Ħolqa, a European theatre festival for students, is being produced by Ġ.F. Abela Junior College and Troupe 18:45 as part of Junior College’s 20th anniversary celebrations.
The festival is in its second edition and sees young Maltese theatre professionals and adolescents working alongside their counterparts from other European countries through various theatre styles and activities.
The seven participating countries this year are France, Germany, Iceland, Italy, Ireland, Malta and Spain.
Activities included during the five-day festival are seven performances at Ġ.F. Abela Junior College by the participating groups, theatre workshops in various spheres such as acting, voice and movement and a soireé to conclude the festivities.
Young Maltese theatre professionals work alongside their European counterparts
Three judges involved in the literary and dramatic arts – Polly March (actor/director), Clare Azzopardi (author) and Charles Sammut (actor) – will judge and provide feedback on all performances on the last day of the festival.
The festival’s main objective this year is to host the La Cadenelle 7th European Theatre Festival for Students, which is organised biannually in Marseille, France, by the Institut Superieur Marseille Cadenelle.
Two years ago the sixth edition of the festival was held in Marseille with the first ever participation of a Maltese team from Ġ.F. Abela Junior College.
Given the festival’s positive impact on all local participants, last April the Junior College teamed up with theatrical NGO Troupe 18:45 to create and organise the first edition of Ħolqa.
This year, the same team takes on a bigger challenge to bring the Cadenelle festival to Malta.
Ħolqa takes place between March 9 and 13. A full programme of events is available online.
www.facebook.com/holqafestival