Today marks the 100th anniversary of the Sette Giugno uprisings, a very significant event in Maltese history. It’s being commemorated on a national scale with a number of official events, books, exhibitions, a documentary, a film and also with a new, original musical. 

Behind-the-scenes photos of the rehearsals. Photos: Jamie Iain Genovese

“Historical amnesia is a very dangerous thing,” author Simon Bartolo, who is involved in the bilingual show titled VII (Sette), said.

“We need to be aware of what happened before us, what led to the life we live today, who had to suffer, and in this case die, for the privileges that we enjoy and take for granted today. Sette Giugno was the culmination of a wretched period in our history,” he added.

VII (Sette) is being put up by Teatru Malta in partnership with the FĊN (Fondazzjoni Ċelebrazzjonijiet Nazzjonali). The New Victorians, made up of sister duo Bettina and Philippa Cassar, have composed the music and are directing and performing in the outdoor show being staged at Fort St Elmo’s Piazza d’Armi. 

The cast includes Jacob Piccinino, Leo Graham, Lee-N Ellul, Christian Scicluna, Andrew Sowrey, Matthew Hunt, Jeremy Grech, Nicola Azzopardi, Sandie Von Brockdorff, Rebecca Camilleri, Zoe Camilleri and Julienne Restall and the participation of Żfin Malta.

The musical is complemented by designer Luke Azzopardi’s costumes with the support of Camilleri Paris Mode and a set design by Aldo Moretti.

Mr Bartolo, a former European Commission translator and author of the novel Sqaq l-Infern (together with Loranne Vella) and playwright of Marbut, Ħallini Ħa Nirbaħ and Jien Inħobb, Inti Tħobb, among others, was tasked with translating the English script by Erin Carter into Maltese. He worked hand in hand with Ms Carter, and while admitting it was a challenging and complex process, he is very satisfied with the end result.

“The script very cleverly moves from one scene to another at a brisk pace. It never gets dull, characters never overstay their welcome and the audience definitely never has the time to feel bored, even for a minute,”  Mr Bartolo claims.

“We move between locations and languages but always in the same context. So we get glimpses into the lives of everyone, snapshots that tell us what is happening from different points of view.”

Along with The New Victorians, Ms Carter incorporated various styles of speech and song, including rap, għana Maltija and Church hymns. 

“I think we have come up with credible and engaging dialogues not only in Maltese and in English − between the British characters − but also in what we have affectionately called ‘Maltalian’ for the upper echelons of Maltese society,” Mr Bartolo says.

He believes the bilingual aspect is “extremely important” in this context, especially since Malta is a bilingual country.

“First of all, it marks the difference between the Maltese and the British, and also between the different classes of Maltese characters. Secondly, it gives the whole  performance a credibility and natural quality that couldn’t have been achieved if we’d used just one language,” he notes.

As regards the plot, the audience is given glimpses of the victims’ lives and families before they head to Valletta on that fateful day.

“We get to know them. They stop being names in history books and become people, just like you and me,” Mr Bartolo remarks.

They stop being names in history books and become people, just like you and me

The script, however, does not end with the shootings and the funeral but follows the stories of the men who are less known because they died later.

Mr Bartolo finds it difficult to pick a highlight of the show, which he describes as being rich in action, music, choreography and sharp text, but confesses that the climatic shooting scene brought more than a few tears to his eyes.

Piazza d’Armi at Fort St Elmo, where the musical VII (Sette) is being staged.

He also loves the very last few lines of the script, which he would not reveal, but describes them as very moving. He also enjoys the songs, but mostly the one titled ‘Qum, Poplu Qum!’

“I watched a run-through and I cried because it touched me very deeply. On a very deep personal level, I feel this is the story of my people,” the writer notes. 

VII (Sette) is being staged on Friday, Saturday and on Sunday and on June 14, 15 and 16 at Fort St Elmo’s Piazza d’Armi in Valletta.  Performances begin at 9pm and are suitable for audiences of all ages. For more information and tickets, visit www.teatrumalta. org.mt or call 2122 0255. 

The show is supported by Arts Council Malta under the auspices of the Ministry of Justice, Culture and Local Government, Camilleri Paris Mode, LESA, Heritage Malta and Festivals Malta.

Costume designer Luke Azzopardi (centre).