To date I have never missed a performance of a Shakespeare play in Maltese, which has now become a regular feature at the Manoel Theatre in January. This year's production of Ir-Re Lear (King Lear) intrigued me.

The most daunting of all Shakespearean roles, feared by the most gifted Shakespearean actors, I was wondering how the theatrical company Talenti, and especially Mario Micallef, would fare in such a colossal stage enterprise. Never doubting his immense versatility as an actor, I was genuinely worried that Lear would be too much for him.

But at the performance of January 23 I was riveted in my seat for over two hours of sheer stage magic. From his imperious entrance in Act One to his last groan over Cordelia's dead body in Act V, Micallef was superb. His beautiful, perfect diction of Alfred Palma's wonderful Maltese lines held the numerous audience spellbound, and his impeccable acting enthralled one and all, including, I could sense, the other members of the cast.

With this most exacting of all Shakesperean parts, Mario Micallef has reached the zenith of his career. He has ventured the (almost) impossible and has succeeded. Well done, Mario; well done Talenti. It was a truly unforgettable evening enjoyed by all; the veritable cherry on top of the Shakespeare Festival cake!