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maltatoday | SUNDAY • 29 SEPTEMBER 2024 3 THEATRE Iconic coming-of-age comedy coming to MADC Neil Simon's Brighton Beach Memoirs is an award-winning comedy with heart, wit and hysterical insights into family life and growing up BOOKING is now open for MADC's upcoming production of Brighton Beach Memoirs by Neil Simon, directed by Tyrone Grima. Set to be performed across two weekends this October at the MADC Playhouse, this timeless coming-of-age com- edy promises to be an unfor- gettable experience filled with laughter and heartfelt mo- ments for audiences aged 14 and over. The production boasts a stel- lar cast including Antonella Axisa, Edward Caruana Galizia and Erica Muscat, alongside rising talents Leah Grech (Mat- ilda The Musical), Thea Costa (Best Actress, 2023 MADC One Act Play Festival), Ber- nard Zammit (Best Actor, 2019 MADC One Act Play Festival) and Luke Chappell (semi-final- ist on X Factor Malta). Premiering in December 1982, Brighton Beach Memoirs is the first play in Neil Simon's 'Eugene' trilogy, which also in- cludes Biloxi Blues and Broad- way Bound. In 1983, it received the New York Drama Critics' Circle Award for Best Play and was nominated for the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding New Play. Brighton Beach Memoirs of- fers a bittersweet, semi-auto- biographical glimpse into the American playwright's youth in 1930s Brooklyn, where he lived with his family in a crowded, lower middle-class walk-up. The story follows Eugene Je- rome as he navigates his mun- dane family life, first crushes and teenage dreams of baseball and girls. Throw into the mix his formidable mother, over- worked father, worldly older brother Stanley, widowed Aunt Blanche and her two young but rapidly aging daughters, as well as Simon's signature hilarity – also seen in his other works, The Odd Couple and Plaza Suite – and this is a play not soon forgotten. "Brighton Beach Memoirs is a wonderful exploration of the messy, beautiful complexities of family life," says director Ty- rone Grima. "We've assembled an incredible cast who bring both humour and heart to the stage. Audiences will laugh, but they'll also leave feeling deeply moved." Brighton Beach Memoirs by Neil Simon will perform on 18, 19, 20 and 25, 26, 27 October at 7.30pm, at the MADC Play- house, Sta Venera. Tickets are available at www.madc.com. mt. This production is suita- ble for audiences aged 14 and over, is supported by MCAST, and is presented by arrange- ment with Concord Theat- ricals on behalf of Samuel French, Inc: www.concordthe- atricals.com. Cast of Brighton Beach Memoirs (Photo by Justin Mamo)