Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1419860
maltatoday | SUNDAY • 17 OCTOBER 2021 12 ALMANAC My essentials MIKHAIL BASMADJIAN 49, Freelance Actor, Voiceover Artist, Graphic Designer Have been acting on stage and film for 30 years after completing the Manoel Theatre Academy for Dramatic Arts. Love travelling, cooking, exotic foods, scuba diving and underwater photography. Play the piano & saxophone. Obtained a Masters in Psychology and Business Administration and was working in Marketing for many years - also hold a Masters in Graphic Design. Some claim I cook the best octopus on the island. 1 2 4 5 1. Books 3 2. Film/TV 3. Internet 4. Music 5. Place WATCHING lots of Netflix at the moment – there was this great series called The Serpent (based on a true story) about a French/Viet- namese man (Charles So- braj) who in the 70s provides accommodation to foreign tourists in Thailand, and after gaining their trust poi- sons them in order to steal their money and passports. A terrifying story, filmed in a very suspenseful way and honestly scary. No spoil- ers...! THERE is so much rubbish on the Internet at the mo- ment especially on social me- dia that it is inevitable that something always catches my attention, however a cou- ple of minutes later I cannot remember what it was. When we had books and magazines memory was imprinted in a different way – now I guess the brain filters out what it deems unnecessary – which is MOST of what the is on social media! A little cynical, apologies. I love all kinds of Jazz, but my favourite album is Pat Metheney's 'Secret Story' – have been listening to it since I was 18 and never get tired of it as the melodies somehow adapt and intertwine with the period in life I am living through. Also a great Pink Floyd and Alan Parsons fan. Lower on my list are Michael Bolton, James Blunt and any group that 'whine'... (jeqirdu in Maltese!). Am not afraid to say I LOVE Barry Manilow's Copacabana! I love the Ħofriet in Delimara. There is the Ħofra ż-Żgħira where I have a place I call "my beach" and a particular spot where I swim, used to fish and go to when I want some peace and quiet. Have been going there for decades and the beauty is idyllic. This place is very close to St Peter's Pool but not as frequented by the fun-loving foreign language students that have mush- roomed in Delimara over the past few years. IN March we were scheduled to perform a play at the Ma- noel Theatre ''Ir-Raġel li Ħaw- wad lil Martu ma' Kappel'' based on the book by Oliver Sacks – The Man Who Mis- took his Wife for a Hat. Sacks is a psychiatrist and the book is a collection of cases during interviews of actual patients, a real eye opener and shows a different side to these individ- uals society labels as 'crazy'. We were set to open on a Fri- day in March and just on the Wednesday before, all thea- tres were shut due to a spike in COVID numbers!