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maltatoday | SUNDAY • 28 APRIL 2024 3 THEATRE Director Lucienne Camilleri speaks about Cabaret... a captivating study of the Weimar republic and its uninhibited song and dance culture 'Cabaret' is coming to Teatru Manoel The iconic musical 'Cabaret' is set to take the stage at Teat- ru Manoel this May, in a vis- ually stunning production with powerful performances by an acclaimed cast of performers and backed by a live 16-piece or- chestra. The musical was made famous by the movie adaptation in 1972, directed by the legendary Bob Fosse and starring stage and screen icons Liza Minelli and Jo- el Grey in the lead roles. Teatru Manoel's production of 'Caba- ret' is being directed and chore- ographed by Lucienne Camilleri with musical direction by Ryan Paul Abela. We sat down with Lucienne to get an insight into her process as the director and some behind-the-scenes infor- mation on the show. What drew you to the musical 'Cabaret'? I've always been a fan of Fos- se and have followed him avid- ly through most of his creative journeys. This particular musical is different because it explored the dark threat that changed the face of Germany, in a time when it was thrown into decadent ex- perimentation. It was a time of liberation and the Nazis used this period of defeat and disillu- sion to build a monster. 'Cabaret' delves deep into the relations and sentiments ram- pant in those times, and if you look closely you will realise that nothing much has changed and the themes are still relevant to us now. You have worked with Ryan Paul Abela on a number of productions now, how has your process developed over the past few musicals? Working with Ryan is stim- ulating and inspiring. He is so much more than a musical di- rector, due to the fact that he has graced the stage many a time as a performer and musician, and his enthusiastic interest in all that evokes a great production - be it choreography, costume, or light- ing - means that we can truly ex- plore all angles to develop and embrace everything that comes along with producing a show. Can you give us a little insight into the rehearsal process? How do you work with the per- formers to ensure the highest quality production? Without a committed and ded- icated cast we cannot hope to achieve a successful outcome. As a director I work at creating in- terest, giving the cast time to ex- plore their characters intricately and forming an opinion. Every- one has important elements to contribute and my aim as a di- rector is to ensure they work in a tranquil environment, giving special attention to their wellbe- ing. Remember: there is no show without the driving force that is our cast. 'Cabaret' is a very visual mu- sical, what work goes into this aspect? How closely do you work with the design team? Close discussions with the entire design team is a must. Months before we first meet up I work passionately on my vision. I research, watch documenta- ries, see what others have done then write down copious notes for each scene, many of which get binned. Once I have a skel- etal idea I go to all members on the design team, voice my ide- as and let them run amok with theirs. Such fun really! Working in the theatre is always an emotional roller- coaster... what are some major highlights and challenges that you have experienced while working on 'Cabaret'? Missing cast members is by far the greatest challenge. Malta has become a continuous hub of cre- ative presentations and there are few triple threat performers who have remained here on the is- land, so we are foraging amongst the same few who are labouring assiduously to take part in as many projects as possible. Highlights? Loads! Watching your ideas reach a tangible en- tity. Getting to know your cast's reactions and hidden talents is a bonus. This time round we were able to contract Peter Camilleri who has a specific expertise in musicals and has joined us as a dance advisor. I could go on really because each rehearsal brings on novel surprises and a few staggering shocks. Still, it's why we love what we do! What is your dream musical to produce? My dream musical? I want to nail Ryan to his seat so he can compose original music to a plethora of ideas I have for a musical that will applaud our culture and heritage, in a mes- merising series of events that the Maltese hold close to their hearts. This production of 'Cabaret' boasts a stellar cast, with Sean Borg and Maxine Aquilina at the helm taking on the roles of the Emcee and Sally Bowles respec- tively. They're supported by an ensemble of powerful perform- ers, 11 dynamic chorus mem- bers, and a magical 16-piece or- chestra. 'Cabaret' runs from the 10th to the 19th of May at Teatru Ma- noel. For more information and to get your tickets, visit https:// teatrumanoel.mt or call the Box Office at (+356) 21246389. Photos by Neil Grech (Nisga)