It is time to start introducing the eight theatre groups who will be performing during this year's MDC Youth Theatre Festival. The first group is Expoline Malta who will be producing the brand new play Blast by Dorothy Singh and Jesmond Zerafa.

10 June 1940, Mussolini declares war on Britain. The very next day, Valletta and its harbours are attacked by Italian bombers (Malta holds the record for the heaviest, sustained bombing attack: some 154 days and nights and 6,700 tons of bombs.) The Maltese were not prepared.

The neighbouring villagers gather in Mund's house which had been hit during the night. The blast had destroyed his garret, but left the rest of the house intact. "Mund, Mund," they ask, "...are there any more people under the rubble? Your son!? What? You don't know? My God... What a tragedy! And your niece is missing too? But were they hit or not? Where they in the garret?"

No one is quite sure... But the blast is only a shrapnel of the traumatising story which unfolds and reveals characters who are fragile and vulnerable, traumatised not only by the ravages of war, but scarred with hurt, hate and resentment of the people they love.
It's as much an exterior blast, as an interior one. Blast. Disfiguring. Changing. The end of life as they know it.... but perhaps...perhaps... also hope ...new beginnings.....