Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/627675
maltatoday, SUNDAY, 17 JANUARY 2016 This Week 33 WHAT'S ON Unravelling the misconceptions about Strait Street WITH its steamy reputation Strait Street in Valletta lured thousands of young and not so young service- men who often threw caution to the wind and dived into what some people used to regard as a den of iniquity. Even though the street is now but a shadow of its former self, tales of wanton women and trans- vestites mingle and intertwine to prime the imagination of visitors to this lane whose name has been flagged around the four corners of the globe. But what are the facts and what are the figments of the imagina- tion when it comes to its his- tory? In collaboration with Herit- age Malta, George Cini – who has just published his second book recording the oral history of this much-maligned street – will try to answer questions about what made this melting pot of music, dance, drink and other earthly pleasures come to posess such magnetic powers, during a talk in English at the Inquisitor's Palace in Birgu on Thursday, January 21 at 19:00. Was it the music that pulled in the crowds? Or was it the voluptu- ous young women? How come drag queens often topped the bill? Among the household names when it came to the female set, there was Nina who pulled no punches when it came to deal- ing with men; Rita, known as Spar- row, who mesmerized sailors and soldiers with her uninhabited dis- plays and May Brum whose beauty melted hearts and weakened minds. Top of the heap among the crop of drag queens were Bobbie and Sugar who apart from packing dance halls to the rafters, often engaged in a war of words over the same young sailor they both set their vulture eyes on during the same evening. For more information please call the Inquisitor's Palace on 2182 7006. Or visit the Facebook pages: 'inquisi- torspalace' and 'stradastrettabook' The first exhibition in the ancient Citadel's recently restored Culture Centre in collaboration with the Gozo Culture Office. The Mediterranean Peace Donkey project is a peacebuilding exhibition of 21 life-sized fiberglass 'Maltese' donkeys painted by premier Gozitan, Maltese, Egyptian and Western artists symbolizing the need for peace and compassion between the Middle East and West, and more specifically throughout the Mediterranean Basin (i.e. a donkey for each of the 21 Mediterranean nations). More information: http://www. oncaravan.org. LITERARY EVENT JANUARY 30 Salon Intimates – REBIRTH Creative socialising session at Carmelite Priory Museum, Mdina from 16:00 to 19:00. Artists and creatives are invited to share poetry, prose, music, paintings, ideas, performances and so on. Entrance is free of charge guests are asked to send a private message to 'Miriam C' on Facebook to confirm participation. Guests are also welcome to come and watch /listen without actively participating. Renzo Spiteri will be performing at St James Cavalier on January 29 and 30