Always follow your dreams. RICCARDO BIANCHI Musical Director for Trouser Girl Name and Nickname growing up: Riccar- do "il Grande Riccio" (the big hedgehog) What do you do (job): I move my hands in the air and the Music sounds, like a Musi- cian or a Magician! Favourite hobby: Dreaming! Favourite food: I have three: Pizza, Pizza and Pizza. Are you a cat or dog person: wwww, woof! MaltaToday gets to know the ZiguZajg 2020 Festival directors up close and personal: Marta Vella, Christian Debono, Sean Buhagiar, Bettina Paris, Nicole Cuschieri, James Ryder, Vikesh Godhwani, Michael Richardson, Riccardo Bianchi, Jacob Piccinino, Dorian Mallia and Jean Marc Cafa talk about t heir favourite food and send a special message to today's children ZiguZajg, up close and personal