The narrow alleys, staircases and gardens of Cospicua are acting as a backdrop to the second edition of the Cospicua Short Play Festival on Friday and Saturday.

Writers from all over the country submitted entries and the best six were selected by a professional jury.

LimbuLimbu

One of the plays to make the cut was Limbu (Limbo) by Marlon Chircop, which follows four characters who want to leave their past and home behind at all costs and seek a better future elsewhere. This play will be held at the historic building known as The Sailors and Soldiers Rest, which now houses the Cospicua local council. 

Il-Waqfa li jmissIl-Waqfa li jmiss

Il-Waqfa li Jmiss (The Next Stop), by Gilbert Mallia, is also about a group of people on the move, but this one features a combination of music, acrobatics and magic and will be held at St Margaret Hill.

MomentumMomentum

Momentum by Giovann Attard sees the personification of fortitude, faith and civilisation, three elements deemed necessary for the creation of the monument of the Great Siege in Valletta. This will be staged at the monastery and church of St Margareth, which were built for the Discalced Carmelite friars in the 17th century.

Uniformi BluUniformi Blu

Uniformi Blu (Blue Uniform) by Stefan Magri is about an accident-prone crew who replace real actors at a festival. It is being held at Gavino Gulia Square, known as the Old Market.

ElektraElektra

Elektra, written by Clint Chircop in monologue but recited by two actors, follows the story of a drag queen but also speaks about everyday situations. This will be held in Strada Toro (Bull Street), where well-known poet and novelist Ġuże Chetcuti used to reside. 

Fil-Ħajja li JmissFil-Ħajja li Jmiss

And one last play, put on along Matty Grima Street by Marlon Chircop, is Fil-Ħajja li Jmiss (In the next life). It is about a broken relationship, with the couple in question narrating their own perspective of how they went separate ways.

At the end of the festival, awards will be given to the best male actor, the best female actor, the best director, the best author and the best overall production. 

However, the main aim of the festival is not the awards ceremony but to expose local talent and the historic ambience of Cospicua.

Writers from all over Malta submitted entries

The festival’s artistic director is Joseph Galea, while Pierre Juan Bugeja is the technical and logistics director. The two hail from Cospicua.

The activity is financed by the Department for Local Government together with the Malta Tourism Authority.

Some of the plays will start at 8pm while others will be staged at 8.30pm and will run every hour until the final performances at 10pm and 10.30pm. 

Attendance is free of charge. 

For more information, visit the Cospicua Short Play Festival on Facebook. 

Charles Clews exhibition

As part of the festival, an exhibition celebrating the 100th birth anniversary of the late Charles Clews, the actor born in The Three Cities (Senglea), is currently being held at the American University of Malta premises in Dock One,Cospicua.

Mr Clews was a comic actor and scriptwriter and one of the first contributors to the local Maltese radio (then Rediffusion).

The exhibition, featuring letters, newspaper cuttings and photos, among other memorabilia, is being held in collaboration with the Clews family, Spazju Kreattiv and the Cospicua Local Council. 

It is open until Sunday: today and tomorrow from 9am to 8pm, on Friday and Saturday from 9am to 10pm and on Sunday from 9am to 8pm.  

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