Matthew Cassar, a 22-year-old local designer, is taking the British theatre scene by storm. His dream, which started at a very young age, is finally being realised and the ability for this dream to come to life is owed, in part, to the funding by the Malta Arts Scholarship.

That is not to say, however, that the years of hard work put in by Matthew himself are to be underestimated. He has been working in the local theatre scene for years, first in the capacity of an actor, and later as a set and costume designer. As Matthew himself puts it: ‘I grew up watching musicals in the West End, and for me to be able to design an original musical on one of the most prestigious stages in the UK has been a dream come true’.

Matthew will be debuting himself as a set and costume designer on the Bristol Old Vic main stage, and he is going to showcase his talents in the original musical called Catastrophe Bay, which opens on Saturday 18th June. The musical is written by Kit Buchan and Jim Barne, and directed by Derek Bond, with Matthew himself bringing up the rear as set and costume designer. The musical is set in the small fishing village of Newfrock, part of the larger Cornwall, and displays an array of colourful characters, such as a smuggling schoolmistress, a sinful priest and a handful of singing fishermen, who all work together to protect the village secrets. Murdo Moxy, a crook and con-artist, enters the scene, and an intriguing series of events follow. To prepare himself fully for the task of designing the musical, Matthew himself visited Cornwall to immerse himself in the local scenery.

Matthew started the MA in Performance Design course during the past October, and has thrived under the guidance of Angela Davis and Bronia Houseman. He has previously showcased other work while at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, including The Red Shoes, The Ugly Duckling and Other Stories, and Picnic at Hanging Rock.

We would like to wish Matthew the best of luck with all his future endeavours!

Photo Credit: Craig Fuller