Last Friday, I was invited to a playwriting contest at the Malta Drama Centre in Blata l-Bajda. I enjoyed all four plays presented and invite all theatre lovers to get their free tickets for next weekend’s performances.

In his report on the works presented, jury chairman Paul Xuereb had favourable comments to make on both the winning and the second-placed plays, although I am still wondering where the jury heard poetry in the second-placed work.

Then he went on to make some scathing comments on the fourth-classified work, calling it all kinds of names and adjectives.

Dr Xuereb labelled this work as old-style melodramatic even if the first two works were, in fact, classical melodramatic performances.

And, to everybody’s surprise, there was not a word on the third classified play. By deduction, this work was not even considered for any prize. It just happened to classify third because the fourth place was already allotted.

Many of those present considered it to be the only piece of modern theatre in the competition.

One wonders how a high-level jury comes to such reasoning.

To begin with, they may not have realised that Ġenn? deals with the mixed confinement of young people at our mental hospital and not the particular stories of their sickness.

Then, the phrase Flimkien kollox possibbli might have irritated some, especially considering that this playwright runs a satiric short clip on One Radio.

Finally, it should be noted that this event was intended as youth social theatre and matters related to drink driving, anorexia, human trafficking and suicide interests the young generation more than the topics that Dr Xuereb suggested in his comments, including gaming and financial institutions.

However, I feel I must congratulate the winners and all other drama groups for their effort.

Young people should be encouraged to attend the performances next weekend.