Summer dreams
Andrè Delicata catches up with Chris Gatt to learn what MADC have in store for this summer's Shakespeare production taking place at the Opera House ruins
Fairy bowers, garlands of flowers, star-crossed lovers and lustful chase scenes fuelled by magical love potions and aphrodisiacs come to mind whenever William Shakespeare's most recognised comedy is mentioned. A Midsummer Night's Dream has been used to introduce the Bard's work to countless generations of schoolchildren because of the fact that its subject matter is considered to be so light and its characters so endearing. Long before Charles and Mary Lamb wrote their "Tales" tiny tots around the Empire were fascinated by scenes of gauzy fairies in shimmery wings, men with donkey's heads and stolen children living with a wilful fairy queen.
When I asked director Chris Gatt about his choice for this year's MADC Shakespeare production he answered that it is precisely because A Midsummer Night's Dream is perceived as being the least threatening of Shakespeare's plays that he chose it as the first play ever to be performed by MADC outside of the traditional setting at San Anton Gardens. For all its popularity, it is a play which has not been performed that often on the island - the last performance having been held 10 years ago. Because "everyone thinks they know it," says Mr Gatt, it's the perfect play to make a point with. The point being that contrary to popular belief, "it is not just about pretty woods" and the frolics of fantastical creatures.
The natural setting of San Anton Gardens has, since the 1930s provided the ideal backdrop for most of Shakespeare's plays, and is definitely the best choice for A Midsummer Night's Dream, when interpreted in the traditional manner. In the play's text, however, we are constantly alerted to the fact that nature has turned upside down as a result of the fairy queen, Titania's fight with her spouse Oberon: "The seasons alter; hoary-headed frosts Fall in the fresh lap of the crimson rose", which clearly point to the environment and climate going berserk. Titania's speech is "so appropriate it's actually scary" in the way that it almost predicts what has been happening lately. The floods in northern England earlier this summer, ruthless contractors, the hole in the ozone layer, the greenhouse effect, El Niño are all somehow alluded to in her description of the confusion that's going on in the natural world. In fact, outside the fairy world of fantasy and beauty, the reality is very different and almost brutal.
And this is where the ruins of the old Opera House come in. There's no beating about the bush - it's an utter mess: A concrete car park in what used to be one of our temples of creativity. It's a junkyard and in its guise as such, it becomes "a symbol of our attitude towards our world", representing the end effect of the derogatory way with which we have treated all that is good and beautiful around us not just by taking it for granted but by mishandling and undervaluing it.
So why has our Public Embarrassment Number One been chosen to replace the fairy bower? "Because," Mr Gatt tells me, "it epitomises the sense of malaise which hangs over Valletta - a city which is not living up to our expectations".
The set naturally had to reflect the theme and installation artist Pierre Portelli based his creation on a skyline of cranes and towers depicting a sad, architecturally depleted world. The choice became a creative solution to portray A Midsummer Night's Dream as something more than just a fairy story.
Using the theme of environmental degradation as his inspiration, Mr Gatt immediately saw the potential which this interpretation held. By rooting the play to a topical situation which has finally become publicised enough for people to begin to take notice, Mr Gatt hopes that he'll be able to highlight awareness through artistic expression. The fairies become insects, primarily representing the dwindling of the worldwide bee population which has caught Mr Gatt's attention to the fact that "they are the ones who magic the seeds" - without them no pollination can occur which ultimately means no food for us. The image of food can be interpreted on two levels: Both the literal lack of food which debilitates us physically and the figurative lack or mistreatment of art which feeds our souls.
The fairies thus become recyclers living in a junkyard, creating a visual allegory of what's happening in the world. And this also extends to our notions of love. All the characters have been interpreted with a Mediterranean flair and Theseus is very much an old world Don making the notion of interpersonal relationships hierarchical and very much a "family affair where you are obliged to do your father's bidding".
