I chose to watch L-Għanja tan-Namra because I am a fan of Frantic Assembly’s direction and theatre-making and I was curious to experience this play in Maltese.

Lovesong, by Abi Morgan, was translated and directed by Simone Spiteri, with actors Josette Ciappara (as Margaret), Lino Mintoff (as William) returning to the stage after 18 years, Marceline Galea (as the younger Margaret, Maggie), and Mark Mifsud (as the younger William, Bill), soundscape by Chris Galea and choreography by Moritz Zavan Stoeckle.

The set comprised a forest-green bed at the centre of the performance area in duvets of green and purple, signifying the bedroom. Flanking it were a green fridge, a table and two chairs on stage right, representing the kitchen, and stage left was the outdoor area, with fallen leaves and peaches strewn around the ground with a tree branch hanging on top.

At the back of the kitchen was a corridor entrance/exit, while another entrance/exit on stage left was a door. The only two aspects that differed from Frantic Assembly’s production were that the choice of theatre space was very intimate, something which I came to appreciate especially when coupled with Spiteri’s directorial style and influences, and the absence of video projections on stage.

Mark Mifsud plays the younger William, Bill.

The small black box theatre space and mise en scène were utilised efficiently for the various time jumps throughout the play, and brought an air of intimacy and voyeurism to the acting onstage.

Ciappara lay under the duvet covers while Mintoff sat at the table as the audience shuffled into the theatre. A soft light change cued Mintoff to climb onto the table and, with a choreographed pull of an imaginary light switch, Mintoff opened the play.

The opening sequence painted Mintoff’s character as an overly orderly perfectionist through his obscenely specific dentistry routine, which echoed into Mifsud’s interpretation of Bill, a dentist with addictive tendencies and stubborn patterns.

Under Spiteri’s direction, Ciappara and Mintoff manipulated time into a fluid state of memories, with Mifsud and Galea colouring the couple’s past with explosive episodes of emotions

Ciappara’s vibrant Margaret, always wearing brighter colours and flowing costumes, glides across the stage, mimicked by Galea’s Maggie, a young wife in love with life. The struggles of married life surface time and time again, from temptations of infidelity and loneliness to the inability to have children, manifesting through the couple’s memories as past and present are woven together.

Under Spiteri’s direction, Ciappara and Mintoff manipulated time into a fluid state of memories, with Mifsud and Galea colouring the couple’s past with explosive episodes of emotions.

The soundscape, coupled with the detailed lighting design, complemented the action on stage, and provided the actors with a strong basis for their choreography of motifs of repetition, echoes and memories.

The choreography followed a different style from what I would have preferred for certain motifs, particularly in the end where past and present collided into Maggie/Margaret’s assisted suicide, although I came to appreciate the gentle passing of Margaret held in William’s arms as a directorial choice replicated through peaceful and refined movements.

Lino Mintoff as William

The mynah bird motif as the idea of movement was repeated over past and present memories to symbolise the couple’s lack of movement beyond the safety of their home, seeking each other when times begged for change. This motif transposed linearity to a non-linear experience, echoing throughout the costume, sound, set and light designs, choreography, and direction.

Spiteri has encapsulated the morbid beauty of grief in the days before death through her riveting translation and direction. The realisation of living through a loved one’s final stages of life hits audiences in waves throughout the play through Ciappara and Mintoff’s arresting synergy on stage, expertly peppered with Mifsud’s and Galea’s accompaniment.

As the play came to a close and actors took their bows, I noticed a woman sitting next to me covering her tears, unable to speak to her friend. The phrase “dan hu dak kollu li hemm” (this is all there is left) echoed in my mind, reliving Spiteri’s interpretation of Abi Morgan’s script as memories while walking out of the theatre.