Now the only surviving theatre in Sliema, the Teatru Salesjan is about to start a new page in its history with a residency programme. Artistic director James Spiteri tells David Schembri about how this theatre plans to spend the next 100 years of its existence
It’s a Wednesday evening and Teatru Salesjan in Sliema is dark, empty and closed, its 450 or so seats with art deco motifs on the side folded up, the distinctive burnt orange curtain drawn and the Giuseppe Calì painting at the top of the stage unlit.
His voice echoes across the 105-year-old theatre, now the oldest remaining in Sliema
“We don’t have performances inside the theatre in the summer, because the stage lights make it unbearable to stay in,” James Spiteri, the theatre’s current artistic director, says. His voice echoes across the 105-year-old theatre, now the oldest remaining in Sliema, after the theatre the Dominicans had behind their priory at the Ferries was demolished to make way for an apartment block.
The bar area outside the main theatre hall is testament to the theatre’s old history; flyers and artistic programmes dating to the 1930s are pasted all across the bar, advertising plays, farces and religious-themed productions. The theatre first opened its doors as the Juventutis Domus, a place run by the Sicilian province of the Salesians of Don Bosco, intended to give the bright minds of young, educated people a place to meet. At that point, the main theatrical element of the place was the recital of Latin declamations.
“We don’t know what really happened until the 1930s,” Spiteri, who has researched this theatre as part of his undergraduate studies, says.
The 1930s were a pivotal moment in the history of what is now known as the Teatru Salesjan, as Carmelo Galea, a Maltese Salesian Brother, returned to his home country from Modica in Sicily.
After his arrival, the theatre increased its artistic output, particularly when it came to music, which was Brother Galea’s forte. After his death in the 1970s, the theatre kept on running under theatre group Atturi Salesjani, until the management eventually changed hands in 2011 and set about refreshing the theatre’s output.
With its relatively large capacity (the Manoel Theatre has 623 seats, the St James Cavalier theatre, on the other hand, only 130) and proscenium arch stage, the theatre is something of a dinosaur in the local theatrical scene, where smaller venues are often sought by most theatre companies.
Its fixed seating arrangement makes it an awkward match for bands, who would in turn benefit from the sizeable stage.
Spiteri does not flinch at these criticisms and acknowledges that the place may not be the ideal venue for these events.
“The theatre, however, is more than just the building, and this is what we want to do with SARP,” Spiteri says.
Standing for Salesian Artist Residency Programme, SARP is the theatre’s latest initiative, which will serve as the backbone for its artistic programme in the coming year.
“SARP is a new identity for the theatre. We assessed what was happening in the theatre, the way it was working, saw a number of ways how it could improve and noticed there was no development programme. The theatre was either being used as a rental space or for Salesian activities, but it needed to open up more.
“We’re offering the theatre and its rooms for a specific project. Any project which satisfies our three criteria of innovation, reach and engagement will be eligible to take part in the programme.”
In return for the space, which is being offered for free, the artists in SARP are asked to give something back in the way of workshops, or similar activities, whereby people do not engage with the finished product, but with the artistic process itself.
“The idea of a creative hub is that we want artists and people who aren’t artists to engage with each other. We don’t want the place to be just a showcase,” the 23-year-old says.
“We also want it to be used as an educational space. Even though we’re affiliated with a religious order, this is not a parish hall – what we’re after is quality.”
Although the creative residencies need not culminate in a performance on stage – which would otherwise preclude visual artists from taking up the offer – the theatre’s management doesn’t want the place to end up as a glorified rehearsal space.
Rather, what they hope SARP will provide is a space for innovation and creativity to flourish, while being still available to individuals and groups who wouldn’t otherwise be able to afford a place such as that.
“We want to attract a crowd which is not traditionalist; we want to have new productions where writers can work together with theatre groups to produce something new,” Spiteri says.
Hopes are that the place will bring back audiences to Sliema. The next 10 years also include an important date.
“We’re also looking into working with the V18 foundation; we believe SARP and the theatre have a lot of potential; and Sliema could do with a place like this.”
The questions the old seats prompt is – how are they going to be filled?
“We can’t look at this place as a theatre on its own; we want to look at it as a creative hub – that’s why we want to develop it. At the moment, it’s very hard to have a full house. To achieve this, you need productions by well-known companies,” Spiteri says.
“With SARP, we’re looking ahead to write the next 100 years of this theatre’s history. We have an architect, Daniel Darmanin, on board, who is examining the place and seeing how it can be made more versatile; we will also create a plan on how the place should look like in 10 years’ time.”
Moreover, what Spiteri believes will also make a difference is the engagement with a wider audience these projects will have before the actual performances: “I don’t think there is much engagement going on right now. If you feel something is important to you; if art means something to you, you will contribute.”
Project proposals for SARP are being received until June 30. E-mail info@teatrusalesjan.com for more information.
www.teatrusalesjan.com