I have known Mario Philip Azzopardi since he was a teenager. He played a leading role in a play of mine over half a century ago. That’s for conflict of interests.

I always admired his enthusiasm while not being completely convinced by his artistic itch. But that was not for me to decide, only for his audiences, of which he accumulated many over the years.

It’s been a long time since I was involved in local theatre, so I have little handle on how he managed to brand and project his plays. One thing was clear: audiences came to see them, which is perhaps the best test of all.

I had seen one or two of his scripts, and again was less than convinced. But it seems they worked on stage for local audiences who came to see them.

All this however is irrelevant with regard to the crass censorship that has been imposed on the production of his play, Ix-Xiħa.

He has not spoken to me about it nor has anybody else. I am just reacting to what I’ve read in the media and can hardly believe it. It’s appalling. It seems like we’re back in the 1960s.

The argument has been made that if there is a public subsidy underwriting MPA’s venture, then it should apparently satisfy some preordained criteria regarding what is acceptable or not. Yet it’s the same people who supposedly are gangleading among us “European” values of free speech who are advancing such an approach.

MPA has my full solidarity. What has been done with his play and production is shameful.

 

Alfred Sant