A couple of weeks ago the Manoel Theatre announced its programme of events which, COVID permitting, will open rather late in the season at the end of October and stretch all the way to July.
However, what should have been cause for a belated celebration has seen autumnal storm clouds metaphorically and literally mar the occasion. This was caused by the very evident absence of the Manoel Theatre’s Artistic Director, Kenneth Zammit Tabona.
This was no surprise to those in the business, as there had long been rumours circulating that Zammit Tabona was ‘working from home’ with full pay since March. On the other hand, when questioned about this strange absence, both the Culture Ministry and Manoel Theatre chairman Michael Grech (perhaps on the insistence of the same ministry) claimed that Zammit Tabona is still Artistic Director.
So, what exactly is going on? Why was Zammit Tabona not present at the launch? Grech contended he did not know the reason. Zammit Tabona, on the other hand, said he was never invited nor given a date for the launch.
And in that case who was then put the programme together? CEO Massimo Zammit claims that 90% of the programme was commissioned by Zammit Tabona. On the other hand, after a cursory look at what was clearly a very sparse programme, it is evident that this is a programme almost running on empty.
The annual opera is gone and to be replaced by a hotchpotch of ‘greatest hits’, the concert programming is represented by one Chopin piano recital, theatre has three plays.
Dance is better served by strong programming by ZfinMalta and Moveo Dance Company and festivals organised by Ziguzajg and the International Spring festival, expand the programme somewhat. Indeed, Zammit Tabona said he had nothing to do with the programming.
A theatre representative subsequently informed me that the programme should be considered ‘provisional’.
It seems the root of the problem is that the newly installed CEO of the Manoel Theatre and Zammit Tabona are at loggerheads over who should call the shots.
Zammit is insisting that the CEO has the final say. Zammit Tabona, on the other hand, is standing firm, saying that, as per contract, he should report directly to the Manoel Theatre Management Committee. Grech, it seems, is taking the CEO’s side, even though he admitted that in the past the artistic director reported directly to the management committee.
Zammit Tabona admitted that he and Grech have not spoken for months.
At this point it is good to take a step back to discuss the recruitment process.
Putting it another way, can one imagine a university run by the chief financial officer and not the rector?
Despite what common sense would dictate, the Manoel Theatre Management Committee (MTMC) has very little say in the recruitment process of personnel at the Manoel Theatre. Interviews are carried out by a board selected by the Culture Ministry.
When asked who was on the interviewing board and who was looking after the Manoel Theatre interests, the chair was vague and said it was probably the deputy chair Anita Aloisio.
When asked what remit was passed on by the Manoel Theatre with regards to the job requirements, again the chair was vague saying: ‘What do you mean?’ The job requirements of a CEO’.
This was strange as a year ago in a meeting he had with the Malta Entertainment Industries and Arts Association, Grech was adamant that the new CEO was brought in to oversee the transformation of the ex-School of Music premises next door to the Manoel into a concert hall with ancillary services.
In any case, it is clear that Zammit, with his background in the banking sector and with little management experience, let alone arts management know-how, came into the job with little or no clear remit as to what it entailed and under the impression that he would be calling the shots.
If one researches most organograms of producing theatres, the truth of the matter is that the jobs of CEO and Artistic Director are given equal importance and both report to their board.
In smaller organisations it would be the Artistic Director of a company who would call the shots, with the Financial Officer being the right-hand person. It never makes sense to put a CEO in charge of a producing house.
Putting it another way, can one imagine a university run by the chief financial officer and not the rector?
It is only when a theatre is a receiving house, that is, that it rents out space to other producers, such as is the case on the West End, where no artistic director is needed, that a CEO runs the show.
What is perhaps even more frustrating is that with COVID forcing the closure of the theatre for such a long period, the situation could and should have been addressed internally and quickly.
At the very least the Manoel Theatre Management Committee should not have let themselves sleepwalk into what is frankly a very dangerous situation. And that too is part of the problem.
Malta’s self-described national theatre is currently rudderless. And it seems that neither the MTMC, nor the Arts Council, nor the Ministry for Culture can solve this impasse.
In the meantime, the performing arts must continue to work without its flagship leading the post-COVID recovery at full throttle. This is a very bad situation to be in. And one which needs to be resolved before a new Artistic Director (and yes that is where the story ends) is installed.
However, a word of warning to whoever takes up the post. They should always remember that they are primarily answerable to the country’s artistic community and then to the board. To accept anything else would immediately diminish the integrity and credibility in the post and in the organisation itself.
As soon as this article was sent to Times of Malta, a call for an artistic director appeared on social media.
Chris Gatt is a theatre director and former general manager and artistic director of St James Cavalier (now Spazju Kreattiv).