The surprise appointment of Elizabeth Ebejer as CEO of the Manoel Theatre drew criticism and prompted the resignation of a member of the theatre’s board. Philip Leone-Ganado asks her whether she’s up to the job.

Elizabeth Ebejer was largely unknown in cultural circles before she was appointed chief executive of the historic Manoel Theatre in November. The manner of her appointment was itself controversial: hand-picked by the Culture Ministry without a public call for applications or consultation with the theatre board.

But the new CEO’s background also raised eyebrows: a former assistant librarian at the University of Malta and Labour councillor for Mġarr, she holds a degree in History and is reading for a Master’s in Gender Studies, but had no experience to speak of in either management or the stage.

The appointment proved divisive enough to prompt the resignation of a member of the Manoel Theatre board, Pia Zammit. “I honestly and without prejudice wish Elizabeth Ebejer the best of luck in her new post and I sincerely hope that she will be an outstanding CEO, however I do question her ability,” Zammit said at the time. “Surely, when we have so many people qualified in cultural management, a more suited candidate could have been found, especially with V18 so hot on our heels.”

What is your vision for the theatre going forwards?

I want to ensure that the theatre fulfils the goal for which it was built – to be a theatre of the people. The public should be more present for all the activities we carry out, from the big to the small. There should be no distinction; we can’t only reach certain sectors, we have to reach everyone. Right now, many people don’t even know where the theatre is.

Is this a question of changing the productions or the approach?

There are various factors. Some people feel more comfortable in other theatres rather than this one. It could be a question of genre: maybe they’re looking for something funny or accessible. But maybe it’s something different. I want this to be a theatre for everyone; I want people to be proud of it.

Every theatre and cultural organisation in Malta right now is trying to find that balance:  attracting new audiences while still producing quality work. As the ‘national theatre’ of Malta does the Manoel have an added responsibility to ensure quality?

You can have quality while still being accessible. I want productions to be good, but anybody should be able to understand them. It’s time to ask where theatre is at. We’re seeing a lot of high quality productions on TV, but what’s happening on stage? We need to create a culture not just of TV but also of stage. I want university students to have close encounters with the theatre. I don’t want it to be a genre they’re afraid of. How does that out-reach happen? That’s what we have to work on. We have to start from a young age. Culture must be part of the curriculum; our outreach has to start from schools. Whether it’s Toi Toi, panto or any production, there should be access to the theatre.

But education aside, the Manoel has always devoted a lot of time to opera, classical music and other art-forms that typically struggle to attract a wide audience. Do we need to change our approach, or should we just stage less opera?

People see opera as an art-form for older people, but just because something was written 200 years ago, doesn’t mean it has to be produced the same way. There are productions today using the same music, but new ideas. That’s how to create a meeting point between the past and the present. We can’t put these artworks on a pedestal and venerate them: they have to be part of a constantly-evolving now.

Ultimately, not every genre is for everyone – whether it’s opera or banda – but there’ll always be something that strikes you. Just attending is the first step. The question is always outreach.

Does that mean marketing or actual outreach programmes?

I’ll give an example: where is the Maltese language in Maltese theatre?

The Manoel programme, in the last three years or so, had as much Maltese theatre as English, if not more...

That’s true, but it’s still not enough. We’re still copying whatever is happening overseas.

I want to see more new works we can look back on in the future, as we do with Francis Ebejer, Oreste Calleja, Alfred Sant – works you keep coming back to. What’s happening now?

How do you encourage that?

I think there are a lot of people at the University who are capable of writing but haven’t found their niche. I think, for example, we need a discussion about women in theatre.

Where are the women in theatre, in contemporary dance? We’re still very far away. Women aren’t being given the chance to write, particularly in Maltese.

My impression is quite different. There are definitely more female actors than men, and the Francis Ebejer Prize [for new scripts in Maltese] has had as many female winners as male...

But they still don’t have a platform to present their work.

