Teatru Triptiku has prepared a different treat as part of the opening week of Valletta 2018.  

Directed by Jacob Piccinino, in collaboration with Arthur Dumas and Alan Stuart Goldie Cairncross, the ensemble presents three mini-sketches that craftily play on elements of the Maltese spirit and tradition.

The three inventions are Tombla, Festa and Baħħar. Performed in different squares of Valletta, the performers work in different spaces, breaking the daily momentum of the city. There is a playfulness in the way it is executed.

On one side there is the simplicity of a combination of movement and gesture, yet the concealed part which the public sometimes does not see is a choreographed set of quick changes to create a constant change of scenery and action.

Tombla, presented at Pjazza Regina, is a light-hearted presentation of the pleasure of playing and the tensions of winning or losing. The trio speak the universal language of expression through their physicality, and the competitive energy of the tombola, unexpectedly transforms into a voluptuous lady and her husband. With comic timing, the couple are suddenly expecting a child and to our surprise a boy comes to life!

Festa celebrates Santu Dadu. Through carefully coordinated movements, the performers create an enlightening method of communication. Playing on the country’s band club drama, the performers create a piece blending elements of battle and spectacle close to Pjazza Teatru Rjal.

Down in Mattia Preti Square, Teatru Triptiku revive the mystical and superstitious elements which have been buried under the housing estates of Il-Mandraġġ.  In Baħħar, the performers demonstrate their ability to effortlessly manipulate the tone from one moment to the next. What could have been stereotypical and obvious, has been transformed into an eloquent choreography layered with music, song and dialogue.

The shows start on Saturday from 10.30am.