Esther Lafferty meets with Unifaun Theatre founder ADRIAN BUCKLE, whose latest play, Id-Dnub tal-Magħżulin (Sins of the Chosen), co-written with Trevor Zahra, is due to be performed at the Valletta Campus Theatre.
Directed by Tyrone Grima, a senior lecturer at MCAST with a doctorate in spiritual theology and with a keen interest in LGBTI theatre, the show Id-Dnub tal-Magħżulin is a contemporary retelling of an Old Testament tale written by Adrian Buckle and Travor Zahra.
With emotion and drama, Id-Dnub tal-Magħżulin reimagines the biblical story of Jonathan, the son of a king, and David, a shepherd boy best known for his victory over the giant Goliath.
Jonathan (played by Miguel Formosa) and David (Benjamin Abela) were close friends: Jonathan protected David from his father, King Saul (Peter Galea) who, having welcomed David into his court, later considered him a threat to the throne, and plotted to kill him, driving him into hiding. After Saul’s death, David was anointed the new King by the Judean elders.
David (Benjamin) and his father King Saul, played by Peter Galea (left).“I’ve always been fascinated by the story of Jonathan and David because it seemed to me that David was never the right king!” grins Buckle.
“I felt Jonathan would have been a fairer choice. The Books of Samuel are full of David’s mistakes and misjudgements and yet Jonathan never puts a foot wrong! As a reaction, I began to write the script, exploring how the relationship between David and Jonathan unfolds against the background of King Saul’s anger and jealousy.”
“Also, I have often heard people saying that homosexuality in the Bible is frowned upon, and yet the story of Jonathan and David is a gay story. Generally, I don’t like to be reactionary, but in this case perhaps I have been! This a story of two men falling in love and loving and respecting each other: there’s not a single verse in the Bible that says that God frowns upon this.”
Although the idea for Id-Dnub tal-Magħżulin was seeded by these thoughts, Buckle’s script stretches far beyond these concepts.
For example, as the audience meets Saul who is an interesting and complicated character, rather like a Judean Macbeth, it’s clear he’s not in his right mind. His descent into madness and tragic downfall shine a gentle light onto mental health issues.
“The play is quite dark and yet there are moments of comedy too,” Buckle continues.
Saul seeks out a witch, played by Mandy Muscat, to help him find the prophet Samuel’s ghost.“It’s a modern show that reimagines the story to speak directly to modern audiences. It starts with the final battle, an impossible battle between Saul and Jonathan, in which they both die, and the Philistines.
We’re showing that love, in whatever form, can survive any circumstance, even as others try to extinguish it
“We then wind back time with flashbacks, which include a scene in which Saul seeks out a witch – despite having tried to kill all the witches – to help him find the prophet Samuel’s ghost. The witch, played by Mandy Muscat, is the only woman in a cast of nine: she conjures the ghost of Samuel (Sean Borg), who tells him that he has strayed from the path that God intended for him, hence his replacement as king by David.”
Buckle went on to say the producers are trying to make the story as believable as possible. Indeed, there will be blood and there will even be a touch of nudity in a very short scene drawn directly from the Books of Samuel.
“It’s a wonderfully touching moment where Jonathan recognises David as the future king and instead of acting as his father would, he simply divests himself of his armour and clothes, offering them to David as his humble servant. That’s the way it’s written in the Bible, and we wanted to keep it unchanged,” he said.
While building on the original narrative, the staging frames the story in the world of today with a fairly minimalist set design by Italian Romualdo Moretti.
Buckle also says the costume designer Michela Manduca has created costumes that are contemporary while referencing the story’s historical roots.
The ghost of Samuel (Sean Borg) anoints David.“We hope that the audience will leave uplifted, seeing that love, be it homosexual, heterosexual or platonic, and humanity are at the centre of this story. We’re showing that love, in whatever form, can survive any circumstance, even as others try to extinguish it. It can overcome many different hurdles, however big or insurmountable they seem.”
On January 31 and February 2-7, after the performances, biblical scholar and professor of archaeology, Rev Josef Mario Briffa, SJ, will be giving a short lecture in Maltese after which audience members can discuss the biblical narrative and Buckle and Zahra’s innovative interpretation in a Q&A session.
It’s an opportunity to unpack the historical and cultural context of the David and Jonathan narrative within the ancient Near East as written in the Books of Samuel and in this revisiting of the story in today’s world.
Id-Dnub tal-Magħżulin performs at Valletta Campus Theatre on January 31 and February 1, 2, 7, 8, 9, with performances starting at 7.30pm. Thie production is suitable for audiences aged 16 and above, due to mature themes. Id-Dnub tal-Magħżulin is supported by Arts Council Malta. Tickets are available from ticketline. com.mt.