The Maltese theatre scene is still reeling from allegations of sexual assault committed during a one-on-one training session, which case is now in court. In the wake of the Association of Performing Arts Practitioners’ proposal for guidelines, four actors and directors who have experienced the correct professional protocol required for stage nudity share their thoughts with Iggy Fenech.

The cast from Calendar Girls.The cast from Calendar Girls.

Nanette Brimmer, actor, director and producer

“I have never played roles which included full nudity but, when I first started acting, I always seemed to land the parts of the ‘saucy maid’, where I usually ended up running around the stage, scantily clad.

“I have, however, directed nude scenes. In Calendar Girls, six women had to appear on stage totally naked. They were informed of this prior to auditions, of course, but didn’t have to disrobe for the audition. Neither were they asked to ditch every stitch of clothing when we first started rehearsing the nude scene.

“We rehearsed several times in full clothing, then we all agreed on a day when clothing would be discarded. Because it was planned and discussed in the appropriate manner, I can honestly say that never in my 40-plus years’ involvement in theatre, have I enjoyed a rehearsal as much as I enjoyed rehearsing that scene. The ladies were at ease, immensely co-operative and professional. “My advice to actors considering nude scenes is to make sure they are emotionally prepared. Being on stage in the nude, in front of a live audience, is entirely different kettle of fish from disrobing during rehearsal. Read the script and ask questions of the director before accepting the role. Be aware of all that is being asked of you beforehand and, above all, speak up when you are not comfortable.”

Photo: Darrin Zammit LupiPhoto: Darrin Zammit Lupi

Pia Zammit, actor

“I have acted in two plays where I had to be nude or partially nude. One was Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune (F&J), and the other was The Seduction of Almighty God by the Boy Priest Loftus (Seduction).

“In F&J, both Mikhail Basmadjian and I were naked in bed, partially covered by sheets at points. In Seduction, I exposed my breasts by opening my shirt, but then had to walk around fully exposed in full light for a very long scene.

“In both instances, the characters would definitely have disrobed to the extent they did. There was nothing gratuitous about either of them. Both plays were treated very professionally and respectfully and at no point did I ever feel that it was Pia naked on stage and not the character.

“My advice is that actors who are about to do a nude scene should be fully prepared to do it. If you have any doubts, discuss them at the very start. Don’t ‘wait and see’, because then it may be too late for the production as a whole.

“Don’t put yourself in a situation where you may feel forced to do it because otherwise you’ll jeopardise the production. A good director and producer will always be open to negotiations – in the case of F&J we had our ‘safety blanket sheet’; in the case of Seduction, I didn’t have to remove my shirt completely.

“Recent events brought to light the fact that there is potential for abuse. There are actors who are not aware of the dos and don’ts of the audition and rehearsal process and may, through naivety and the desire to be the best actor they can, put themselves in situations where they could be abused of. I’m not saying this with respect to the incident itself, as that’s a court matter, but in light of the aftermath that followed the incident.”

Photo: Kurt ParisPhoto: Kurt Paris

Jo Caruana, actor, editor and writer

“I’ve had a number of nude parts, including in Equus and in Blasted and some other, slightly risqué outfits.

“In each experience, the nudity came with the part and was very much a representation of the character and that character’s journey in the story. If that’s what the show calls for – and it’s not being done gratuitously – then that’s fine. So long as the team around you is on your side, it’s absolutely not a problem. Thankfully, in my case, they always have been.

“Regarding recent events, however, my reaction is more related to public feedback, rather than the case itself. I was appalled to read comments such as ‘she can’t be a good actress, if she doesn’t do these things’ or ‘isn’t that what’s expected of an actress anyway?’

“Absolutely not. As a young actress, you naturally want to stand out, just as you would in any competitive industry. But at no point should any woman feel she has to do certain things or that it is the norm. It most certainly is not the norm. The people that think that of our industry and of the women who bravely take part in it are the ones making it okay for abuse of power to take place. Because that is all it is: seedy, lewd and enabled abuse of power.”

Philip Leone-Ganado, actor

“I was partially nude in The Bacchae and The Pride. In both cases, the experience was positive, but the scenes don’t really stick out in my memory beyond the context of the play they were in. The nudity was fully justified by the context and contributed positively to the production.

“When it comes down to it, I don’t see nude scenes as being that different to doing anything else on stage that you wouldn’t do in real life. There’s obviously a natural human barrier to be overcome, but that’s true of a lot of things on stage. “The key point, however, is that these scenes were choreographed, like you would choreograph a fight scene. So it always felt safe and never lewd or exposing. Together with the director, I discussed how comfortable I was with what was being proposed and how to go about introducing it in rehearsals.

“We also discussed the fact that there is a big difference between the rehearsal room, which tends to be a casual atmosphere with bright lighting and lots of people who aren’t directly involved in a scene present and the theatre, where everything is a lot more focused. Introducing nudity in the rehearsal room, particularly early on in the process, is always going to be a lot trickier, so it would have to be even more carefully negotiated.

“My advice to up-and-coming actors is that they shouldn’t be afraid to say no or negotiate, as it is rarely a take-it-or-leave-it situation. And if it is, and you’re not comfortable, leave it. Speak to the director, make your comfort thresholds clear. If anything seems strange in the rehearsal process, bring it up with a third party immediately. Your instincts are probably right.”

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