Violence and man’s inhumanity to man are all over the news every day, so why does a play which deals with these issues cause such controversy? To find out Josanne Cassar speaks to Unifaun’s producer Adrian Buckle and a few members of the cast about their upcoming production, ‘Mercury Fur’

Unifaun theatre has always tried to “push the envelope” when it comes to its productions, and Mercury Fur is no exception. I asked Adrian Buckle whether this particular play is the most “daring” he has produced to date.

“I try to put on plays that have something to say,” Adrian says. “Many times this is interpreted as controversial but that is not the issue. Mercury Fur is certainly the most difficult play to date for a number of reasons. First of all, we are moving away from our usual venue of St James Cavalier for the first time. Second, we do not have the usual established cast to rely on. With the exception of Irene Christ, few of the names involved will ring a bell. Barrie Stott, Jan Zammit, Francis Nwobodo and Mik Pisani are all taking their bows for the first time in Mercury Fur. Edward Caruana Galizia, Toni Attard and Chris Galea on the other hand are hardly established actors. It took me and director Chris Gatt three months to choose the cast. But we are very happy with what we’ve got. I am sure that these boys are the Manuel Cauchis and Kevin Drakes of the future. It is indeed an honour to give them their break and the chance to prove themselves.”

As for other difficulties involved with this production, Adrian points out that Mercury Fur deals with the horrors humanity is capable of. “Those who ‘know what’s best for us’ (!) might frown at the violence portrayed but haven’t we seen enough of it? Haven’t we seen children killed mercilessly in Beslan? Haven’t we read about Jamie Bolger and his torture and death at the hands of two other boys? Haven’t we read about paedophilia? Haven’t we all followed Maddie McCann’s case with interest? Mercury Fur is the result of the world losing its moral compass. Someone told me that this play has been rated 18 because of the violence it refers to. There couldn’t be a more hypocritical statement when considering that the awful Passion of the Christ was rated ALL AGES in spite of the brutality it portrays. Maybe someone in the system is drunk. I do believe that I have proven that Maltese audiences hunger for challenging productions. I do not produce easy comedies. And yet I sell out every time. That surely means something.

“Curiosity killed the cat. Maybe someone will be drawn to attend because of the controversy. But I am not producing one of our so-called TV talk shows. I do not sensationalise an issue or a production. I never promote the controversy of a play or sell it on its sensationalism. I just promote what a play has to say and the public is intelligent enough to respond.”

In other countries where the play was produced, it was quoted that about ten people left the theatre every night during the play’s run, because of the shocking violence (even if it it happens offstage) and frightening lack of morality. It has been described as sick and disturbing... does this reaction make you apprehensive at all... or is it more of a challenge?

“That is just one side of the coin. Other critics have gone on to describe it as a must-see and a play that is truly relevant to today’s world. I choose a play on the strength of its script. How the audience reacts is another issue. If they leave the performance half way through, it won’t be the first time it happened to me. If I paid attention to such apprehensions I would never have produced Paul, Pillowman and Some Explicit Polaroids. I would not contemplate the production of Mercury Fur and Blasted and The Seduction of God Almighty. I produce what I deem is a good script. When I did Paul some members from certain religious groups told me that I should be ashamed of myself and that the production would cause people to ‘lose their faith.’ Bollocks! A play doesn’t make anyone lose his faith. It only makes you think. Since when is thinking aversive to faith, to understanding? The obscene truth is that we have a censorship board in this country to promote and safeguard this obscene attitude.”

What drew you to this play?

“I was drawn to it because it discusses issues we prefer to pretend do not exist. It does so tongue-in-cheek with dark humour. Philip Ridley has created a script discussing violence, rape, war and snuff parties with characters based on The Sound of Music. It is extremely funny, but then extremely dark. There are butterflies in this play. Eating these butterflies makes one go on a hallucinatory hike. The characters have indeed lost their moral compass but rediscover empathy by the end.”

Speaking of censors, I asked whether anything will be ‘toned down’ because of censorship issues.

“I never tone down a play, whatever the censors have to say. I am against censorship (I would like to stress that I am not against the people involved; those are just friends caught doing a thankless job). I do not accept that a group of less than 10 people can decide what a nation can or cannot see. It is undemocratic. It is ridiculous. It is obscene.

