Studio 18’s upcoming play Il-Giddieb Għomru Twil, in collaboration with Spazju Kreattiv, is a twisted tale delving into the woes of a culture of impunity. Spazju Kreattiv caught up with the creative team – writer ANTON SALIBA, director JEAN-MARC CAFÀ, musical director and composer ALEANDRO SPITERI MONSIGNEUR and movement director ROCHELLE GATT – to get an inside look into what’s happening behind the scenes.

SK: Anton, what did the process of adapting Pinocchio to a local context entail? How did you work with the rest of the team to accomplish this?

AS: It all kicked off with conversations with Jean-Marc Cafà who thought up the concept, and so we discussed the tone and direction that we’d like to explore.

The biggest chunk of the research came through reading and rereading Carlo Collodi’s work and highlighting events that stood out.

From then on, the process was pretty organic, with ideas and concepts being tweaked and reworked until a more cohesive narrative came together.

The rest of the team’s feedback helped form additional drafts, questioning elements of the piece to strengthen it along the way.

SK: Jean, why Pinocchio, and why within Malta’s sociopolitical context?

JMC: To be frank, it all stems from our youth. We spent a long period of time discovering what young people thought and felt, and explored what they were passionate about and also what impacted their future.

On the other hand, however, we were adamant that we wanted to have a good time creating this piece, and that we wanted audiences to share that same feeling.

Pinocchio just happened to be the right vehicle, one of the initial stimuli we brought to the table ­– and it happened to fit.

SK: From your respective directorial seats, what’s challenging about bringing this piece to life?

AS: Probably finding the right balance between following Pinocchio’s story while also taking it in a different direction, in both the narrative itself and the narration style with which the story is brought to life.

It was also important to flesh out a grey moral area, without trying to establish a presumptuous ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ for Pinocchio to follow.

JMC: I would have to say the fact that it is really hard to know when to stop playing; the piece and the story offer so much room for discovery, that you could go on experimenting and trying new things for days. Featuring Aleandro Spiteri Monsigneur’s reorchestration of Maltese tunes and movement directed by Rochelle Gatt, this new piece of theatre promises to keep it real.

Ultimately, Pinocchio is the story of someone finding their way within the world and building a moral compass to guide them along the way- Anton Saliba - writer

SK: Rochelle, this piece is full of opportunity for play and creativity. What’s the best part of it all, in your role as movement director?

RG: The best part of this process is the receptivity I receive from all the cast members and the director.

We have a limited time but there is an openness and a trust to explore, to experiment different aspects related to puppetry for instance.

There are a lot of moments where we play before we produce, and this is a luxury for the whole build-up.

The play is an adaptation of Carlo Collodi’s ‘Pinocchio’.

SK: Alejandro, as the musical director and composer, what was challenging about bringing this piece to life?

ASM: Any devised process runs the risk of having too many options to choose from. If the artistic boundaries are set too wide apart and no limitations are set, it could easily become an non-cohesive (or incoherent) piece without a common thread.

It follows that any decision you make as a director has to fit within those artistic boundaries and to ensure that you’re not steering the ship too much in any direction.

SK: Why should we experience this story?

AS: Ultimately, Pinocchio is the story of someone finding their way within the world and building a moral compass to guide them along the way.

Il-Giddieb stays true to that, while also bringing it into a localised and contemporary setting. I’d say the story should be experienced because it’s relevant, fun and could ultimately kick-start some interesting conversation.

JMC: There is something in it for everyone. The rhythm and design of the piece have allowed us to break away from what you’d expect of a ‘traditional play’.

There is also plenty to relate to: the tale itself, the choice of songs and music, characters and conversations we experience in our daily lives. I like to think of it as an ‘experience’ and a ‘mixed bag’.

ASM: It holds a mirror up against contemporary Maltese society at a time when we should really be looking straight at that mirror and asking ourselves whether that’s the reflection we want to be seeing.

RG: I have to admit that there are brief moments where I see myself in each of the characters, there are other moments where I sense the dystopian part of the Maltese context.

For me, theatre has always had the role of reflecting what is going beyond the normal perception, but this piece is actually about the emphasis of the norm.

I think it would be healthy to sit for a moment and observe what this brave team has devised as a counterargument to the corruption infiltrating the tiny pure and vacant spaces we have left!

Il-Giddieb Għomru Twil premieres on March 17 at Spazju Kreattiv Theatre at 8pm. Visit kreattivita.org for more information and tickets.