Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/673696
maltatoday, SUNDAY, 1 MAY 2016 41 This Week Topical new drama hits the Blue Box theatre IMAGE of an Unknown Young Woman by Elinor Cook, a brand- new play from London's Gate Theatre, will be staged in Malta by the MADC from May 6. Described by The Guardian as "a smart, grip- ping look at our unacknowledged capacity for rage and violence," the play weaves together three separate storylines set around ex- plosive protests in an unnamed contemporary country. A young woman in a yellow dress has been shot by the police. As a video goes viral, a revolution be- gins to stir. Ali and Leyla are panicking – they uploaded the footage and now the authorities are after them. Across town, Yasmin is desperate to know if her missing mother is still alive. Halfway around the world, a woman in London wants to help. As a tornado of dissent and vio- lence spreads, everyone's life is go- ing to change. With inspirations from the Arab Spring, as well as protests in Tur- key and Iran, the play examines the power of images and social media to change our perceptions and al- ter the state of the world. Directed by Philip Leone-Ganado (Two Gentlemen of Verona), Im- age of an Unknown Young Wom- an stars Nanette Brimmer, Joseph Zammit, Chris Galea, Maria Pia Meli, Steffi Thake, Becky Camilleri, Erica Muscat and Antony Edridge. The play will be staged at Blue Box, MSpace in Msida (oppo- site Junior College) on May 6, 7, 8, 13, 14, 15 at 20:00. Bookings: www.bluebox.com.mt From left: Becky Camilleri, Maria Pia Meli, Chris Galea, Steffi Thake, Joseph Zammit, Erica Muscat and Nanette Brimmer 400-year-old gardens in Valletta opening to the public TWO 400-year-old gardens in Val- letta will be opening to the public for the first time during the Val- letta Green Festival from 6-8 May. The Festival is a Valletta 2018 ini- tiative injecting colour into an oth- erwise urban landscape. The gardens lie in the heart of St. Catherine's Monastery, a 16th century building in Republic Street run by cloistered nuns, and the Archbishop's Palace in Arch- bishop Street. Both gardens will be open between 9am and noon and again between 4pm and 7pm dur- ing the three days of the festival. Valletta 2018 Foundation Chair- man Jason Micallef said: "The fes- tival offers a unique opportunity for families to visit Valletta during Mother's Day weekend and enjoy these secret gardens in the heart of the city". "By means of the Valletta Green Festival, the Foundation is focus- ing on the cultural, economic and social regeneration of Valletta while contributing and encourag- ing environmental and ecological improvement," Micallef added. Already in its third edition, the festival once again features the In- fiorata, a large carpet made up of over 80,000 potted plants, bring- ing a pop of colour to St. George's Square. Unlike previous years, this year's edition of the Infiorata has a spe- cial meaning. The plants are in fact being used to reproduce the outline of one of the early plans of Valletta and its fortifications. This highlights the historical impor- tance of this city, recognised as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1980. Meanwhile, the colourful back- ground design surrounding this outline is an artistic reinterpreta- tion of the grid of straight streets which characterise Valletta. This marriage of past and present sym- bolises Valletta today, on its 450th birthday, a city where contempo- rary customs and fashions live side by side with a rich architectural, historical and social heritage. Environmental Landscaping Consortium Chairman Peter Calamatta said: "One of the main attractions of the Valletta Green Festival is the infiorata featuring over 80,000 potted plants grown over the past 12 weeks at (ELC) nurseries. Following the festival, the flowers are replanted in public gardens and green spaces around Malta and Gozo". On Saturday 7th May, Tikka Banda sessions will be taking place from 10am till noon, while Charles and Friends will liven up St George's Square with a mix of Blues and Jazz music from 8.30pm till 10.30pm.