As MADC get ready to stage their 65th Shakespearean production, Davide Tucci tells Iggy Fenech all about his upcoming role in A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

Davide Tucci might be one of the few actors on the Island who requires no introduction. With over 40k followers throughout his social media outlets and a string of a TV, theatrical and film productions under his belt, Davide has become one of the most instantly-recognisable actors in Malta.

But he isn’t done yet... this summer, Davide will be taking up the role of Demetrius in MADC’s production of one of Shakespeare’s best-loved comedies: A Midsummer Night’s Dream, directed by Nanette Brimmer.

As anyone who is somewhat familiar with the Bard’s work can attest, playing one of his characters is never a straight-forward affair. When Sir Ian McKellen had to interpret the role of the king-turned-madman Lear, he told PBS that this role was often considered to be the summation of an actor’s career.

There are various reasons for this. Shakespeare’s 38-or-so plays have been almost constantly staged internationally for centuries, and the playwright’s characters have been embodied by some of the world’s most famous and acclaimed actors. It is also no mean feat to play one of Shakespeare’s characters and ace it – he is, after all, considered to be the greatest writer in the English language.

In fact, the first thing I discussed with Davide when we sat down to discuss his role in this MADC production was how he was planning to bring Demetrius to life and the challenges he faced while doing it.

“What drew me to the character of Demetrius was the rollercoaster of emotions that he goes through in the story: from an arrogant bully to a hopeless romantic,” he tells me.

As one of the four lovers, Demetrius is a young Athenian nobleman who takes pleasure in imposing his title and power on others. He does this in a world where women have little to no rights at all, and that inflates Demetrius’s entitlement to getting whatever he wants whenever he wants it. But, as he plays with the hearts and minds of the feisty Hermia (played by Maria Buckle) and the love-struck Helena (Steffi Thake), his pride and ego take a blow.

“There are many challenges to bringing this to life, of course,” continues Davide. “The first being the language, which we dealt with by translating it into contemporary English to truly understand the sentiment, tone and purpose of Shakespeare’s words. This, I must say, wouldn’t have been possible without director Nanette Brimmer’s expertise.”

What drew me to the character of Demetrius was the rollercoaster of emotions that he goes through in the story

“Yet, the fact that this timeless Shakespearean work has been produced so many times, with so many different setups by so many actors, also leads to another challenge: that of keeping the character fresh and original. Funnily enough, the fact that I am new to Shakespeare turned out to be a blessing as I wasn’t affected by anyone else’s performance or take on Demetrius.”

Davide’s research into how others had interpreted this role took place quite late in the rehearsal process in fact, thus allowing him to mould his own idea of Demetrius that could be adapted slightly but not taken over or hijacked by someone else’s performance. This fits in perfectly with Davide’s acting ethos that a character should be “as natural and as real as possible; a process that I believe can only be achieved by ‘living the moment’ and reacting rather than acting.”

Having said that, the actor has a lot to deliver in this MADC production. This year doesn’t only mark Malta’s oldest theatre company’s 65th Shakespearean production, but also the 400th anniversary since the death of Shakespeare. The latter is being commemorated worldwide, with a series of public performances, exhibitions and productions to celebrate the legacy of one of the world’s most-read, most-quoted, most-influential, most-staged, most-published and most-loved writers in any language. “I am, therefore, truly honoured to be playing Demetrius at a time when Shakespeare’s work is under such an international spotlight,” adds Davide.

This production of MADC’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream – which, as tradition dictates, will take place within the lush San Anton Gardens – is being directed by theatre veteran Nanette Brimmer. Discussing rehearsals, Davide is quick to point out that Nanette’s vision and her willingness to let actors explore the characters has given a whole new layer to this highly-anticipated staging of the Shakespearean comedy. But there is still some mystery about what the set will look like and how the costumes will function…

“So far I’ve only heard rumours about the set, but I can’t wait to get lost in it – literally,” Davide muses. “It’s the perfect excuse to escape from the summer heat and enjoy A Midsummer Night’s Dream under the star-studded Maltese sky and, hey… This will be the first time I’ll be wearing a tunic for a theatre show.

“About the tunic,” he adds after a brief moment of contemplation, “I don’t think I’ve fully come to terms with the, let’s call them ‘technical difficulties’ I will be facing while wearing it, yet. Being accustomed to pants, trousers and shorts I am used to a certain freedom of movement which is proving to be quite challenging to obtain with a tunic. But I guess I should stop there, before I reveal too much, if you’ll excuse the pun.”

With the production opening on Friday, we won’t have long to wait to see what happens with that tunic and experience the magic of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. More than that, however, this might turn out to be a pivotal moment in Davide’s career as an actor – a career which few realise dates back to 2009, when he took part in Spring Awakening – a Musical.

A Midsummer Night’s Dream takes place between Friday and July 24 at San Anton Gardens, Attard. Tickets are available online. You can follow Davide Tucci on Facebook (fb.com/ davidetucci) and Instagram (@DavideTucci).

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