When you keep raising the tone, there’s a risk that it won’t reach everyone

You spoke earlier about new audiences. That was a large part of the brief of Staġun Teatru Malti (STM), which enjoys a pre-ferential agreement with the Manoel Theatre. Is that partnership yielding fruit?

They have a number of productions coming up, but I can’t say what will happen in the future. There might be something different.

In principle, STM has the same goals you’ve spoken about: it’s about new writing about new writing, in Maltese, which regularly packs the theatre. But some have said it’s lowering the tone of the Manoel. What is your view?

What I can say is that it’s going to be a new era. For a start, the theatre is going to be open until July instead of May, so there’s going to be more room for other producers. But what a particular person says about the productions we have here is up to them; everyone is going to have different expectations about the work we do.

To me, this is part of a broader issue. There is an argument that the tone – not the quality – of the work at the Manoel needs to be maintained. What is your view?

When you keep raising the tone, there’s a risk that it won’t reach everyone. That worries me.

If this is a theatre for everyone, it needs to be for everyone. You always want to have the best production, but getting up there and staying there is tough. That’s why we need to start young.

Let’s talk about your appointment. A board member, Pia Zammit, resigned over the way you were appointed. Does that worry you?

I think the issue has passed and we don’t need to raise it again. I’m sorry it happened, but I don’t need to discuss something that happened three months ago.

Do you have the confidence of the board right now?

Yes, but I don’t think I have to discuss what happened in the past.

You’re in a high-profile role at the national theatre. If the right procedures weren’t followed in your appointment, people are going to be concerned.

In what way concerned? Once I’ve been appointed, I’ve been appointed. Why should there be concern?

Do you feel qualified for the role?

I don’t think I should be the one to say that. I have a number of degrees, and I’m still studying. Maybe you can say I don’t have experience of the stage...

Or management experience. This is a big operation.

Let me put it this way. No matter how many certificates you get, you still need to cut your teeth on the job. You told me earlier that you studied Law but went into journalism because it wasn’t for you.

Did you have a certificate to become a journalist? But you’re happy doing it.

My first journalism job was entry-level. Your job isn’t.

I have a degree in History. I’m doing a Master’s in Gender. I have a diploma in Gender Studies. I have a PGCE in History. I have a diploma in Tourism Management. Do I want to learn more? Do I want to leave this theatre better than I found it? Of course.

So you feel you can learn on the job?

Yes.

And have you been, so far?

Yes. I love the theatre. I want to leave it better than I found it. Culture is a spectrum of colours; if you say culture is just theatre, you’re eliminating all the rest. I believe culture is haiku, Petrarchan and Shakespearean sonnets, Maltese folklore, għana. We have to make culture, with our own colours. The question is how we’re going to move culture forward with what we have to offer. With our love for what we do, we can instigate the same in others. But we can’t get there if we keep talking about what happened in the past. We have to move forward.

That seems like you’re saying anyone can do this job. Presumably you were appointed because you bring something specific to the table.

I won’t speak about what happened in the past, but there have been people who were qualified for a position and didn’t do a good job, and there have been others who didn’t have qualifications but who’ve done a fantastic job because they had the amor propio. What’s the difference? Hard work, teamwork, and a desire to transmit your love to other people.

Finally, in the few months you’ve been here, which areas of the theatre’s work have caught your eye or do you think can be pushed forward in some way?

There are various. There are several programmes that were started by my predecessors, such as Toi Toi, which are working well and can be moved forward. But more than that, what’s truly impressed me is our staff. You see people creating a backdrop from nothing. Others are devising new ways to reach people through marketing. This is the work you don’t see. There are other things I’d love to see: seminars for University students; I want students to be part and parcel of the work we do here. We have a jewel and we have to take care of it – whether that means outreach or simply making the theatre accessible to people with a disability.

This conversation has been edited for length and clarity. Since the Francis Ebejer Prize was relaunched in 2007, three of five main category winners have been written by women.

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