Masquerade to stage Manoel panto in break with 30-year tradition

The Christmas pantomime will be staged by Masquerade Theatre Company, despite disagreement with the Manoel Theatre over a hefty rental fee rise, after the MADC decided to break its 30-year run due to the increased costs.

Although the Manoel pantomime has traditionally been MADC territory, the situation changed last year when Masquerade was awarded the 2007-2008 show after bidding for it. But the agreement was reversed and MADC still staged last year's pantomime.

A memorandum of understanding to alternate the production between MADC and Masquerade was subsequently drawn up by the Manoel committee. Although harbouring reservations about the implementation of the agreement, Manoel Theatre chairman Peter Fenech said the committee had decided to avoid controversy and implement it.

It therefore issued a public call and three companies, MADC, Masquerade and FM, responded.

In view of rumours of a commitment with MADC that Masquerade would produce the upcoming pantomime, Dr Fenech said the committee invited the two companies to resolve the issue but no agreement was reached. It therefore decided to draw lots. MADC won the right to produce the 2008-2009 pantomime but decided to withdraw because of the increased fee charged by the theatre.

Masquerade, next in line to present the pantomime the following year, decided to take the plunge. As a result, it should be producing the pantomime two years in a row.

Masquerade director Tony Bezzina said it was "Hobson's choice" and even though he considered excessive the €11,650 increase in the rental fee, up to €58,250, he felt it was important to "take on the challenge", saying his company needed the platform to raise its profile.

He was prepared to take the risk with Jack and the Beanstalk, the story of the upcoming pantomime, even though it could "go to the dogs".

The situation could result in three pantomimes next festive season: Masquerade's, MADC's at the Malta Fairs and Convention Centre at Ta' Qali and the Maltese version at the Catholic Institute, in Floriana. And that is not counting a musical that may be staged by FM at the Mediterranean Conference Centre, in Valletta, in the same festive period.

But Dr Fenech, whose aim has been to break the pantomime monopoly, maintained that increased competition would raise standards.

Referring to the previous MADC monopoly, Dr Fenech insisted that the pantomime did not belong to anyone and that no local theatre company could claim to have introduced it.

While he respected the MADC's decision to withdraw, he commented that the company had not attempted to negotiate and had already booked another venue.

Dr Fenech wanted to set the record straight on the controversy and "give the complete and balanced picture".

He said he was under the impression that he had informed both MADC and Masquerade about the fee increase before the lots were drawn but both companies maintain it was not the case - one of the sticking points.

Dr Fenech justified the "substantial" increase, saying the fee had been gradually going up over the last three years - in an agreement between his predecessors and the MADC.

Up to four years ago the theatre was practically subsidising its most popular cultural event.

The theatre's management committee had calculated that "what we were charging €27,960 (Lm12,000) for was actually costing us €47,300 (Lm20,300)".

Rather than raising the rate for daily use across the board, the management committee had decided to put the burden on the pantomime itself.

The fact that companies would be benefiting from a 13 per cent cut in VAT on ticket sales was also taken into account.

Dr Fenech insisted that the Manoel Theatre was not interested in making money but, at least, in reaching break-even point.

While other theatre companies said they were non-profit-making organisations, they still paid their artistes and authors, he pointed out, adding that every cent the Manoel Theatre made was pumped back into culture.

MADC chairman Alan Montanaro had told The Sunday Times that to make its stay at the Manoel Theatre feasible, the company would have been forced to increase ticket prices, which it was not willing to do.

Masquerade would be absorbing the increased costs, Mr Bezzina said yesterday, auguring that the "negative vibe" that was dominating the scenario would end.

It is opening auditions to the public at a later stage.