Described as a 'Tour de Force' (Times of Malta, 2022) and hailed as a 'game-changer' (www.ramonadepares.com), the playscript for the Maltese musical 'It-Teatru tal-Miskin' has now been published. Penned by Luke Saydon, the limited run of books was launched at Storeroom in Ta' Xbiex on Sunday 7 July.

The launch of the book, as part of Staġun Sajf by Saydon Studio, was an intimate sharing of the book, with readings by Saydon, Ruth Borg and Klara Vassallo featuring performances by Claire Tonna and original cast members Thomas Camilleri, Chiara Hyzler and Sean Borg.

Originally performed in 2022 in three theatres across Malta and Gozo, 'It-Teatru tal-Miskin' is an original musical with music and book by Luke Saydon, recipient of the 2023 Premju għall-Arti Artist of the Year Award.

The queer coming of age story centres around the village of Ħal Fern. A village cut from the rest of the world, where the bus never passes. But the village has secrets. Dark secrets it would prefer to keep hidden. One day a troupe of clowns arrives in Ħal Fern - entertainers who are strikingly different from the rest of the village. Their otherness and playfulness stands out in the mundane streets of Ħal Fern. They perform "It-Teatru tal-Miskin", a show that unearths the stories that Ħal Fern had buried deep. The stories of a boy who dared to wear high heels.

The musical, directed by Denise Mullholland with dramaturgy by Clare Azzopardi, received rave reviews during its run, and, eventually, won the coveted Production of the Year Award at the 2023 edition of Arts Council Malta's Premju għall-Arti Award Ceremony.

"I am overjoyed that the playscript of our musical is now accessible to even more audiences and reader," said Saydon. "I feel incredibly fortunate knowing that these words will outlive me, serving as a timeless testament to our work. At Saydon Studio, we have always aspired to preserve the legacy of what we create. This book ensures that future generations can look back and discover what we wrote about, what we sang about and most importantly how we wanted to leave our mark."

The playscript for 'It-Teatru tal-Miskin' is now available for purchase on www.saydonstudio.com

This publication was funded by the National Book Council's Malta Book Fund 2023