Playwright Brad Birch came to theatre quite late.
"I was about 19," he tells me, "As a medium it felt like it drew together all of the things I was excited by: it was live and poetic like music, it was character-driven like literature and it also worked in images like visual art."
Brad deems himself to have been lucky enough to write for some of the most exciting theatre companies in the world, from the Royal Shakespeare Company and the Royal Court in the UK, to the Schauspielhaus in Hamburg and the Guthrie in the USA. He says
"It is such a privilege to come to Malta to make this play. I have a little boy now, Woody, who is two and a half. He came to Malta with me and my partner Zoe last year and loved it. We hope to come back again in the future," he smiles.
Brad believes that football has a universality to it, which means that you can go to almost anywhere in the world and find a common interest there.
"Whether you're from somewhere big or small, urban or rural, rich or poor, football has a presence everywhere," he says, "Now, that's not to say that everybody likes it! And there are many, many problems with the sport and the culture around the sport, and for good or bad it is hard to deny its impact. But I think the sport can tell us something about how people live together. On the face of it, the objective is clear: you must stick to the rules and co-operate with your teammates to achieve the best results. However, as we have seen in life and in the game, this isn't always the case."
He adds that he has always been drawn to football as a site of human interest and says that he hopes that this is a play for anybody, whether they're interested in football or not.
The plot of 'Game' focuses on Christopher Vella who has just buried his father, and is now having to face up to the impact and consequences of his father's long reign at the club. The death, and the revelations that come out after the death, send shockwaves through the family.
The play will be performed in the Trophies Room of the National Stadium at Ta' Qali straight after one of the many World Cup games on the 15th, 17th, 18th, 21st, 23rd and 24th June. It is being produced by Teatru Malta and Unifaun Theatre Productions, and directed by Lisa Ferlazzo Natoli. The cast is made up of Stephen Oliver, Macolm Galea, Davide Tucci, Erica Muscat and Julia Camilleri
"I think there is enough in the play's journey to resonate for any audience, but particularly in 2018," Brad says, "I use the culture of football as a way into these characters' lives... but the focus is on the choices that the characters make rather than the thing they are employed to do."
Brad has known Adrian Buckle (founder of Unifaun) for a couple of years now. About a year ago, with Teatru Malta, they finally found an idea they were all excited by and wanted to pursue.
"This is the first original new play that I have developed with an international team - the director and creative team are Italian, the actors are Maltese and I'm Welsh," he explains, "It has been such an enriching experience as a theatre maker. I think we can learn so much by seeing how other cultures approach their practice. I would hope and encourage more theatre makers to look abroad when making new work."
Brad says that the hardest thing, with this and any new project, is giving the play as much oxygen as possible in its development, writing and rehearsal. They needed to give themselves time for revelations, time to make mistakes and time to build in confidence. He says that it was a constant internal battle to allow themselves the time for this vital part of the process.
According to Brad, the first day of rehearsal was the most satisfying part of the whole process:
"The moment you are able to share the play with the rest of the company. Lisa Ferlazzo Natoli, the director, has been incredibly open and generous. It's been a great experience working with her on this play."
Brad says that, as an audience member, he would be really excited to be able to watch a World Cup game and then see the play back to back in the national stadium... a really unique night out!
"I also hope people will be excited by the prospect of an international team of theatre makers coming together to tell a story that responds to, reflects and interrogates some of the pressing political and philosophical questions of 2018. The play uses football and the world of football as a metaphor for the world in which we live, and hopefully it will ask some interesting questions for the audience," he concludes.
For more information, search 'Game by Brad Birch' on Facebook or go to teatrumalta.org.mt. Tickets may be purchased from ticketline.com.mt.