Spring Awakening has been adapted to contemporary Malta and is directed by acclaimed UK director JAMES GRIEVE. Here he shares his thoughts on teenage angst, misinformation and the talented young cast in this production. 

Spring Awakening follows a group of teenagers who are woefully unprepared for the physical and emotional changes of adolescence, and although its musical version is better known nowadays, this Adrian Buckle/Malta Drama Centre production will be a straight theatre version.  

The play, written by Frank Wedekind, was originally set in 19th-century rural Germany, but award-winning playwright Brad Birch has adapted it to contemporary Malta.

“Spring Awakening was vastly ahead of its time when it was written and has remained as rele­vant and antagonistic as it was in 1891,” says Grieve. “While the teenagers in the play simply had no information at their disposal, the problem in 2022 is not just access to information, but access to the truth. Amid the social media churn of conspiracy theories, fake news and political propagandising, how do our young people know what to believe? Information is still a lifeline, and misinformation can still be fatal.”

James Grieve

Much of the play hinges on the generational gap between the teenagers and their parents. Grieve hopes that older members of the audience will be jolted into remembering their own teenage angst. “It is one of the sad truths of the human condition that we forget what it was like to be young as we grow older. I remember swearing to myself that I would never forget how it felt to be 14 when I grew to be an adult, but that 14-year-old feels like an old friend who I haven’t seen for so long I can’t quite picture them clearly,” he admits. “It is important to be confronted with the rage, recklessness and insecurity of the teenagers in this play so we might reconnect with our younger selves.”

I remember swearing to myself that I would never forget how it felt to be 14 when I grew to be an adult- James Grieve

Grieve is working with some of Malta’s most talented young actors, led by Jamie Busuttil Griffin, who make up almost the entire cast. “It is thrilling to be directing them,” he shares. “I was blown away by the talent we met during the audition phase, and it is a privilege to be working with a company of astonishingly brilliant young actors who have great careers ahead of them. It is a privi­lege to work and make theatre in this beautiful, fascinating country with so many wonderful artists, creatives, technicians.” 

As Spring Awakening enters production week, Grieve promises that audiences have a great night at the theatre ahead of them. “I’m sure they will enjoy seeing the future of Maltese theatre in the young actors on stage. And I hope the play stimulates some interesting conversations in the bar afterwards!” he concludes.  

Spring Awakening is produced by Adrian Buckle in collaboration with the Malta Drama Centre. It is suitable for audiences aged 14+. Performances will take place on November 4, 5, 6, 11, 12 and 13 at Spazju Kreattiv, Valletta. Visit  https://www.kreattivita.org/en/event/spring-awakening/2022-11-04/ to book tickets and for further information. This project is supported by the Malta Arts Fund.