The history of theatre education in the Maltese islands is a comparatively short one. The first organised theatre school was set up less than 30 years ago in the Manoel Theatre environs. Known as the Manoel Theatre Academy of Dramatic Art (MTADA), it occupied the first floor of what these days serves as office space for the theatre's administration.
In those early days back in the 1970s, MTADA was administered by English theatre director and actor the late Adrian Rendle, assisted by Theatre in Education expert Peter Cox.
The first intakes of students today reads like a who's who of contemporary local theatre people... Michael Tabone, Monica Attard, Manuel Cauchi, Josette Ciappara et al. Mr Rendle also had a number of Maltese staff helping him to pioneer the teaching of drama, acting techniques and other aspects of theatre studies. People like Godwin Scerri, Mario Azzopardi (the current principal of the Drama Centre) and the late Tony Stroud.
The first principal Adrian Rendle was an interesting chap. Prior to coming to Malta he had experienced a long and distinguished career in the theatre. As well as acting as artistic director of the famous Theatre Royal Stratford East, he had served as a teacher at several academies of dramatic art including the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art and Webber Douglas. An urbane character with a deep knowledge of the theatre, he can be credited with a very successful tenure at the head of MTADA.
However, when he left after some three years, the academy went through some troubled times.
Mr Rendle's natural successor was the distinguished Maltese stage and television director Albert Marshall. But, unfortunately for MTADA, shortly after taking up his appointment Mr Marshall emigrated to Australia, where he remained for many years.
With his departure, MTADA endured a number of rather turbulent years under a succession of principals. Until it entered stabler waters with the appointment of Tony Cassar Darien to the post of principal in the late 1980s.
By the mid 1990s it was felt that MTADA had outgrown its premises - besides which the rooms were needed by the theatre's administration - so it moved out of the Manoel Theatre complex.
Under its then principal Alfred Mallia, MTADA moved to new quarters within the Maria Regina Lyceum complex in Blata l-Bajda, where it c hanged its name to the Drama Centre.
This has proved a particularly fortuitous move, since the present accommodation includes classrooms, an excellent studio theatre and office space. Students from the Drama Centre have also had opportunities to travel and perform overseas, to broaden their overall theatre education.
The current principal Mario Azzopardi, who is one of the more forward-thinking theatre people in our islands, has come full circle since being one of Adrian Rendle's original tutors - and his enthusiasm and expertise ensures standards at the Drama Centre remain high.
It is interesting to report that although in the intervening years a number of privately run and excellent drama academies have blossomed in Malta, the government-run Drama Centre still attracts a very large intake of students each year. And long may it continue to do so, it remains a credit to Mr Rendle and all those other pioneers back from the 1970s right up to the present day.
In those early days back in the 1970s, MTADA was administered by English theatre director and actor the late Adrian Rendle, assisted by Theatre in Education expert Peter Cox.
The first intakes of students today reads like a who's who of contemporary local theatre people... Michael Tabone, Monica Attard, Manuel Cauchi, Josette Ciappara et al. Mr Rendle also had a number of Maltese staff helping him to pioneer the teaching of drama, acting techniques and other aspects of theatre studies. People like Godwin Scerri, Mario Azzopardi (the current principal of the Drama Centre) and the late Tony Stroud.
The first principal Adrian Rendle was an interesting chap. Prior to coming to Malta he had experienced a long and distinguished career in the theatre. As well as acting as artistic director of the famous Theatre Royal Stratford East, he had served as a teacher at several academies of dramatic art including the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art and Webber Douglas. An urbane character with a deep knowledge of the theatre, he can be credited with a very successful tenure at the head of MTADA.
However, when he left after some three years, the academy went through some troubled times.
Mr Rendle's natural successor was the distinguished Maltese stage and television director Albert Marshall. But, unfortunately for MTADA, shortly after taking up his appointment Mr Marshall emigrated to Australia, where he remained for many years.
With his departure, MTADA endured a number of rather turbulent years under a succession of principals. Until it entered stabler waters with the appointment of Tony Cassar Darien to the post of principal in the late 1980s.
By the mid 1990s it was felt that MTADA had outgrown its premises - besides which the rooms were needed by the theatre's administration - so it moved out of the Manoel Theatre complex.
Under its then principal Alfred Mallia, MTADA moved to new quarters within the Maria Regina Lyceum complex in Blata l-Bajda, where it c hanged its name to the Drama Centre.
This has proved a particularly fortuitous move, since the present accommodation includes classrooms, an excellent studio theatre and office space. Students from the Drama Centre have also had opportunities to travel and perform overseas, to broaden their overall theatre education.
The current principal Mario Azzopardi, who is one of the more forward-thinking theatre people in our islands, has come full circle since being one of Adrian Rendle's original tutors - and his enthusiasm and expertise ensures standards at the Drama Centre remain high.
It is interesting to report that although in the intervening years a number of privately run and excellent drama academies have blossomed in Malta, the government-run Drama Centre still attracts a very large intake of students each year. And long may it continue to do so, it remains a credit to Mr Rendle and all those other pioneers back from the 1970s right up to the present day.