The mirrored worlds of fantasy and reality constantly change to reflect each other, for example, Theseus and Oberon are played by the same actor, so that this transformation leads to the defamiliarisation of commonly accepted truths, identities and every day objects from the fairies' roles to the way we treat our environment and the repercussions that it is having on us. This dichotomy is also seen in Theseus's feelings towards his betrothed Hyppolyta - should he simply marry her and do what is expected of him, or should he woo her and get to know her beforehand? Embracing respect and understanding as opposed to tradition is a tough choice to make when you've been conditioned otherwise from childhood.
Chris also wanted to include as many different elements as possible in the production, mainly due to his one big challenge - use of space. The stage at the Opera House ruins is very large, and required a large cast numbering 30 members and due to its unshielded outdoor location, amplification was essential. He also wanted to reintroduce the concept of Elizabethan stratified system of groundlings, who pay a cheaper entrance fee for standing tickets, thus involving the audience in a more tangible manner; along with a musical accompaniment which runs the whole gamut of genres - from classical to cabaret, rap, jazz and blues.
The music is mostly new, original work written by Alex Vella Gregory specifically for the performance and features a live jazz band which is meant to complement the musicality with which Shakespeare's verses are infused. Shakespeare meant the text to be played at a fast pace, not in a slow and ponderous manner, and for this reason, Chris wanted to bring the almost operatic quality of the text and plot to the fore by emphasising that although the delivery is fast, the key moments are still pointed out to the audience and the whole experience should still be wonderful even if not all the words in the text are understood.
In keeping with the theme he has chosen to highlight, Chris and the rest of the cast, co-directed by Denise Mulholland and featuring Coryse Borg, Edward Mercieca, Pia Zammit and Manuel Cauchi among others, together with the crew have been working with WasteServ, the Ministry for the Environment, the 34U campaign and various other environmental agencies. The performance also promises a surprise resolution which Mr Gatt wants to keep secret until the opening night - I couldn't wheedle a single word out of him! The only hint he gave me was this: Ultimately he wants a play which can say something with conviction. Can we leave our creative temple in ruins? The Opera House becomes a symbol of creativity, which merges with the environmental theme to create a pact between nature and the creative spirit. It is in this resulting blessing that we shall find the resolution which will reinstate the "Garden of England".
• A Midsummer Night's Dream runs between July 25-29 (excluding July 26). Tickets may be obtained by e-mail: bookings@madc.com
When I asked director Chris Gatt about his choice for this year's MADC Shakespeare production he answered that it is precisely because A Midsummer Night's Dream is perceived as being the least threatening of Shakespeare's plays that he chose it as the first play ever to be performed by MADC outside of the traditional setting at San Anton Gardens. For all its popularity, it is a play which has not been performed that often on the island - the last performance having been held 10 years ago. Because "everyone thinks they know it," says Mr Gatt, it's the perfect play to make a point with. The point being that contrary to popular belief, "it is not just about pretty woods" and the frolics of fantastical creatures.
The natural setting of San Anton Gardens has, since the 1930s provided the ideal backdrop for most of Shakespeare's plays, and is definitely the best choice for A Midsummer Night's Dream, when interpreted in the traditional manner. In the play's text, however, we are constantly alerted to the fact that nature has turned upside down as a result of the fairy queen, Titania's fight with her spouse Oberon: "The seasons alter; hoary-headed frosts Fall in the fresh lap of the crimson rose", which clearly point to the environment and climate going berserk. Titania's speech is "so appropriate it's actually scary" in the way that it almost predicts what has been happening lately. The floods in northern England earlier this summer, ruthless contractors, the hole in the ozone layer, the greenhouse effect, El Niño are all somehow alluded to in her description of the confusion that's going on in the natural world. In fact, outside the fairy world of fantasy and beauty, the reality is very different and almost brutal.
And this is where the ruins of the old Opera House come in. There's no beating about the bush - it's an utter mess: A concrete car park in what used to be one of our temples of creativity. It's a junkyard and in its guise as such, it becomes "a symbol of our attitude towards our world", representing the end effect of the derogatory way with which we have treated all that is good and beautiful around us not just by taking it for granted but by mishandling and undervaluing it.
