MADC offers mix of genres

The MADC yesterday launched its 2003/2004 theatrical season, which will provide a mix of comedy, drama and straight plays.

Malta's oldest drama club will be setting foot in St James Cavalier for the first time with a three-weekend run of an English comedy in January.

Speaking during the launch of the new season at the Corinthia Palace Hotel, club chairman George Cassola said the season was drawn up in such a way as to provide a platform to both the young talented actors of the club and the seasoned ones.

The season kicks off on October 4 with Pirandello's Six Characters in Search of an Author, directed by Marc Cabourdin, the first of three MADC productions at the Manoel Theatre this season.

The script to the classic children's fable Cinderella is currently being twisted and turned around by Malcolm Galea for this year's Christmas pantomime, normally the Manoel Theatre's biggest seller of the season.

Directed by Frederick Testa, the pantomime will roll from December 26 until January 11.

Robert Farquhar's hilarious comedy God's Official will be staged over three weekends at St James Cavalier in January 2004. Directed by James Calvert, the play was originally staged at the MADC clubrooms three years ago.

Two one-act plays, directed by Wesley Ellul and Adrian Buckle, will be staged at the MADC playhouse in Sta Venera in February, while Steve Casaletto will direct Perfect Wedding, a comedy of confusion by Robin Hawdon in April.

The annual one-act play festival, which acts as a springboard for new actors and directors will be held between May 13 - 16, six weeks before the MADC seals off its theatre season with the annual William Shakespeare extravaganza at San Anton Gardens.