Playwrights Alfred Buttigieg and Clare Azzopardi will be interviewed by Immanuel Mifsud as part of the next Mid-Dinja tat-Teatru session, which will be held on Tuesday 3 December at 7pm at The Manoel Theatre.
Offering a glimpse into the world of theatre in Malta, the Mid-Dinja tat-Teatru series is back for another season. Every month, some of the protagonists from the Maltese theatre scene share their ideas, experiences and memories on the Manoel’s stage. Audiences not only physically share the same stage, but also the same dreams and memories, gaining a holistic perspective of Maltese theatre from different aspects of stage production.
Born in Tarxien in 1956, Alfred Buttigieg graduated as a teacher in 1981 and at present is a headmaster in a state primary school. He was a founder member of the 1980s theatre company Ateatru and also formed part of the Manoel Theatre Management Committee between 2003 and 2008. His publications include Dwar Menopawsi, Minorenni u Muturi High Speed (2012), Ippermettili Nitlaq (2008), La Logique u drammi ohra b’att wiehed (2005), Ir-Rewwixta tal-Qassisin (2003), Dik il-Qtajra (1984) and Gezzu (1982). He is also the author of the popular maltimanija series. Production of his plays include La Logique, Lqugh Ghad-Dawl, Bus Stop (1981), Ir-Rewwixta tal-Qassisin (2005), Vinjetti ghar-Repubblika (2006), Ippermettili Nitlaq (2008) and Dwar Menopawsi, Minorenni u Muturi High Speed (2012). The latter two were listed in the online catalogue European Theatre Convention 2011 and 2012 editions of the best contemporary European plays for the stage.
Clare Azzopardi (1977) is an award-winning writer who writes for both children and adults. She lectures in Maltese Literature at the University of Malta Junior College and for the past several years has been an active member of Inizjamed, an NGO whose mission is to promote literature in Malta and abroad. With Inizjamed, she has co-organised literary festivals and workshops, often in collaboration with Literature Across Frontiers (LAF). Her work has been translated into several languages and has appeared in a number of collections. Her collection of short stories Il-Linja l-hadra won the National Book award for fiction. Her play L-Interdett Taht is-Sodda (The Interdict beneath my Bed) was published in French (Éditions Théâtrales, 2008) and in Arabic (I-ACT, 2009). Her latest plays In-Nisa Maltin Jafu Kif and Pretty Lisa were both staged at the Manoel Theatre earlier this year. She is currently working on her new set of short stories for adults.
As last season, at Mid-Dinja tat-Teatru, audiences will be seated on the Manoel Theatre stage, sharing the delight which most theatre people experience when looking on the Manoe’sl stage. The interviews will again be held with some of the protagonists of the Maltese theatre scene, coming from a variety of roles: from actors and directors to producers. This season will also introduce a number of changes: apart from the well-known names, the series will also feature upcoming protagonists who are making a mark on the local theatre scene. All interviews will be carried out in Maltese by Immanuel Mifsud. After the interview, the discussion can be carried over into the Manoel Theatre courtyard, where wine and nibbles will be served.
The Mid-Dinja tat-Teatru series is a collaboration between the Manoel Theatre and the Malta Council for Culture and the Arts, complementing the Francis Ebejer Competition.
Entrance is free of charge but seat numbers are limited so booking is essential. To book: www.teatrumanoel.com.mt E: [email protected] T: 2124 6389