ŻiguŻajg 2016 continues to bring specialised performances for children to the local scene.

More than 9,000 students are attending productions in this year’s edition, with shows open for children, youths and their families to attend in the afternoons and at the weekend.

Two of the performances coming up this week are Il-Babaw and Home.

Home. Photo: Niels Plotard

Il-Babaw is about the horrifying monster from folk tales whose life takes a sudden twist one day when he meets Nina, a seven-year-old girl, who isn’t quite like the others. As he gets to know her, the creature learns that Nina, apart from having rather peculiar tastes and an infinitely inquisitive curiosity, needs help – and there seems to be nobody in her life who can offer it to her. This story of an unlikely friendship between the little girl and the scary monster combines fun, excitement and hilarity with heart-warming moments. Suitable for those aged five and over, this play is being staged today, Saturday and Sunday at 4.30pm with an extra show on Sunday at 12pm. The venue is Studio B at St James Cavalier in Valletta.

Home is a dance performance by ŻfinMalta Dance Ensemble dancers suitable for those aged 10 and over. It weaves a cinematic narrative through the protagonist-voice seen within the life journey of a single man. Accompanied by his ‘thoughts’ of previous existences, he follows the cyclic journey of life as he experiences birth, childhood, love, tragedy and death. The work asks the audience to reconsider the notion of home as a structural location of dwelling. Home is being staged on Saturday and Sunday at 4.30pm and 6.30pm at City Theatre in Valletta.

■ Tickets to both events and others are available online at www.ziguzajg.org or from St James Cavalier in Valletta.