Penned by award-winning playwright Vincent Vella and directed by Carlos Farrugia, the psychological thriller takes us back three decades and the fall of the Berlin Wall. After decades of tension, the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 marks the start of the demise of the Cold War. It is a time of great upheavals. For seven years, Adel has been in a relationship with Helmut, one of a number of Stasi spies who have crossed over from East Germany to set up networks of female spies. For the greater part, the "Juliettes" are secretaries or other staff in ministries and state departments with access to important and, at times, classified information. The women are picked with great care not devoid of cynicism since their very vulnerability makes them prime recruitment material.

Following the fall of the Wall, several spies, including a number of "Juliettes" are arraigned. The women lose their jobs and many of them are heavily fined and sent to prison. The play makes the point that not all spies are treated the same. Those with the right connections get off lightly while the small fry, the foot soldiers, pay heavily for what they have done. Though Adel is spared prison, she ends up penniless and, after her horrific trial, suffers a severe mental breakdown. Her sole support is her friend Magda, a vet with somewhat brusque manners and a fierce loyalty. Later on Adel is joined by her nephew Stefan.

Helmut, the former spy-master, is one of those sent to prison. Once his prison term is over, he again gets in touch with Adel, drawing her, as well as Magda and Stefan, into grave danger as his murky past catches up with him. The tension builds up as former secrets come to light and greed brings out the worst in former friends. As she struggles not to slip back into the hell she has known before, Adel learns that there are times when wisdom comes at a tremendous cost. Slowly she starts dismantling the wall behind which she has taken refuge for so long.

Adel is not the only one who goes through this process of self-reassessment as the characters in the play come to terms with their demons, whether they take the form of a naive negation of reality, ambition, a crippling fear of being taken for a sentimental fool, or the heartless cynicism of exploiting others to their ends.

The cast includes Michelle Zerafa, Marvic Cordina, Aaron Fenech, Alan Fenech, Renato Dimech, Dolan Debattista as well as Gilbert Mallia, Daniela Carabott Pawley and Miguel Formosa.

Wara l-Ħajt is being produced in collaboration with Spazju Kreattiv and will be held on 24, 25 and 26 January.

Booking is open from https://www.kreattivita.org/en/event/wara-l-hajt/ or by calling on 2122 3200.