Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/634260
maltatoday, SUNDAY, 31 JANUARY 2016 This Week 33 temporary exhibitions with an exhibition dedicated to antique watches. Over 50 watches specially loaned from private and museum collections, highlight the technological and artistic qualities of antique watches. This exhibition is guest-curated by David Thompson, who occupied the role of senior curator of Horology at the British Museum until his recent retirement. The exhibition considers their variations and functions, and takes an in-depth look at particularly important watches belonging to notable personalities. More information: http://www.palazzofalson.com/. FEBRUARY 14-MARCH 13 Inhobbok (I Love You) Collective exhibition at Spazju Kreattiv (St James Cavalier), Valletta. Featuring four emerging creatives, namely Luke Azzopardi (Malta), Umberto Buttigieg (Malta), Demetra Kallitsi (Cyprus) and Maria Theuma (Malta). By taking into account that the exposition and exhibitionism of the self in relation to love, desire, narcissism and anonymity have been at the forefront of recent global art practices and social media experiences, inħobbok (i love you) displays various confessional modes of artistic practice, that include: original writing, in diary and epistolary forms; the cataloguing of objects, emotions and memories; and the exploration of the interconnection between the ready-made, the over-used, originality and feeling. UNTIL FEBRUARY 29 Mediterranean Peace Donkey – Gozo 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. BOARD GAME EVENT FEBRUARY 13 House of Games - Boardgames house party The House Party is an open event where a large library of assorted board games are available for all participants, with helpers on hand to teach you the games. Taking place at St Gabriel Band Club, Balzan from 14:00 to 21:00. Tickets are purchased at the door, and are valid for the whole event with unlimited access to the games library. Prices are €4 for adults and €2 for children under 11. Group discounts apply. More information: jean-luc@ portellimalta.net. PUBLIC LECTURES FEBRUARY 3 Alien Invaders – Marine Edition Lecture by Prof. Patrick Schembri at Spazju Kreattiv (St James Cavalier), Valletta at 19:30. Why did species cross from the Red Sea to the Mediterranean but not vice-versa? How did construction of the Aswan dam, which is nowhere near the Mediterranean, enhance this immigration? What happened in the 1980s to accelerate east to west and west to east movement of newcomer species? Why is this trend not only expected to continue, but probably to increase? And finally, should we be worried by this? Organised by Malta Café Scientifique. FEBRUARY 3 Speaking Faith: Environment, justice and wellbeing The Interfaith Forum and the Ethnobotanical Hub within the President's Foundation for the Wellbeing of Society present a colloquium entitled, Speaking Faith: Environment, Justice and Wellbeing. Held at 17:00-19:00, at San Anton Palace, Attard, the event marks UN's World Interfaith Harmony Week. WHAT'S ON Pregnancy comedy is next in line for Stagun Teatru Malti STAGUN Teatru Malti's 2016 sea- son opens at the Manoel, on Febru- ary 12, with Simon Bartolo's new play Habbilini ha Nir- bah. The title and the poster – featur- ing four pregnant school girls, that has irked some and made others chuckle. "We try to offer as varied a menu as we can," said Mario Philip Azzopardi, STM's execu- tive producer. "Controversy is not the only staple in our repertoire. We pre- sented, comedies, drama, horror, nostalgia, satire etc. All of them had one thing in common – the Maltese experience – in all its forms, warts n'all. If we are going to talk about ourselves, in an in- telligent, adult, way, then we have to have the guts to look into an uncompromising theatrical mir- ror, fashioned by socially com- mitted artists who aren't afraid to challenge perceptions, to question taboos, and to unmask hypocrisy wherever they find it," Azzopardi added. Remember the story about those four girls who bet who'd get pregnant first by a young man they all were in love with? Well, that was the starting point for Bartolo's script. Direc- tor Simon Buhagiar, who also directed the Bartolo-scripted 'Jiena Nhobb, Inti Thobb' said that Bartolo's dialogue is "cur- rent, fiery, and unapologetic". "There is no limit to his acute sensitivity of what constitutes Maltese reality. It's all there, as honest and unabashedly uncom- promising as ever. I'd be loathe to call this a comedy. Yes, sure there is lots of laughs but the play goes beyond the 'funny' to delve into themes that lead to very serious outcomes. Simon takes issues we are reading about on current media and creates a story which cracks you up and wrecks you at the same time. The play springs from local sen- sationalistic stories, about teen pregnancies, misguided youth, discombobulated parenthood, to paint a not so happy picture of alienation and decadence. The subtitle says it all – Fejn Fallejna? ('Where did we go wrong?')," Bu- hagiar added. The cast includes: Monica At- tard, Narcy Calamatta, Josette Ciappara, Carlos Farrugia, Vince Micallef Pulé, Antonella Axisa, Marceline Galea, Lorriane D'Ugo and Jean Pierre Cassar. The four girls are being played by Kim Dalli, Daniela Carabott Pawley, Mariele Żammit and Shelby Aq- uilina. The show will be performed at the Manoel Theatre, Val- letta on February 12-14, 19- 21 at 20:00. There will be additional 15:00 shows on February 14 and 21. Bookings: www.teatrumanoel.com.mt Teenage pregnancy will be the theme for Stagun Teatru Malti's new pulled-from-the-headlines play