Next weekend, the main theme of the Gozo Creative Theatre Club will be spring. Not the season, but rather a play called Spring Awakening (The Tragedy Of Childhood) by German dramatist Frank Wedekind.

The play is a coming-of-age story about problems teenagers face, such as scholastic issues, alienation, sexuality and conflict with parents, and despite being written in 1891, it remains relevant to this day.

Due to its controversial subject, the play was not performed until 1906, when it was directed by renowned German stage director Max Reinhardt, and subsequent productions were often banned.

Under George Mizzi’s direction the play will be performed by the GCTC in conjunction with the Gozo Ministry’s Culture and Information Office at the Citadel, Victoria, on Saturday and Sunday at 7.30 p.m. Entrance is free.

GCTC’s production will include music. It was Mizzi’s idea to enhance the play with original music, and he recruited popular eclectic Gozitan rock band Divine Sinners for the job.

Two band members, Charles Attard and Frank Buhagiar, wrote nine original numbers inspired by Wedekind’s text. With titles like Growing Up (Is Such a Drag), Bye, Bye, Napoleon and Spanking the Monkey, Divine Sinners provide a set of catchy melodies with thoughtful and sometimes humorous lyrics acting as a kind of Greek chorus to the events on stage. The songs will be performed live in between acts.

The band’s other members are Eugene and Marvic Bajada. For more information look up Divine Sinners on Facebook or Youtube.