Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1537233
2 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 6 JULY 2025 THEATRE The sisters who shatter a kingdom in MADC's first ever King Lear MADC returns to San An- ton Gardens this July with its much-anticipated open-air Shakespeare production – this year taking on King Lear for the very first time. In King Lear, an aging king plans to divide his kingdom among his three daughters, ask- ing each to declare how much she loves him. But when his youngest, Cordelia, refuses to flatter him with insincere praise, she is banished. Her elder sisters Goneril and Regan seize power, setting off a chain of betrayal that unravels both a family and a nation. Under the direction of Chris Gatt, Stephen Oliver will take on the formidable role of Lear, while Faye Paris, Daniela Car- abott Pawley and Melissa Mer- cieca play the sisters Goneril, Regan and Cordelia respective- ly. For Paris, returning to MADC for this landmark production has been a deeply rewarding experience. "It's always a real privilege to be part of MADC's summer Shakespeare," she says, "and being part of their first ever King Lear feels even more spe- cial. I didn't realise how much I missed it until I picked up the text." Her focus has been on portray- ing the ambitious eldest daugh- ter Goneril's depth. "None of the characters are all bad or all good in King Lear. With Goneril, I've focused on understanding why she is so ambitious and ruthless, trying to find humanity within her calculated choices." Carabott Pawley agrees that the complexity of the characters makes King Lear both challeng- ing and compelling. "Regan is a wonderfully interesting charac- ter to delve into," she explains. "Although Regan and Goner- il occupy a similar role with- in the family, they have some very distinct characteristics. As the middle child out of three, Regan might have always had to struggle to secure her atten- tion and territory within the family dynamic. She seems to lack emotional empathy and has developed her own, possibly un- healthy, ways to survive in this cold, political world of the me- dieval courts." The excellent cast also in- cludes Leah Grech, Alex Ween- ink, Daniel Formosa, Bernard Zammit, Tana Chaudhry, Sam Casha, Neil Cutajar, Shaun Riz- zo, Keira Galea, Stephen Galea, Tamzin Lewis and Tyrone Gri- ma, with Michael Mangion as the Earl of Gloucester, Simone Ellul as the Duchess of Kent and Edward Caruana Galizia as the Duke of Cornwall. Reflecting on the rehears- al process, Carabott Pawley praises the director's creative environment: "Working with Chris Gatt is always a reward- ing learning experience. He creates an environment where everyone feels encouraged and empowered to create, imagine and play. His vision is consist- ently forward-thinking – often unconventional – so you must trust the process and enjoy the creative journey." Helping to bring that vision to life is the production's bold visual aesthetic, courtesy of cos- tume designer Nicole Cuschieri, which draws inspiration from the stripped-down, gritty gran- deur of Game of Thrones. Melissa Mercieca, who plays Cordelia, says the costume de- sign has played a key role in shaping her character: "Aesthet- ics always make the character more tangible and realistic. The Game of Thrones style takes away certain bells and whistles usually associated with royal- ty and really strips back each character to the real people un- derneath and gives a nod to the harsher reality and brutality that unfolds." Speaking to her character spe- cifically, she continues, "Corde- lia's dress aids me in setting the air of quiet strength and convic- tion she has but, particularly by placing her in white, it sets her visually at odds with everyone else, making it all the clearer that she won't play into what's expected of her." For Mercieca, King Lear re- mains timeless because it speaks to emotions that remain uni- versally relatable. "At its core, King Lear deals with themes and emotions that everyone has felt and encountered through- out their lives – jealousy, ambi- tion, family conflict. It is a piece of storytelling that transcends time periods and language dif- ferences, making it extremely relevant both in Shakespeare's time and ours," MADC's first Cordelia concludes. "To anyone who's never seen it, we invite you to take an in- timate look behind the family façade and see that, although time passes, human nature doesn't change." MADC's production of William Shakespeare's King Lear performs at San Anton Gardens, Attard, from 18-21 and 23-27 July at 8pm. Suitable for audiences aged 10 and above. Tickets are availa- ble at www.madc.com.mt. Ahead of MADC's inaugural performance of King Lear, actors Faye Paris, Daniela Carabott Pawley and Melissa Mercieca discuss playing the sisters at the heart of Shakespeare's devastating family tragedy. Faye Paris with Daniel Formosa (Photo: Justin Mamo) Daniela Carabott Pawley and Edward Caruana Galizia (Photo: Justin Mamo) Melissa Mercieca with Shaun Rizzo (Photo: Justin Mamo)