In their latest production, the effervescent Studio 18 tackle one of the darkest and most complex mysteries known to man – death itself. Creative director Jean Marc Gafà has never shied away from tackling heavyweight themes in his work with the company, yet I must admit I was very sceptical he could pull this one off as successfully as his previous productions, given its subject matter.

Dear Pete is another devised piece by this exciting young company of talented theatre practitioners that explores how a young boy learns to cope with grief and mourning following the passing away of his mother.

Pete is already familiar with loss, having seen his father abandon his family some years back to pursue fame and fortune as a rock star. His mother’s death, however, not only robs him of her physical presence but also of the care of an adult.

Luckily, Pete is surrounded by a number of friends, teachers and neighbours who take it upon themselves to look out for him. He is also comforted by a make-believe plant that symbolises his mother’s enduring presence and provides him with practical advice, as well as a make-believe dog called Splint, constructed from a piece of wood, buttons and some old socks.

Cafà directs his young but skilful cast with great precision

Although the piece is billed as being appropriate for six- to 10-year-olds, the script has a complex narrative that encompasses both the surreal and the mundane. We see Pete (excellently played by a very talented Benjamin Abela) going through the various stages of grief, from denial to eventual acceptance (cleverly distinguished by the use of specific colour themes). The rest of the equally talented cast play the various characters in Pete’s life, as well as form a chorus in various ensemble scenes depicting Pete’s inner ruminations.

Cafà directs his young but skilful cast with great precision. The ensemble scenes were very well choreographed to make the most of the intimate space at Spazju Kreattiv while ensuring clarity in the narrative. The use of puppetry was also very effective, particularly in the scene involving Harvey, a terminally ill stray dog that fleetingly enters Pete’s life. I found the plant symbolising Pete’s mother to be much less effective however, both visually and in the way the idea was woven into the narrative.

Benjamin Abela (Pete) and his imaginary best friend Splint.Benjamin Abela (Pete) and his imaginary best friend Splint.

The element I enjoyed most in this production was the excellent music by Francesco Grech in collaboration with Katya Azzopardi, John Cutajar and Stephen Scerri. This was much more than a series of musical interludes but a veritable musical score underlining the various scenes and giving the whole piece an evocative musical backdrop on which the various scenes unfolded. This must rank as one of the best use of live music in a local theatre production I have witnessed.

Although I was initially very sceptical about their ability to tackle the subject matter of grief and death in any depth and in a production primarily aimed at children, Studio 18 have proved me wrong. Although I felt the script required some judicious editing and the pacing of the piece somewhat uneven, the production still managed to genuinely move me to tears. Their ability to portray the challenges of our youths in a simple yet effective way to audience members regardless of age remains peerless.

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