Catch it while you can:

Monday, 9th July from 9pm – 10:30pm: Divina Commedia From Hell To Paradise - Fort Saint Elmo, Valletta.

The Malta International Arts Festival is coming into its last week, so this may be one of the last opportunities to catch one of the event’s standout performances. Tonight, the dance troupe No Gravity will enthral audiences with an athletic dance show of light, music, special effects and pantomime inspired by Dante’s Divina Commedia (The Divine Comedy). Further up the road, at St George’s Square, be sure to also catch Alice’s Dream tomorrow and Thursday, an interactive street performance, featuring a giant puppet – Alice.  

Monday, 9th July from 8pm: The Wizard of Oz - Mediterranean Conference Centre, Valletta.

Only a few tickets are left for this show, taking place tonight at the Mediterranean Conference Centre in Valletta. Dance is the medium and The Wizard of Oz is the story. For those of you who have been living under a rock, the tale centres on Dorothy who, with her dog Toto, embarks on a quest to find the Wizard of Oz, meeting new friends - The Scarecrow, The Tin Man and The Cowardly Lion - along the way.

Music and drinks:

Tuesday, 10th July from 8:30pm – 11pm: Hot Club of Valletta at The Gut - The Gut, Strait Street, Valletta; Thursday, 12th July from 8pm – 11pm: Retro Reggae DJ at The Gut - The Gut, Strait Street, Valletta.

The Gut – the lower end of Strait Street which became notorious for its revelry, music and wild dealings – has been revamped and made (a lot) more genteel, but punters are still being invited to have a drink and enjoy a good tune or two. Tomorrow night there will be live jazz, courtesy of the band Hot Club of Valletta, followed by some reggae on Thursday night. The music may have changed – and the vibe of this part of town may not be as raucous as it used to be – but the capital still has the charm to pull.   

Want to know what a terramaxka is?

Thursday, 12th July from 7:30pm: Maltese Nights 2018 - Vault 1 Upper Floor, Valletta Waterfront.

You shall if you head down to the Valletta waterfront on Thursday night (and, every other Thursday night over the next few weeks). Traditional activities such as folk dancing, falconry, and, yes, the terramaxka – a Maltese street organ, also known as a magical guitar – will be on display so you’re bound to get a taste and feel for the Maltese past.

It’s all in the words:

Tuesday, 10th July from 7:30 – 9:30pm: Open Mic Poetry Evening - Il-Barri Restaurant, Mgarr.

An open invitation to those who find beauty in the undulations of the written and spoken word, this open mic poetry session, taking place at il-Barri in Mgarr might open the doors to a different view of the world. It may be a bit out of a way from the centre – though that’s its charm – but the cozy ambience of il-Barri is bound to recall the artistic leanings of your university days.