A brand new, locally-devised show is opening to the public, focusing on the topic of childhood loss and grief. The show’s producers are asking for support – in return for rewards – on local crowdfunding platform Zaar.com.mt.
Recommended for children aged six-to-10, Dear Pete is a theatre production devised by members of Studio 18’s Creative Lab. The story itself tells of Pete, a little boy who lives alone. He has a huge network around him to support him, but it’s not quite the typical nuclear family.
“He gets on with things and tries to cope,” says the show’s director, Jean Marc Agius Cafa`. “And all of his neighbours worship him for it. He’s a little boy with a fertile imagination and a thirst for fun but it’s only when he meets a stray dog in a storm that he finds his way. It’s a tale about accepting loss and moving on, a story about finding the strength within and reaching out.”
Jean Marc describes Dear Pete as a "happy accident", one that stemmed from a discussion the Studio 18 team had two years ago, when they explored the works of Roald Dahl to mark his 100th anniversary.
“As a group we became fixated with the theatricality of the BFG – the language, the dreams and the possibility of puppetry.” From there, one thing led to another and, a few months down the line, Studio 18 found themselves inundated with dream journals and research, and two team members even flew to the UK to explore puppetry with Gyre and Gimble, a theatre company specialised in puppet work.
“Alongside our love of storytelling, a number of themes emerged,” Jean Marc continues. “These included the exploration of dreams and the fact that, locally, there is a lack of theatre in English for young children. So, quickly, our journey took on the form of a little boy and his quest for closure. If you chuck in a magical plant and a stray dog, well, the rest is history!”
The show has already enjoyed a test drive of sorts and has been performed to audiences before. At the time, the team laboured long and hard to develop the text, Pete’s journey and the right sort of puppet. They also engaged the services of an educational psychologist, who was with them every step of the way.
It’s a tale about accepting loss and moving on, a story about finding the strength within and reaching out
“However, with new works you tend to know there is so much more to give,” he says. This time around they have worked on the dramaturgy and narrative of the show, placed more focus on the community that Pete lives in, and justified his choices. The storytelling aspects, as well as a sense of play, have also been heightened, and they have worked on giving it a stronger aesthetic.
“Needless to say, this has affected the staging and music. Whereas the sentiment and the message remain the same, the piece has had a make over and found its feet.”
One of the most interesting aspects of Dear Pete is the fact that it is a truly collaborative piece, with every team member investing in it from start to finish. “It’s close to our heart because we’ve all been so committed to it.”
The key themes – loss and grief – are part of the circle of life and something that young people experience regularly. “As a result, it’s important for them to feel comfortable with expressing how they feel, and to know that they can reach out. We want them to know that ‘grown ups’ are there to help them through it.”
And, with that in mind, the team hopes to achieve quite a legacy for the play, on a variety of levels. To begin with, they plan to raise awareness of these issues and to embolden people not to shy away from the realities that exist. They also hope to encourage young people into the audience.
“I am a big fan of ŻiguŻajg (the young persons’ theatre festival) and believe it has created a wonderful legacy, but I also feel our young people deserve to experience the arts all year round,” says Jean Marc.
“We need to make this wonderful world of imagination more accessible. With that in mind, we really hope to get schools on board with our mission.”
Now, the team behind Dear Pete is asking for support for the project in the form of crowdfunding. Those donating will contribute to aspects including the set design and construction, the lighting and sound design, and the music composition and performances; rewards include personalised limited edition t-shirts, storytelling and puppetry workshops, and hoodies.
“We’re so grateful to our supporters and want them to know that, by donating to Dear Pete, they are caring about young people’s well-being and also helping the work of an incredibly-motivated bunch of young people,” the director adds.
Public shows of Dear Pete will run on November 2 to 4 at the Salesians' Theatre at 6.30pm. Tickets are available online. To contribute to the Zaar campaign, please visit www.zaar.com.mt/projects/dear-pete.
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