Magic at Manoel

Manoel Theatre is launching a second production for children - an adaptation of Mozart's The Magic Flute.

The launch is in line with the Children's Theatre Programme, and follows the success of the first performace, an adaption of Roald Dahl's George's Marvellous Medicine, which was staged in November.

Judie Farrugia, general manager of Manoel Theatre, said that The Magic Flute promises to be even more entertaining than George's Marvellous Medicine, as it combines the visual with the aural in a fascinating web of colour so typical of Mozart's work.

She explained that "with The Magic Flute we will delve into the magical world of opera. We want to show that opera is fun and exciting. Moreover, this production is a fully local production, and the team features some of the most promising talent on the island; young, energetic and enthusiastic."

Ms Farrugia said the Children's Theatre Programme marked an important step for the theatre.

She said that as Malta's National Theatre, the aim is to make the theatre accessible to all. "Education must not be limited to the classroom, but encompass in it all aspects of life, including culture. By partaking in a cultural event, children are being exposed to different forms of expression and different outlooks on life. It is in this respect that the theatre plays an important part. We are also cautious not to be didactic in our approach, and emphasise the enjoyment factor in the theatre. If they are enjoying it, we are certain that they are getting something out of it."

Tracing back the development of the programme, she said the theatre had started off with a dramatic production based on Roald Dahl, not only because he is a popular children's author, but also because children mostly associate the theatre with drama.

The feedback from schools was very encouraging, as the morning performance were fully booked within a couple of days. This proved that schools are committed towards providing children with a holistic education, with government, private and church schools all showing a lot of interest.

"Unfortunately, the evening performances of George's Marvellous Medicine were not as well attended as we had hoped. Perhaps parents are not yet accustomed to taking their children to the theatre," she said. "However, the families who watched the performance enjoyed it tremendously, as the production was appealing to young and old alike."

In fact, she said that judging solely from the audiences' reaction during the performance, the performance was very well received.

"The Birmingham Stage Company, who produced the show, said that despite their extensive touring experience both in the UK and elsewhere they had never had such an enthusiastic audience as in Malta. It was very satisfying to watch the faces of children as they came out of the theatre. They were positively glowing with excitement. More importantly, this excitement extended to the parents and accompanying adults, making the evening a perfect night out for all the family," she said.

The Magic Flute seems to be following the same success as bookings by schools have already steadily taken off.

There is also a marked increase in the number of children who attend drama workshops, as children are being given the opportunity to witness what they are practicing in a professional and accessible way.

"The theatre is no longer the preserve of the adults, but an experience to be enjoyed by all ages. With The Magic Flute we want to dispel the myth that opera is pompous and extravagant. It is a genre which has human nature at its roots, and therefore contains happiness, sadness, jealousy, hope, and much more," Ms Farrugia said.

Manoel Theatre is also constantly liasing with schools. When George's Marvellous Medicine was staged, the schools were contacted before any publicity material came out.

"We put a lot of energy into making sure that all the schools know about it, and that we get as many school children as possible. Moreover, we sent them a questionnaire following the production so that we can better assess our product. We are using that feedback not only with regards to The Magic Flute, but also with regards to future forthcoming children's productions. I am pleased to say that all the schools gave very positive feedback, and where necessary very constructive criticism," she concluded.

The Magic Flute, directed by Toni Attard with musical direction by Sarah Spiteri, will run from April 19 to 23.