For Maltese actress, director and comedienne Chiara Hyzler, joining the cast of the latest FM Theatre Productions panto Sleeping Beauty as Muddles is another chance for her to tickle Malta’s funny bone.
“Muddles is a comic role, which is always the type of part I enjoy most because I get to let loose. I love that I get to be so energetic and loony,” say Chiara. “Plus it’s such an iconic panto character! I look forward to adopting some of the traditional and stylised movements that a court jester has, while still giving it my own spin. Audiences will love her energy and jokes!”
As Muddles, Chiara is joining fellow panto veteran Edward Mercieca on stage in Sleeping Beauty, and he will be playing the larger-than-life Dame Nanna Kola. They both join the adventures of the dashing Prince Charming, as he tries to break the evil spell that put the beautiful Princess Aurora to sleep after she was cursed as a baby by the evil fairy, Maleficent.
Working alongside Edward and such a talented cast Chiara feels is one of the perks of being in panto. “The cast of Sleeping Beauty has been a joy to work with so far. Edward and I get on like a house on fire and it’s quite a challenge to stop us from joking around so we can get on with rehearsals. I also love the new faces I’ve got to know – they are so talented, committed and focused.”
Chiara is, meanwhile, relishing the opportunity to work with FM Theatre Productions again – the theatre company that also staged the two sell-out, smash-hit musicals My Fair Lady and Mamma Mia! earlier this year. “I’m so happy to be reunited with FM after such a long time. You get to become part of a family, which is wonderful, especially at Christmas.”
However, performing in pantos is just a small part of Chiara’s colourful stage career. “It has been such an eventful year for me. In October 2017, the theatre collective I form part of named The Shrinking Violets successfully debuted with Ernest and The Pale Moon. I then went on to perform in Antigone, Toi Toi shows and in a Shakespeare play, and I directed US/THEM.”
Despite her busy theatre schedule, Chiara has remained a popular name in panto casts through the years, and she knows how much panto means to Maltese audiences at Christmas. “I have had the pleasure of playing a range of characters from principal boy, hench, chorus and now the comic, and it has been such a wonderful learning experience for me,” she says. “Sleeping Beauty is my 10th and ‘absolute-final-I-promise-this-time’ panto, but I keep coming back because it is a special and very celebrated event in Malta – and so it should be.
FM Theatre Productions presents Sleeping Beauty at the Manoel Theatre, Valletta, with performances on December 23, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30 and January 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6. Tickets are available online.
www.teatrumanoel.com.mt