Shakespeare and spice – and all things Twelfth Night

Out with the men in tights, and in with a tune or two from pop queen Madonna. Yes, it’s all change at this year ’s annual al fresco MADC Shakespeare, and Jo Caruana’s got all the gossip straight from the horse’s mouth – dynamic American director Dave Barton.

It’s not soulful Elizabethan tunes that are floating out of the Malta Amateur Dramatic Club’s Santa Venera rehearsal centre at the moment, but the rather more modern beats of Fat Boy Slim and Aerosmith.

And no, it’s not an eager, ahead-of-schedule rehearsal for the Christmas pantomime, but one of the very contemporary conventions that director Dave Barton is using to “spice” up the club’s annual Shakespeare production – this year in the form of comedy Twelfth Night.

“I am usually more of a King Lear or Timon of Athens type,” smiles Mr Barton, who’s thrilled to be back in Malta, having directed Unifaun’s controversial production of Sarah Cane’s Blasted in 2008.

“I thought it would be challenging to direct something light, funny and family-friendly – especially since my speciality is generally dark, provocative, adult work.”

In this respect, Mr Barton isn’t kidding. Formally the artistic director of American fringe theatre Rude Guerrilla Theatre, he specialised in the production of in-your-face works by UK playwrights – and it was that which brought him here in the first place.

“Adrian Buckle, who was then the artistic director of Unifaun, was keen to present some of the titles that we had produced in the States, so he invited me over to direct Blasted,” explains Mr Barton, who is also an accomplished playwright and lecturer. “The show was a hit and I loved my time here. The culture is very, very different, which took some time to get used to, but the people are wonderful and I was overwhelmed by the talent. I treasure the friendships that resulted, and now Malta feels like another theatrical home to me.”

So, keen to return for a further collaboration, Mr Barton once again joined forces with Mr Buckle – currently the artistic director for MADC – to work on Twelfth Night.

“I don ’t do comedies very often,” continues Mr Barton, “or Shakespeare for that matter; but I have worked with the words of several Jacobean writers in my time. So, I was intrigued by the challenge and keen to be back in the Mediterranean. I was also thrilled to have some great actors, like Manuel Cauchi, on board, and already it promises to be something completely different for local audiences of all ages to look forward to.”

As a result, many traditional conventions have been done away with, in favour of a completely new take on things. Modern dress will replace the customary costumes, and a few cuts in references have been made to help the play make better sense to today’s spectators.

“The advice I gave the cast was to really understand each and every word they’re saying – and to come to me if they don’t. Shakespeare’s words spoken by people who have no clue what they are saying are boring, so we needed to get that sorted immediately. From there I just wanted to make it louder, faster and funnier,” he says.

And the changes don’t stop there. While Shakespeare’s audiences would have enjoyed contemporary Elizabethan tunes, Mr Barton will be adding songs that a modern audience can relate to. “The bumper music – which will be used during scene changes – ranges from Jerry Lee Lewis to Patsy Cline and Aerosmith. There’s even a group dance number to Madonna’s Hung Up, so there’s plenty to keep audiences on the edge of their seats and buzzing. Essentially there’s no place for boredom in this production!”

Meanwhile, Mr Barton believes the timelessness of Shakespeare’s themes will still be given ample space to shine through. “The elements he targets in his writing are very specific – the insanity of love, our cruelty to others, the little lies we tell ourselves to get through the day. Those issues haven’t changed that much over the past 100 years, sadly. We’re fast at changing our technology, but not so quick to change the way we treat each other.

“Shakespeare makes all that current. His plays are so good; they’re highly malleable and can be worked and reworked in a variety of styles. This keeps them fresh and vital, which is exactly why I am so excited to be working on Twelfth Night.”

The story itself is set in the mythical kingdom of Illyria and is considered one of the Bard’s greatest comedies, full of deception, disguises and madness; not to mention cross-dressing and mistaken identities.

“The cast is brilliant, the setting is beautiful and we’re pulling out all the stops to make this more memorable than ever. I look forward to hopefully putting a spin on things that will really go down a treat with everyone who watches,” Mr Barton adds.

• Twelfth Night is being staged at the open-air Greek theatre in the grounds of the Maria Regina Junior Lyceum on July 2, 3, 8, 9, 10. Tickets may be obtained by phone on 7979 6232, by e-mail bookings@madc.biz or online: www.madc.biz.