Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/537300
maltatoday, SUNDAY, 5 JULY 2015 This Week 41 MADC stage Romeo and Juliet at San Anton THIS year MADC has chosen Romeo and Juliet as its Shakespear- ean play at San Anton Gardens, Attard. Written around 420 years ago, it is one of the best-known stories of all times about love, pas- sion and tragedy. Romeo and Juliet illustrates Shakespeare's great un- derstanding of human nature and universal human qualities; and his ability to create dramatic situa- tions and timeless characters. The theme is well known: 'Two households, alike in dignity – A pair of 'star-crossed' lovers take their lives'. However Director Luke Farrugia sets out to reveal the multifaceted nature of the story and its eternity. It could happen to anyone at any time. The world we live in today is an extremely hostile one. Right now the current approach to Shakespeare productions in the West End, where Luke has been training at the Royal Central School of Drama for the past three years, is that of a 'remix culture'. How can we explore and update the play while still honouring the text? Costumes are traditional, but with a bit of a twist. Juliet's trag- edy is mirrored in the past, present and future. Is it really a love story? What is really happening in be- tween Shakespeare's lines? The cause of the irrational ha- tred between the two houses is never fully explained but pervades every word within the text. The adults are too deaf and too deeply involved in this hatred to listen to their children. Without any guid- ance, what hope do they have? The text is enhanced with mu- sic and dance, combining into an intriguing and holistic dramatic experience. MADC's Romeo and Juliet is part of the Malta Interna- tional Arts Festival 2015. Philip Leone-Ganado is Romeo, Erica Muscat is Juliet while other leading roles are played by Coryse Borg, Stefan Cachia Zammit, Joe Zammit and Michael Mangion; along with a cast of experienced and young actors. Romeo and Juliet will be staged at San Anton Gardens, Attard from July 23 to 31 at 20:15. Tickets are at €15 and €20. Bookings: 7979 6232, info@madc.com.mt. For more information log on to http:// www.madc.com.mt JAKE Cassar's adventures created a new phenomenon in Maltese children's litera- ture: the excitement of await- ing the next instalment, the serialisation of a story. An en- tire generation of children has for the past six years followed the adventures of Jake Cassar, his sister Mel and their wildly amusing friends; adventures spread across ten books. The series is now coming to a close with publication of its tenth and final episode. Written by Clare Azzop- ardi and illustrated by Mark Scicluna, the tenth book is entitled Jake Cassar jiġġieled l-aħħar battalja, and through it we get to say farewell to all the beloved characters we've followed across the years: Ja- ke, Mel, King Pankrazju, Fu- run, Teodoro, Ambrożja and many others… and of course the supremely evil Queen Fi- delja. The series, published by Merlin Publishers, was a milestone in Maltese chil- dren's books for various reasons: because of its se- rialisation, because of the outrageous imagination of its stories, but also because of the innovative format and book design. Created by art- ist Pierre Portelli, the words printed on the page are themselves restless, moving around on the page, becom- ing larger or smaller or wider or narrower, turning upside down or in a circle… this tex- tual playfulness has become one of the favourite parts of reading a Jake Cassar book. The Jake Cassar series is aimed primarily at children aged 8-11, and books in this series have won the National Book Award for best Maltese children's book. The names behind the se- ries – author Azzopardi and illustrator Mark Scicluna – are nowadays some of the best names in the field, and with this final tenth episode they have given all fans their much-desired conclusion to the saga. In this final episode, Jake Cassar jiġġieled l-aħħar bat- talja, Jake and his friends face for the last time the evil Queen Fidelja, and battle not only her but her minions and do their best to thwart her evil plans. A giant water monster features, as do some of the series' favourite bad- dies. This series is ideal also for reluctant readers, because the visual dynamism of the text, the fresh, fast-paced writing of Azzopardi, and Sci- cluna's sharp illustrations, all make for extremely addictive and accessible reads. Jake Cassar jiġġieled l-aħħar battalja is available from all bookshops, or online directly from www.merlinpublishers. com Jake Cassar embarks on a final adventure Philip Leone-Ganado as Romeo and Erica Muscat as Juliet in MADC's production of Shakespeare's classic tragedy