* * *

Barrie Stott plays Naz and has this to say about his character:

“I was never drawn to this particular role, as I did not audition for one specific part (no one did), but playing Naz has turned into a challenge. I feel like I am researching his life and – to be quite honest – I suppose that is exactly what I am doing to prepare myself to play him. I think the trickiest part of being Naz is digging up his past. It is a key feature in this play and the past of each and every character comes out at some point or another. Finding different ways (and believe me, there are many of them!) to retell his life story in a few paragraphs has been a major challenge and, at times, it turned into a struggle – but I am almost there!”

This is perhaps one of Unifaun’s darkest, most daring productions – are you apprehensive about how it will be received?

“I don’t think apprehensive is the word I’d use. I am more interested in seeing what the audience’s reaction will be than apprehensive because there are only two possible outcomes. They either like it, or they don’t – whereas, their reactions can be varied throughout!”

When you rehearse for long hours for a play such as this, which depicts a sick world without morality, does it affect you personally? Are you able to switch off when you go home or does it take you some time to shake off the feelings stirred up by the play?

“No, it has not affected me. To me, a script is a script. When I am learning lines, I am learning lines. When I am rehearsing, I am rehearsing. I am not taking part in real life and I tend not to think about the play after rehearsal time, as I am usually mentally exhausted after a three hour rehearsal period.”

Do you personally think that the world will come to a point where the events described in the play will actually occur? Or are we already on the brink of this kind of world?

“In all honesty to the first part of this question; I do not know and I’d rather not think about it. As for the second part of this question: no. Most certainly not. Our world at this point in time can not be described and compared anywhere near to what is described in Ridley’s Mercury Fur.”

* * *

Edward Caruana Galizia has been cast as the transvestite called Lola. He has been looking forward to working with Unifaun “as they seem to put up the most challenging and provoking plays.”

Edward admits that he plays quite a strange character. “Lola is very complex but also allows a lot of freedom; it is this freedom that I enjoy a lot. While all the other characters’ pasts and lives are spoken about in the script, Lola’s life is only mentioned a few times, but there are small hints which can go in many different directions. Chris, the director, and I have long chats about the character to make sure where we are going makes sense and works in tandem with what the writer has given us.”

Are there aspects of the character you are finding particularly challenging?

“Lola is a soft romantic one second and a hard Essex girl the next. She goes from sweet and caring to an “am I boverd?” mode all the time. What I find challenging is making sure I get those shifts right, making sure they make sense in the scene and above all keeping them real and true to the character.”

How are you preparing for your role?

“I started preparing for this role before rehearsals started by asking a few of my friends who have studied psychology for some options and ideas. I mixed them all together and then went through the script - adding new ideas and rejecting ones that didn’t fit. Then it was just a case of adding some colour. I have also been carefully watching people who are in relationships and seeing how they react to each other, and comparing it with Lola and Elliot and seeing which reactions are female and which are male. There are many ways of preparing for this role...let’s just say I m trying them all.”

Edward feels that people who know art, who know theatre and who know writing will love the show. “Yes it is dark and very daring – especially for Malta, but it has such a powerful message, such a real situation and such an authentic script that if you can look past its face value you will find an important and real message. That being said, I must say that it will stir things up when it comes to people who do not understand what is going on in the play.”

Asked whether the subject of the play affected him, Edward admits that, “yes, to be honest it did at the beginning, but then I just got used to it. But as I said, if you read between the lines you have so many questions and topics dealt with that just watching the play unfold is so interesting. I just enjoy looking for the symbols and messages in the play. Sometimes I forget what it is we are ACTUALLY doing on stage.

The rehearsal mood fizzles out by the time I’ve had my supper. But if I find something striking in rehearsal I do think about it a lot. It doesn’t disturb me, I just like to think of why the writer put it there to begin with. Of course doing a play like this is not going to involve hitting the switch when needed.”

Contrary to Barrie, Edward thinks we are not merely on the brink of Mercury Fur’s world…

“We ARE, have been and will be in this kind of world. Look at Rwanda and now Kenya. People just get chopped up with no mercy. Go into random chat rooms and all you’ll find in the main chat window is chat users advertising themselves for sex – along the lines of 30 male London looking for sex with younger IM me! – and if you think that is bad there are worse. We know paedos exist so they must do their business somewhere. All the writer has done is brought all these things into one room; something that is not so impossible. This is the general message of the play.”

Mercury Fur is on at the MITP theatre in Valletta on 1, 2, 3, 8, 9, 10 February at 8pm. Tickets from St James Cavalier. Over 18 only.