Been there... Seen that...
Actor Jean Paul Agius recounts the highlights of his cultural month
My day job that pays the mortgage and allows me to exercise my managerial skills, also gets me to London very frequently... home of the wonderful West End; where I recently managed to see Yasmina Reza's The God of Carnage, which starred Ralph Fiennes and Ken Stott.
In brief, the play centres round two affluent couples whose young offspring get into a scuffle, which results in injury. What starts as a very civilised exchange between the couples gradually descends into a primitive free-for-all, after much debate, revealing their true characters.
An interesting play, but I couldn't help feeling that it was much better suited to the French audiences for whom it was originally written. The French take particular delight in existentialism, but in an English setting, the debate seemed somewhat unrealistic and a bit tedious. But Ralph was worth the ticket.
A week later I went to a spectacular concert at The Royal Albert Hall. It was my friend, Malta's very own, Ben Darmanin's West End debut in the chorus of the concert version of Chess.
Headlining the concert was. American powerhouse, Josh Groban, whose rendition of Anthem, during the concert, shook the Albert Hall and sent shivers down my spine. Equally memorable was the duet, I Knew Him So Well, by Idina Menzel and Kerry Ellis.
Back in Malta I landed a small part as a roman clown in the film Agora, complete with my own trailer, of course I told absolutely everyone. Storytelling on such a large scale was breathtaking and enormous fun. Being around Rachel Weisz was a bit surreal... not to mention the Oscar-winning director, composer and writer Alejandro Almenabar, who chatted to me like we were old buddies. Look out for a pale-faced clown with the most colourful outfit in the film, at a cinema near you.
Not being much of a filmgoer, I resisted most new films until Sex in the City came to town. Eager to be completely knowledgeable about the adventures and outfits of Carrie, Miranda Charlotte and Samantha, I rushed to the cinema. Fabulous outfits, lots of romance, shoes to-die-for and numerous Cosmopolitans, pretty much sums up the film. I loved it.
My next project came about after a call from the producer of MADC's Macbeth, asking me to turn up for an audition, which landed me the role of Banquo. The chance to work with Paul Portelli and Charlotte Stafrace was too exciting to pass.
Six weeks later we put on a pretty impressive show at St Elmo and played to packed houses. It was the first time I died on stage... intentionally.
Promenaders in Għar id-Dud might have been lucky enough to come across the Azar Teatro's Spanish Blood performance for a taste of Ramblas-style street theatre. This colourful and energetic performance was part of the Malta Arts Festival and consisted of a motorised crane on wheels with an opera diva perched at the top, two men in drag, a policeman, a female bullfighter and a super-skinny guy dressed as a bull... all on rollerblades. Great entertainment for a summer Sunday afternoon .
Curious to hear an English company perform Shakespeare, I headed to the Argotti Gardens to watch the Touring Globe's production of Romeo and Juliet. The venue was less than ideal with seating that made it hard to see properly unless you were seated in the front row.
However, despite the neck-stretching, I enjoyed every minute of it. The eight-strong cast burst from a 1970s dormobile with heaps of energy and beautiful diction, coloured with accents that ranged from Newcastle to Jamaica.
The small cast meant they doubled to play different characters, which they did very convincingly. No fancy set, intricate costumes or light cues, just acting in its purest and most effective form. The two standing ovations were well deserved. I must audition for the MADC Shakespeare production again next year, I've already chosen the accent I want to use.
In brief, the play centres round two affluent couples whose young offspring get into a scuffle, which results in injury. What starts as a very civilised exchange between the couples gradually descends into a primitive free-for-all, after much debate, revealing their true characters.
An interesting play, but I couldn't help feeling that it was much better suited to the French audiences for whom it was originally written. The French take particular delight in existentialism, but in an English setting, the debate seemed somewhat unrealistic and a bit tedious. But Ralph was worth the ticket.
A week later I went to a spectacular concert at The Royal Albert Hall. It was my friend, Malta's very own, Ben Darmanin's West End debut in the chorus of the concert version of Chess.
Headlining the concert was. American powerhouse, Josh Groban, whose rendition of Anthem, during the concert, shook the Albert Hall and sent shivers down my spine. Equally memorable was the duet, I Knew Him So Well, by Idina Menzel and Kerry Ellis.
Back in Malta I landed a small part as a roman clown in the film Agora, complete with my own trailer, of course I told absolutely everyone. Storytelling on such a large scale was breathtaking and enormous fun. Being around Rachel Weisz was a bit surreal... not to mention the Oscar-winning director, composer and writer Alejandro Almenabar, who chatted to me like we were old buddies. Look out for a pale-faced clown with the most colourful outfit in the film, at a cinema near you.
Not being much of a filmgoer, I resisted most new films until Sex in the City came to town. Eager to be completely knowledgeable about the adventures and outfits of Carrie, Miranda Charlotte and Samantha, I rushed to the cinema. Fabulous outfits, lots of romance, shoes to-die-for and numerous Cosmopolitans, pretty much sums up the film. I loved it.
My next project came about after a call from the producer of MADC's Macbeth, asking me to turn up for an audition, which landed me the role of Banquo. The chance to work with Paul Portelli and Charlotte Stafrace was too exciting to pass.
Six weeks later we put on a pretty impressive show at St Elmo and played to packed houses. It was the first time I died on stage... intentionally.
Promenaders in Għar id-Dud might have been lucky enough to come across the Azar Teatro's Spanish Blood performance for a taste of Ramblas-style street theatre. This colourful and energetic performance was part of the Malta Arts Festival and consisted of a motorised crane on wheels with an opera diva perched at the top, two men in drag, a policeman, a female bullfighter and a super-skinny guy dressed as a bull... all on rollerblades. Great entertainment for a summer Sunday afternoon .
Curious to hear an English company perform Shakespeare, I headed to the Argotti Gardens to watch the Touring Globe's production of Romeo and Juliet. The venue was less than ideal with seating that made it hard to see properly unless you were seated in the front row.
However, despite the neck-stretching, I enjoyed every minute of it. The eight-strong cast burst from a 1970s dormobile with heaps of energy and beautiful diction, coloured with accents that ranged from Newcastle to Jamaica.
The small cast meant they doubled to play different characters, which they did very convincingly. No fancy set, intricate costumes or light cues, just acting in its purest and most effective form. The two standing ovations were well deserved. I must audition for the MADC Shakespeare production again next year, I've already chosen the accent I want to use.