So why has our Public Embarrassment Number One been chosen to replace the fairy bower? "Because," Mr Gatt tells me, "it epitomises the sense of malaise which hangs over Valletta - a city which is not living up to our expectations".
The set naturally had to reflect the theme and installation artist Pierre Portelli based his creation on a skyline of cranes and towers depicting a sad, architecturally depleted world. The choice became a creative solution to portray A Midsummer Night's Dream as something more than just a fairy story.
Using the theme of environmental degradation as his inspiration, Mr Gatt immediately saw the potential which this interpretation held. By rooting the play to a topical situation which has finally become publicised enough for people to begin to take notice, Mr Gatt hopes that he'll be able to highlight awareness through artistic expression. The fairies become insects, primarily representing the dwindling of the worldwide bee population which has caught Mr Gatt's attention to the fact that "they are the ones who magic the seeds" - without them no pollination can occur which ultimately means no food for us. The image of food can be interpreted on two levels: Both the literal lack of food which debilitates us physically and the figurative lack or mistreatment of art which feeds our souls.
The fairies thus become recyclers living in a junkyard, creating a visual allegory of what's happening in the world. And this also extends to our notions of love. All the characters have been interpreted with a Mediterranean flair and Theseus is very much an old world Don making the notion of interpersonal relationships hierarchical and very much a "family affair where you are obliged to do your father's bidding".
The mirrored worlds of fantasy and reality constantly change to reflect each other, for example, Theseus and Oberon are played by the same actor, so that this transformation leads to the defamiliarisation of commonly accepted truths, identities and every day objects from the fairies' roles to the way we treat our environment and the repercussions that it is having on us. This dichotomy is also seen in Theseus's feelings towards his betrothed Hyppolyta - should he simply marry her and do what is expected of him, or should he woo her and get to know her beforehand? Embracing respect and understanding as opposed to tradition is a tough choice to make when you've been conditioned otherwise from childhood.
Chris also wanted to include as many different elements as possible in the production, mainly due to his one big challenge - use of space. The stage at the Opera House ruins is very large, and required a large cast numbering 30 members and due to its unshielded outdoor location, amplification was essential. He also wanted to reintroduce the concept of Elizabethan stratified system of groundlings, who pay a cheaper entrance fee for standing tickets, thus involving the audience in a more tangible manner; along with a musical accompaniment which runs the whole gamut of genres - from classical to cabaret, rap, jazz and blues.
The music is mostly new, original work written by Alex Vella Gregory specifically for the performance and features a live jazz band which is meant to complement the musicality with which Shakespeare's verses are infused. Shakespeare meant the text to be played at a fast pace, not in a slow and ponderous manner, and for this reason, Chris wanted to bring the almost operatic quality of the text and plot to the fore by emphasising that although the delivery is fast, the key moments are still pointed out to the audience and the whole experience should still be wonderful even if not all the words in the text are understood.
In keeping with the theme he has chosen to highlight, Chris and the rest of the cast, co-directed by Denise Mulholland and featuring Coryse Borg, Edward Mercieca, Pia Zammit and Manuel Cauchi among others, together with the crew have been working with WasteServ, the Ministry for the Environment, the 34U campaign and various other environmental agencies. The performance also promises a surprise resolution which Mr Gatt wants to keep secret until the opening night - I couldn't wheedle a single word out of him! The only hint he gave me was this: Ultimately he wants a play which can say something with conviction. Can we leave our creative temple in ruins? The Opera House becomes a symbol of creativity, which merges with the environmental theme to create a pact between nature and the creative spirit. It is in this resulting blessing that we shall find the resolution which will reinstate the "Garden of England".
• A Midsummer Night's Dream runs between July 25-29 (excluding July 26). Tickets may be obtained by e-mail: bookings@madc.com