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maltatoday | SUNDAY • 27 APRIL 2025 2 THEATRE Twists, terror and a typewriter: Inside MADC's wickedly witty Deathtrap As MADC rehearses its new production of Ira Levin's Deathtrap, three performers share a glimpse behind the scenes of bringing this darkly funny, twist-f illed, Broadway- topping thriller to the MADC Playhouse this May. SUSPENSE, secrets and sharp humour – every successful thriller needs these essential in- gredients, and Ira Levin's Death- trap delivers all three in spades. First performed on Broadway in 1978 as part of a wave of gen- re-subversive murder myster- ies-turned-thrillers, the play would become the longest-run- ning thriller in Broadway history and a classic example of psycho- logical tension on stage. Its story follows the once-cele- brated playwright Sidney Bruhl, who is suffering from writer's block and growing desperation. When a brilliant new script lands on his desk – written by a former student, Clifford Anderson – Sidney hatches a plan to steal the work for himself. What follows is a chilling game of cat and mouse, with deception, misdirection, deadly consequences and an un- settling number of laughs along the way. This May, MADC brings Death- trap to the MADC Playhouse, directed by Joe Depasquale and featuring a brilliant cast: Richard Godden as Sidney Bruhl, Adrian Farrugia as Clifford Anderson, Angelica Sant as Helga ten Dorp, Giselle Borg Olivier as Myra Bru- hl and Eoin Kennedy as Porter Milgrim. For Giselle Borg Olivier, who plays Sidney's wife Myra, the rehearsal process has been full of discovery. "I've found My- ra's emotional journey fascinat- ing to develop. Myra begins in a place of concerned support for her struggling husband, worried about his creative block and fi- nancial stress," she explains. "What makes her compelling is how quickly she must process extreme situations – her horror at Sidney's 'jokes' about murder gradually reveals her deeper fears about what her husband might be capable of." The play's tonal shift from in- tense to light moments is some- thing the cast has worked hard to capture, Giselle highlights. "Balancing the play's suspense with its dark humour has been a wonderfully challenging aspect of performing in Deathtrap. Re- hearsals have been layered, albe- it fun, because we're essentially performing a play within a play. There's dramatic irony and the humour is intelligent and witty – which will be immensely ap- preciated by those with a slightly sardonic view of life." Adrian Farrugia, who plays the ambitious and enigmatic Clif- ford, describes his character as a puzzle that's been fascinating to crack. "Understanding his in- tentions and goals, as well as his methods to achieve them, cer- tainly goes a long way in getting insights into the way he thinks," he shares. "While definitely chal- lenging and tricky, it's been fun trying to decipher the man be- hind the many masks, with the guidance of our wonderful direc- tor, Joe Depasquale." Much of the play sees Clifford and Sydney locked in an intense psychological battle – and Adrian credits his co-star Richard God- den with helping to build that all-important tension. "He does such a great job of sinking into the character that it feels really natural to go back and forth with him and build something that has me, as well as the audience I'm sure, so invested line to line. The energy is simply 'there' and I couldn't have asked for anyone better to share the stage with." Offsetting this tension with an extra layer of both comedy and chaos is the character of Helga ten Dorp – an eccentric psychic whose uncanny prophecies rattle the plot just as much as the char- acters. "I love the spontaneity of this character and how unpre- dictable she always is in what she says!" says Angelica Sant, who plays Helga in MADC's unmissa- ble production. "The surprises in the plot are what make this such a good play – and I hope to bring some of my own somewhat dry humour into the character." A theatrical treat for thriller fans, Deathtrap's unexpected plot twists and turns will indeed keep audiences on the edge of their seats, adds Giselle: "Not on- ly does this promise a fun evening out at the theatre, but you'll also be asking so much more than 'whodunnit?'" MADC's production of Ira Levin's Deathtrap performs at the MADC Playhouse, Santa Venera, on 2, 3, 4 and 9, 10, 11 May, with all performances at 7.30pm. This production is suit- able for audiences aged 14 and over. Booking is open at www. madc.com.mt. Deathtrap is pre- sented by special arrangement with Broadway Licensing, LLC, servicing the Dramatists Play Service collection. More infor- mation is available at www. dramatists.com. Photo: Mitchell Camilleri