Some theatre experiences are worth the wait. But for culture vultures in Malta, the 10-year delay between when we wanted to watch Stitching and when we will actually get to watch it, has been a little extra!

You see, back in 2008 – when theatre producer Adrian Buckle (who runs the well-known company Unifaun Theatre) set out to stage the show – he only got as far as the dress rehearsal. It was then that the play was banned by the island’s now-defunct Board of Film and Stage Classification on the grounds that it simply wasn’t suitable for Maltese consumption. Now, finally, after a 10-year legal battle that took him all the way to the European Court of Human Rights, Adrian and his team will finally shout ‘curtain up’ on this exciting piece.

“It’s been a long and painful journey, but we’re absolutely thrilled to bring Stitching to audiences at long last,” Adrian says. “It’s been a long time coming but it’s been worth it – even though I am very glad it’s finally done and dusted, and that justice has prevailed. Plus, I have made a good friend in Anthony Neilson, which is fantastic; he’s a truly brilliant playwright.”

Adrian, who is known for having staged some of Malta’s most talked-about plays over the years, is a stalwart on the local theatre scene, both as a playwright and producer. “Watching Stitching at the Manoel Theatre Studio Theatre this September will be a victory for the arts – not just in Malta but throughout Europe,” he says. “In Malta it brought an end to the darkest chapter of local theatre; we took on the establishment and won. Censorship in Malta is now dead.”

Understandably (after all that) tickets are selling fast – not least because Stitching is actually a very good play. It is a piece about human suffering and, in it, couple Stu and Abby lose their baby to a freak accident while quarrelling. Abby is unable to forgive herself and descends into a psychosis. “The writing is also funny and elegant,” Adrian says. “And the play does what theatre should do; it entertains while making us think.”

Meanwhile, Adrian also has plenty to say about the wider theatre scene on the island. “I think we get to experiment a lot – far away from worries like West End audience numbers and international press reviews. Sometimes these experiments work, and at other times they fail – but I daresay we have a strong and healthy theatre sector. And Maltese playwrights are getting stronger too; right after Stitching I will be producing Claire Azzopardi’s new play Tebut Isfar, which focuses on over development. It is bound to be another very interesting piece.”

Finally, Adrian highlights three gems for in-coming culture-lovers to enjoy when they are here. “Carvaggio’s Beheading of St John at St John’s Co-Cathedral, the Mnajdra Temples, and the Hypogeum. Visiting Malta and not going to see these three would be a lost opportunity. Of course, Teatru Manoel is a must visit too – so perhaps you could have a look on your way into Stitching!”

Unifaun Theatre Company will be producing six performances of Stitching, starring Pia Zammit and Mikhail Basmadjian, at the Teatru Manoel Studio Theatre on 14, 15, 16 and 19, 21, 23 September 2018. Tickets are priced at €20 and are available via the Teatru Manoel website at www.teatrumanoel.com.mt

Darren Zammit Lupi