Bronk Productions will be presenting two performances at the Manoel Theatre of Awstralja, Joseph Vella Bondin’s compelling and multi-layered drama of love, lust and guilt set against a backdrop of Maltese migration in the late 1960s.

The mysterious death of a young man is the play’s catalyst.

After finishing the day’s housework, Katrina goes up to the roof to rest. Some time later, Martin, her stepson, joins her. In the quiet of the approaching darkness, Katrina loses consciousness. When she recovers, she finds that she is suffering from total paralysis in her legs, and Martin is lying dead in the street below, his head fractured. The investigating magistrate arrives at an open verdict on the cause of death. The police continue their investigations, in the course of which a young constable falls in love with the younger of the two of the Katrina’s daughters, unfolding a chain of events which lead to a memorable and disturbing climax.

John Suda, who is directing, has chosen a talented cast made up of Angie Casha, Stephanie Grech Mallia, Rosanna Zammit Cassar, Renzo Bonello, Antoine Cauchi with John Suda himself in the part of the C.I.D. Inspector.

The play’s production has been made possible by financial assistance from the National Lotteries Good Causes Fund within the Finance Ministry and from the Bank of Valletta.

Awstralja is to staged on Saturday (7.30pm) and Sunday (6.30pm). Booking is open at the Teatru Manoel, tel. 2124-6389, email:

[email protected]. Tickets cost Lm5 (EUR 11.65) and the play is not suitable for persons under 16.

Joseph Vella Bondin is one of Malta’s leading contemporary dramatists and his plays, written for different mediums, have won many important prizes. Credits include: Meta se jisbah? (Teatru Manoel,1993); Kull gieh u glorja (Teatru Manoel, 2000); Is-Sur Mastru, Bella, il-Professur, u Progetti Ohra (St James Cavalier, 2003); Zerafa (University Radio, 1998); Ghidli, Missier, jekk il-Gwerra Spiccatx (Radio Malta, 1999); and Dawk li fuq l-Igfna Jbahhru (Radio Malta, 2003).