Theatre-goers are in for a treat this October, November and December as two brand new plays in Maltese featuring some of Malta's finest talent, will be heading to 10 different localities across the Maltese islands. This news comes after an almost two-year run of workshops, seminars and trial-runs under the header of Get Your Act Together (GYAT), a project spearheaded by More or Less Theatre and supported by the Valletta 2018 Foundation and the Malta Arts Fund within Arts Council Malta.
"When we kicked-off GYAT in February 2017, we had two goals in mind," says Angele Galea, the project coordinator. "The first was to give the local theatrical canon two new plays in Maltese, based on the themes of island life and cabin fever. The second was to give local playwrights the opportunity to work with international mentors to hone their skills."
Following a rigorous schedule of seminars and workshops, the final two plays chosen to be shown in Valletta, Mellieħa, Mosta, Kerċem and Sannat, among other localities, are Friefet Bojod by Lizzie Eldridge and Għajn ma Tara by Simone Ellul.
"Each of these scripts has been worked on, edited and modified to ensure its validity and viability for the stage," Galea continues. "We're incredibly proud of what Eldridge and Ellul have created and can't wait for audiences to get to enjoy them."
Eldridge's work, which is being directed by Lee-N Abela, and features Sarah Camilleri and Toni Busuttil in its cast, tells the story of a woman called Josette, who loses a son to a drug overdose. To mark his passing, Josette aims to plant a tree on the spot where he died, but the land is being developed into a high-rise building. Will Tony, the owner of the land, see past his greed and be compassionate, or will Josette be forced to give into his brutish demands?
Meanwhile, Ellul's work will feature a cast made up of Theresa Gauci, Ninette Micallef, Elaine Saliba Bonnici and Monica Attard, under the direction of Tyrone Grima. The script is about two elderly, unmarried sisters who live together and are expecting a niece to visit them in Malta following the breakdown of her marriage in Sweden. Over an informal tutorial by the niece to her aunts on how to use a tablet, the three reconnect and family issues are resolved.
"Each play is 50 minutes long and they will be staged one after the other on each night of our 11-week run. The venues chosen are important spaces within their communities and include local councils, primary schools, band clubs and actual theatres," Galea concludes.
Tickets are €5 for one play and €8 for both.
To find out when GYAT is visiting a venue near you log onto www.valletta2018.org