The narrative of a female pope named Johanna or Joan, who sat on the gilded throne for a few years during the Middle Ages, has been the subject of centuries-long controversy – and although it has been dismissed by scholars as fiction, its themes revolving around gender oppression, access to education, power and religion still resonate to this very day. 

Alan Paris interprets three roles in the play.

“If a story becomes a popular legend and survives many centuries, there must be something about it that captures people’s imagination,” Irene Christ, who is directing Teatru Malta’s latest production Pope Joan, said.

Most versions of Joan’s legend, which first appeared in chronicles in the 13th century, describe her as a poor but talented girl who disguised herself as a boy to learn to read behind her father’s back, entered a monastery, rose through the Church’s ranks and was eventually elected pope. Her sex was revealed when she gave birth during a procession and died shortly afterwards – some accounts say she was murdered while others suggest a natural death.

Her tale has been represented in various forms – including a bust at the Siena Cathedral, which was removed after protests in 1600. It has also been woven into various novels as well as turned into films, with the latest one by German director Sönke Wortmann released in 2009.

Maria Buckle as Pope Joan.

Teatru Malta’s version is based on the 1996 novel by Donna Woolfolk Cross, which was adapted to the stage by Susanne Felicitas Wolf. 

The audience at the Mdina Ditch will witness the world premiere of the play in English. It was translated by Victoria Martin, an actress who played Joan in the very first performance of the play in German.

 Maria Buckle landed the role of the grown-up Joan, while Ileana Cutajar plays Joan as a young girl in the local producation.

Ms Christ admitted that when she started her research about two years ago, her curiosity was first stoked by the question of whether Pope Joan really existed – but the more she delved into the subject, the less this issue remained important.

“The story strikes me because it seems to go back to the roots of the suppression of female independence. The big religions play an upsetting role in this regard,” the German-born director said, quickly adding that she is not against religion and that there is a spiritual side to her too.

“There are many thoughts in the Christian belief that I appreciate and think they did help to develop civilisation. But not allowing girls to use their intelligence, get a proper education and have roles that allow them to participate in big decisions is certainly not one of them.”

The play features religious fundamentalists such as Joan’s father (Chris Galea), the village priest who brutally tries to keep Joan away from any education or even have her own opinions, and Odo (Michael Mangion), the head of school, who tortures her and abuses his power.

However, according to the director, the Church is not being presented as “one-sided”. The three roles portrayed by Alan Paris are proof of this: Aesculapius is a church tutor who discovers Joan’s talent and takes a big risk by teaching her; Fr Benjamin teaches her how to heal; and Pope Leo is presented as a very caring figure.

Director Irene Christ (right) during rehearsals.

“The play begins in 814AD – we have clearly moved on from those days. But it is still a long way to gender equality. And, unfortunately, in many parts of the world, it is still very common for girls to not be allowed to have an education and decide about their lives on their own,” Ms Christ noted.

She, in fact, considers Malala Yousafzai of Pakistan, the girl who risked her life in order to fight for female education, to be a modern-day Joan.

“It’s become a big movement. Malala Yousafzai won the Nobel Peace Prize and I hope her work will be successful,” she said.

Another woman Ms Christ describes as “exceptional” is Jane Goodall, the British anthropologist who famously lived in the jungle where she carried out extensive research on chimpanzees. Ms Christ added that many of the big environmental movements were led by female leaders, so there was hope that women would  play in a bigger role on the “big political stage”.

The story of Pope Joan has indeed intrigued Ms Christ, who would like to think she really existed, even though so far there does not seem to be enough proof she did.

“I am enamoured of Joan’s eagerness to want to know, gain knowledge, question fundamentalist rules and seemingly set hierarchies, her curiosity and deep kindness towards underprivileged people,” she said.

Maria Buckle as Joan and Peter Galea as her lover Gerold.

“At the same time, she remains human, she falls in love, she tries to fight it as it endangers her life, since in public she has to act as a man. She struggles with all this, and I have tried, together with the actors, to find a modern, lively interpretation of the character – though we are doing the play in historical costumes.”

As for Joan’s mysterious death, Ms Christ is giving her own interpretation of the author’s version which sees Joan dying of natural causes after giving birth.

“The author had to find a version doable in theatre, and so did I. I found my own interpretation of the end. But to be honest, I don’t think I would like the reveal it,” Ms Christ concluded.

Produced by Teatru Malta and made possible with the support of Festivals Malta, Pope Joan is being staged as part of the Malta International Arts Festival. 

The all-male choir Cappella Sanctae Catharine, directed by Alex Vella Gregory, will perform. Stage, costumes and light design are by Joachim Hamster Damm, while Darrin Zammit-Lupi is in charge of projects and photography.

Shows are being held this Saturday and Sunday and from July 9 to 12 at the Mdina Ditch. For more information and tickets, visit www.teatrumalta.org.mt.

Antonella Axisa (left) as Joan’s mother and Faye Paris as the midwife Hrotrud.