Id-Dnub tal-Magħżulin, written by Adrian Buckle and Trevor Zahra, can be seen as a mix between a Shakespearean tragedy and a history play. Similar to plays like Richard III, though well before the birth of Christ, it tells the historic, and biblical, story of the extreme birth pangs before King David's golden age. It is due to the savage turmoil of the time that it likens a tragedy with a primal brutality reminiscent of Titus Andronicus, in its cold-blooded violence, and the scheming villainy of Macbeth. This is further supported by a tense stand-off in the desert, lit in red with a howling wind, that brought to mind a fateful meeting with the three Weird Sisters. The blend of these time-fixed Shakespearean genres was further heightened by the costume which may have drawn inspiration from Ralph Fiennes' direction of the cinematic adaptation of Coriolanus, with modern military fatigues and dress uniforms.

That said, it was Buckle and Zahra's emphasis on the role of David and Jonathan, as lovers, within this ruthless atmosphere that birthed something truly unique. At this point, it must be said that David and Jonathan's intimate homosexual relationship was stripped of all modern cultural bias, negative or otherwise. In the context of the play, the men in love were just that: men in love. It was a fact without systematic social prejudice, in short, feathers were left unruffled. Granted, Saul did lament on the "theft" of Jonathan by David however, one may argue that the emphasis of the loss was of his heir and bloodline rather than a resentment of the homosexual relationship itself.

One can observe a brilliant interplay of the political intrigues with the homoeroticism. On one hand, the two men's care for each other raised the stakes of the cat-and-mouse power struggle between Saul and David. Simultaneously, their tenderness towards each other offered the audience some respite from the onslaught of tyrannical cruelty, as a reminder of humanity. Furthermore, the desperate political climate of the narrative did not allow any time for the typical prejudice to be shown towards the two lovers. In this way, a rare untainted insight was offered into a same-sex relationship. Not a single derogatory queer slur was in the dialogue, neither a specific word distinguishing between homosexual and heterosexual love.

Though downplayed and even verging on subtle, the message is radical (depending on who receives it). In a word: the genetic ancestor and spiritual predecessor of Jesus Christ was deeply in love with a man. Lines of this continuity, though unspoken, clearly ran throughout the play with multiple iterations of "not a hair should be touched on his head". This was a slight paraphrasing of Christ's own words in the gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke and, notably, echoed by St Paul before his shipwreck. Furthermore, Benjamin Abela's interpretation of David's selflessness and sense of morality, openly speaking in God's name, can be likened to Christ in modern cinema. This arose most poignantly, however, in David's account to Saul of his relentless chases after beasts that stole from his flock. He was the original good shepherd. Buckle and Zahra go a step further, however; David was "naughty" and a "trouble-maker" during the time in his life that he was closest to God. With this reasoning, a question on the nature of God is asked, "blessed are the troublemakers?" According to Zahra, yes, if they calm the riots they start with the boy David, "always finding his way out of the trouble [he himself caused]". Furthermore, in a taboo-smashing trailblaze for Maltese drama, Christ's ancestor makes an oath of marriage with another man.

But moving past the radical message, the play is also an exploration of the innumerable, incomprehensible facets of God. Saul, played by an explosive Peter Galea and portrayed in a manner evocative of Emperor Nero, though once the chosen one from the smallest tribe of Israel, fell out of God's favour. His mortal mind was unable to fathom why, much to his grief. Apart from raising questions on the unquestionable, that is, God's plan, it is also a portrayal of those who fell out of God's grace. It is a grim picture, with Saul turning to a witch, played by Mandy Muscat, who doesn't even look him in the eye, in a desperate attempt to reconnect with the divine. Ultimately, he comes to terms with his position and actions in shame and dons a hood to hide his face from God's gaze. Indeed, Saul typifies the saying, "the more you fight God, the more you hurt yourself".

Another facet, and an object of fascination, was Sean Borg's interpretation of the prophet Samuel, God's mouthpiece. Through Samuel, the binary facet of God was showcased, with orders to be obeyed exactly and without question, despite Saul's attempts to compromise for his own gain. Borg's interpretation portrayed the prophet as God's PA, a thoroughly practical business with attention to getting things done as the boss likes them. While it must have been a terrible challenge for Borg not to give in to tropes from The Devil Wears Prada, the prophet had fantastic sass and sarcasm. His approach appeared to be one of "less is more" with God's silence being curt and equated to the saying is-silenzju risposta.

Apart from the theological questions, Buckle and Zahra also undermine the cultural perception of queer people being effeminate and weak through Jonathan, interpreted by an energetic Miguel Formosa. Very simply, even today, no one would readily think of a gay man as being a superb soldier and war hero. In the cultural mind the two labels clash; one being timid, sensitive and "artistic", the other being forward, rough and tough. And yet, Formosa's devoted Jonathan prostrates himself naked and wounded before his male love, the grizzled soldier blissfully rested his head on David's lap. In that way, the societally-deemed impossible is demonstrated as possible. The ripples of such a strong message are sheer empowerment. It insists that queer people have been and will continue to be hardy warriors even if the world chooses to ignore them.

Returning to Abela's David, the interpretation is unconventional yet excellent. Early in the play, it is surprising that the young man in casual denim costume didn't turn to Saul to say, "call me Dave". Additionally, the role appears to have been carefully studied with the actor, at times, idly playing with his fingers as though thinking of his harp. It would not take a stretch of the imagination to picture this David composing the Psalms in later life.

Very aptly, live acapella singing and poetry peppered the play on King David the musician and poet, adding to the tenderness of Jonathan and David's intimate moments. In this way, director Tyrone Grima made every moment of beauty count. He ensured that the harsh narrative was mitigated with crucial relief that ensured the play wasn't weighed down by sheer macabre. Additionally, Grima took a calculated risk in his decision to do away with microphones for this performance, banking on the skill of his actors and the acoustics of the Valletta Campus Theatre (VCT). It paid off. The lack of microphones allowed all vocals to maintain their organic pitches and timbres resulting in an inherently up-close and personal performance. Furthermore, following in the Shakespearean vein, Grima saw that his actors performed their dialogue with a certain rhythm that added an excellent gravity to the play while maintaining a good pace.

Despite a plague of bigots on social media, the duo of Buckle and Zahra end the play resolute and unwavering. David declares that "Israel lies dead on the hills". With Jonathan having fallen on the same hills and Israel being the Promised Land, with a concentration of God's presence, it is a weighty line. So, an impressive play ends with a statement suitably heavy in meaning and emotion. But it is only appreciated by those who realize that love, like light, falls on everyone impartially, as a matter of cause from the singular Source. And blessed are they.

Those wishing to see Id-Dnub tal-Maghzulin for themselves may catch the final show today at Valletta Campus Theatre (VCT), Valletta at 7.30pm. This production is suitable for audiences aged 16 and above, due to mature themes.