Teatru Malta are known for doing things differently, and with the arrival of a new year and a fresh decade, they are strengthening their creative mantra. We are not just referring to Teatru Malta’s new model, Lorenzo the Pharaoh Hound, who was chosen for its status as Malta’s National Dog, just as Teatru Malta is Malta’s National Theatre Company.

During Friday’s launch at Spazju Kreattiv, Artistic Director Sean Buhagiar explained that contrary to previous years, Teatru Malta will be launching its program in increments rather than on the usual yearly basis. “People who are not in the theatre scene but who might still want to go to the theatre are not interested in what’s going to happen a year from now,” Sean said, adding that the general public is more into what’s happening now.

He asserted that by having three launches in one year, it would allow the National Theatre Company to “be more flexible, urgent, on the pulse of what's in demand and what's going on around us.”

His comments are motivated by Teatru Malta’s ambition to increase the percentage of theatre goers amongst the general public, an art form which is unfortunately shunned by many.

The self-titled ‘theatre without walls’, a slogan that emphasizes artistic freedom and total inclusivity, is in for a busy first quarter, with three big productions covering the January to April period: Trikki Trakki – the third edition of the popular theatre festival for youths which is directed by Antonella Axisa with Simon Bartolo, Clive Piscopo, Isabelle Gtt, Denise Mulholland, Nicole Cuschieri and Chris Gatt as school stage directors; A Stroke of Bad Luck – a biographical piece written by Nanette Brimmer and former Associate Director of the National Theatre of Scotland Simon Sharkey, who is also the director, about a man named Colin who suffered a stroke shortly after relocating to Malta; and L-Interrogazzjoni – an intimate play written by Alfred Buttigieg, performed at a private residence under the direction of Lee-N Abela.

The launch also covered a decade of Maltese theatre productions, with a retrospective exhibition of major works performed in the past ten years, XENI (translation: SCENES). Preliminary sketches, designs, props and miniature sets are all displayed in what is Malta’s first scenographic history presentation.

Exhibition curator Romualdo Moretti made mention of a bigger and more ambitious project tied to XENI, through which three workshops on set design, set painting and set lightning, as well as talks to increase awareness and knowledge on scenography, will be taking place.

Based on the success of the December production of Hax-Xjuh, the pantomime is to be developed into a club for people aged over 60 with the aim of encouraging members to get active theatrically. Valletta will once again be the host of sporadic parkour and street theatre show Xilallu, aimed for teenage hangouts in the capital city.

Malta’s National Theatre Company also pledged its allegiance to the climate crisis by offering vegetarian food at the launch. Sean also announced to those present that as of 2020, all Teatru Malta’s productions will be catered strictly with vegetarian options.

Check out all Teatru Malta's plans for the January-April period below:

The exhibition XENI, which features past works from 12 different artists, will be shown in Spazju Kreattiv spaces C1-C3 until 23^rd February.