Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/392875
maltatoday, SUNDAY, 5 OCTOBER 2014 36 THIS WEEK DIN l-Art Ħelwa launches its cele- brations for its Golden Jubilee, due in 2015, with a show of art works to be exhibited at Casino Maltese, Valletta. Thirty of Malta's best known artists have donated sam- ples of their artistic production to Malta's oldest Heritage NGO to help raise funds for its commit- ment towards the conservation patrimony. Participants are: Andrew Borg, Anna Galea, Anna Grima, Arnold Sultana, Carol Jaccarini, Claude Gaffiero, Daniel Cilia, David Car- rington, David G Curmi, Debbie Caruana Dingli, Ethelbert Perini, Godwin Cassar, Henry Alamango, Janet Grech, Jeni Caruana, Joe Pace Ross, John Borg Manduca, Kenneth Zammit Tabona, Kevin Casha, Lawrence Pavia, Maria Rossella Dalmas, Mark G. Mus- cat, Martin LA Scicluna, Maurice Calleja, Noel Attard, Peter Vella de Fremaux, R H De Renzy Chan- ner, Rachel Galea,Tonio Mallia, Vince Caruana. The exhibition will be inaugurat- ed by Michelle Muscat on October 14 and will be open for viewing in the President's Room, Casino Mal- tese, on October 15-17 from 08:30 to 18:00 and on October 18 from 09:30 to 15:30. As part of the week's activities and on the occasion of Italy's Presi- dency of the European Union, in collaboration with the Embassy of Italy and the Italian Cultural In- stitute, Din l-Art Ħelwa will also present a talk by expert conserva- tors Sante Guido and Giuseppe Mantella entitled, 'Italian art – Maltese heritage/Maltese art - Ital- ian heritage' on October 16 at 18:30 at the President's Hall, at Casino Maltese. For more information log on to: www.dinlarthelwa.org, 2122 5952 Boys just want to have fun What is this play about in a nutshell? Minn Wara Z-Zipp is about the Male figure, with a capital 'M'. It is about all that is male. It is about that thing that makes us male. It is about the penis. In fact, we origi- nally wanted to call it Il-Monologi taz-Zo** or The Penis Monologues. We decided against that title for marketing reasons. Trevor Zahra got the idea while viewing the excel- lent Vagina Monologues directed by the very same Chris Gatt who is directing Minn Wara Z-Zipp. In Minn Wara Z-Zipp we meet young Redeemer Farrugia and follow him from birth to infancy to adoles- cence, to falling in love to mastur- bating over teen sex symbols to talking with priests to First Night to old age and the blue pill. The pro- duction then shifts to explore the phallic symbol over the years and to exploring different men in how they are affected by their sexuality. Fi- nally we meet the penis himself for a hilarious finale. In a nutshell, Minn Wara Z-Zipp is a couple of hours of pure fun where truths about the male sex are discussed. It is a caba- ret-cum-stand-up comedy routine. What would you say is behind its enduring success (and what inspired you to stage it again)? The secret behind its success is without doubt Trevor Zahra's writ- ing. That combined with Chris Gatt's direction and the versatility of the actors, makes 'Zipp' a produc- tion not to be missed. Trevor is, in my opinion, the greatest author this country has ever seen. He writes tongue-in-cheek but makes you re- flect on the truth in his words. He has a singular streak of writing that others do not match. Will there be substantial changes from the original version? What kind of changes will you be making? This time round we are making 'Zipp' funnier, better and bigger. It will be in two acts instead of one. The stand-up comedy routine will be given a cabaret treatment and we are including a band. In fact, Yan, Myles and Maria from the band Milk Mi will be joining us on all five performances and will play songs they have adapted themselves to the lyrics of Trevor Zahra. Zahra has also written some new monologues, so there is fresh comedy and a brand new style. What kind of point does the play make about Maltese masculinity? I don't think that 'Zipp' tries to make a point. However, if there is a point, it is that the male sex is af- flicted with the same doubts and insecurities that haunt the female sex. Most of the characters in 'Zipp' are just trying to get laid, some suc- cessfully, some not. Others get laid when they shouldn't get laid. Some do not know what they want. Oth- ers are facing the consequences of getting laid. How did the Maltese audience react to the play's depiction of sexuality, and do you think the relaxation of censorship will make the production any different? The depiction of sexuality in 'Zipp' is done comically. Everyone accept- ed it and laughed their heads off. The stringent censors in 2008 gave the production an 18 certificate, which we think is too restrictive. We are therefore relaxing the rating to 16. After all, which school leaver has never discussed sex before? Minn Wara Z-Zipp will be playing at Temi Zammit Hall, University campus on October 11 and 12, 17- 19. The play is rated 16. Tickets are at €20, €16, €12 and €10. Bookings: www.ticketline.com.mt Artists unite in aid of heritage conservation Unifaun Theatre producer Adrian Buckle speaks to TEODOR RELJIC about the company's revival of Trevor Zahra's Minn Wara Z-Zipp, a 'cabaret-cum-stand up comedy routine' about that most obtrusive of organs: the penis Cultural calendar Maltaculture.com THE Arts Council Malta (ACM) is in the process of collecting data on cul- tural events that are scheduled for Jan- uary, February and March 2015 to be published on its website www.maltac- ulture.com. Cultural/artistic event organisers are kindly requested to send details of ac- tivities scheduled for January, Febru- ary and March 2015. Organisers are also kindly requested to send a three-line description of each respective event (preferably in Eng- lish). Please clearly indicate date, time and venue of event. The write-up must be in Word format. All information should reach the of- fices of Arts Council Malta, 16, Casa Scaglia, Mikiel Anton Vassalli Street, Valletta VLT 1116 (attention Isabelle Gatt) or by email on isabelle.gatt@ maltaculture.com by not later than November 7. ACM does not guarantee inclusion of any material that it may receive after this date. Further information may be obtained from Isabelle Gatt, on telephone number 2339 7046 Adrian Buckle: "Trevor Zahra is the greatest author this country has ever seen" Detail from the fresco Arrival of the Gran Soccorso, 7 September 1565 by Matteo Perez d'Aleccio