Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/294639
THIS WEEK maltatoday, SUNDAY, 13 APRIL 2014 39 THIS WEEK STAĠUN Teatru Malti is known for courting controversy in Mal- tese drama. Their latest produc- tion, Jiena Nhobb, Inti Thobb broke all records for Maltese plays at the Manoel and is bound to break all records of attendance for all productions this May when the play will be re-staged on the 24 and 25 (two months away and it is already half sold out). Stagun Teatru Malti will be pre- senting their most challenging production so far. Cittadin Vas- salli is about the most controver- sial character in Maltese history. Director Mario Philip Azzopardi did not pull any punches, "The on- ly time the Maltese fought against their own freedom was during the French Occupation. Vassalli tried to rally his compatriots but instead, they allowed the powers of the church and the local nobil- it y, who had been divested of their titles by Napoleon, to steer them away from rights and laws that freed them from centuries of ser- vitude and political irrelevance". As Frans Sammut says in his in- troduction to his book Il-Holma Maltija, Vassalli was no saint. His short lived success after the ar- rival of the French and ousting of the Order of St John, which he had fought against all his life, was thwarted by counter resistance and outright militancy led by the Catholic Church who stood to lose its entrenched power. The play is not a history Les- son. It is a "fantasy" of political conundrums staged to represent Vassalli 's own inner turmoil as he faced ignorant local political intransigence. In many instances in the play there are stark paral- lels drawn between the "then" and "now" in regards to the present Maltese political sphere. At other times the play addresses national current issues, culminating into what many are calling a direct at- tack on our National Anthem. The play stars Sean Buhagiar in the lead role with John Suda as Dun Saverio Caruana, Mario Mi- callef as Dun Mikiel Xerri, God- win Scerri as Grandmaster De Rohan and Larissa Bonaci as Ka- terina Formosa de Fremaux. The dialogue, penned by Tyrone Gri- ma, follows the modern Maltese idiom and all "foreign characters" speak to each other in Maltese. It is not a realistic representation of the time but an attempt to again bring to the fore, the Maltese ex- perience, as it has never been pre- sented before. Ċittadin Vassalli will be staged for one last night at the Manoel Thea- tre, Valletta tonight at 20:00. Book- ings: www.teatrumanoel.com.mt, book ings@teat rumanoel .com .mt , 21 2462389 Last chance to see Cittadin Vassalli Applications for Notte Bianca now open THIS year's Notte Bianca will be held on 11 October; for one night in October, Valletta will be trans- formed, showing a different side to the city we all know. Now in its ninth year, Notte Bi- anca attracts over 60,000 people to the capital each year, making it the largest cultural event in Valletta. Applications for those interested in participating in this spectacular celebration of arts and culture are now open. An information session for those artists interested in par- ticipating will be held on Tuesday, April 15 at 18:00 at David Bruce Hall, Mediterranean Conference Centre, Valletta. Expressions of in- terest will be accepted until May 5, noon. With over 1,000 participants and over 100 events – from street and performing arts to visual arts and new media, from live music to lit- erature, food and fairs – last year's Notte Bianca managed to retain some of the features which make it so well-loved while introducing a fresh vision and exciting new con- cepts. Application forms are available by sending an email on info@nottebi- anca.org.mt. For more information please contact the Malta Council for Culture and the Arts on 2339 7000. Notte Bianca is supported by The Malta Council for Culture and the Arts