The spotlights at the Manoel Theatre will in the coming days be trained on William Shakespeare for the first in a series of festivals on the works and influences of playwrights which takes off on Sunday.
At an informal press briefing at Il-Logga - the beautifully-restored vaults found beneath the Manoel Theatre courtyard - chairman Wilfred Kenely said the Manoel Theatre had decided to organise a festival called Spotlight On, where the main focus would be the works of a particular playwright and the way his works influenced literature and society.
"We decided to start with Shakespeare this year," Mr Kenely said.
Arguably the most well known playwright in the world, Shakespeare influenced artists across continents and ages due to the so-called "universality" of his works.
"His plays and sonnets inspired many artists and appeal to society till today. This is why we've chosen to include different art forms in the festival, all of which have been influenced by his work. The idea is to popularise the works of Shakespeare and highlight the importance of his works today," Manoel Theatre artistic director Tony Cassar Darien said.
The Spotlight On Shakespeare festival includes plays, poetry reading, films, music recitals, painting exhibitions and discussions.
A performance called Ir-Re Lear, a play by Shakespeare translated to Maltese by Alfred Palma, will be produced by Mario Micallef's drama company Talenti as part of the festival.
Mr Palma said translating Shakespeare into Maltese was very important to make his works relevant to a local audience even though the idea is not well-received by purists.
Mr Palma will be interviewed on Monday at a special edition of Poezija Plus which is also part of the Spotlight On Shakespeare festival.
Another Shakespearean tragedy, Romeo and Juliet, will be performed at the Manoel Theatre, in English this time, between January 27 and 29, with all shows starting at 7.30 p.m.
The play will be performed by TNT Theatre Britain and American Drama Group Europe. Play reviewers have called this play "explosive" while others wrote that TNT demonstrates "how Shakespeare can be made relevant to a modern audience anywhere in the world".
Simon Bartolo, a Junior College lecturer, will be directing a Shakespearean sketch presented by students. It is an adaptation of the three witches' scene from Macbeth. "Basically the three witches come to Malta for a holiday. However they refuse to go to a five-star hotel and prefer a much shabbier place which will help them feel at home. So they decide to stay at Junior College," Mr Bartolo said explaining the plot.
The play will form part of a tour for students at the Manoel Theatre.
KRS film distributors will present seven films for the festival between January 17 and February 7. All the films will be shown at the Embassy Cinemas in Valletta. Six of the films, including Shakespeare in Love, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Hamlet, Twelfth Night, Henry V and Romeo and Juliet, are re-issues and one is a new release.
The Merchant of Venice, starring Al Pacino and Joseph Fiennes, and directed by Michael Radford, will be shown from February 9 onwards.
The Embassy will show the first film at 10 a.m. while the last film will be screened at 6.15 p.m. Group bookings from schools will be accepted.
Paintings - all works inspired by Shakespeare's plays - will be given due importance during the festival. Named Shakespearian Inspirations, an exhibition will be launched at Il-Logga by artist Anton Calleja.
Mezzo soprano Claire Massa will execute a piece by French composer Berlioz who had a great passion for Shakespeare and whose works were greatly influenced by the Elizabethan playwright.
Courtesy of the French Embassy and the Alliance Francaise de Malte, the festival will also include an evening of music recitals at Sala Isouard.
Soprano Gillian Zammit, tenor Joseph Aquilina and bass Albert Buttigieg will present pieces by masters who were influenced by the works of Shakespeare. Pianists Lucia Micallef, Simone Attard and Davinia Gauci will accompany the singers.
Grantley Marshall, an American poet and producer, will also read out his works. He will speak about Shakespeare and the master's influence on his work.
Tickets are available from the Manoel Theatre booking office, by calling 2124 6389 or by e-mailing bookings@teatrumanoel.com.mt
Spotlight on Shakespeare calendar
Shakespearian Inspirations (January 8) - Exhibitions of paintings inspired by Shakespeare's plays.
At Il-Logga, Manoel Theatre, at 10.30 a.m.
Poezija Plus Special Edition (January 10) - Reading of poetry, discussion and interview with Alfred Palma.
At Il-Logga, Manoel Theatre, at 7.30 p.m.
The Shakespeare Film Festival (January 17 - February 7) - showing of Shakespeare in Love, Henry V, Hamlet Twelfth Night, Romeo and Juliet.
At the Embassy Cinemas, Valletta, between 10 a.m and 6.15 p.m.
Shakespeare à la Française (January 18) - Lecture and discussion on the influence of Shakespeare on the French performing arts.
At Sala Isouard, Manoel Theatre, at 7.30 p.m.
Lectures and Debates - A tour of the Manoel Theatre, a talk by on Shakespeare's relevance in the classroom today, a performance of an adaptation of a scene from Macbeth by Junior College students and an open floor discussion.
Ir-Re Lear (January 22, 23) - Translated to Maltese from the original text and performed by Talenti Drama Company.
At the Manoel Theatre at 7.30 p.m.
Shakespeare In Song (January 24) - Recitals of musical pieces by composers who were inspired by Shakespeare's work.
At Sala Isouard, Manoel Theatre, at 7.30 p.m.
Romeo And Juliet (January 27, 28 and 29) - Performed by American Group in Europe and TNT Britain. A post play discussion will be held between the director, cast and the audience after the first night.
At the Manoel Theatre at 7.30 p.m.
Grantley Marshall (January 31) - An American poet and producer will speak about Shakespeare and will also recite works live.
At Il-Logga, Manoel Theatre at 7.30 p.m.