GozoNews.Com

After a break of almost three years, the Astra Dramatic Company is back under the spotlight with the Maltese language version of The Merchant of Venice, the celebrated work by William Shakespeare.

To its credit, it was the ADC that had first introduced the Bard to the Gozitan theatre with its successful staging of Romeo and Juliet in 2001. Both plays were translated into Maltese by Alfred Palma. The performance of The Merchant of Venice is scheduled for Saturday, 4th March.

With some of the best Gozitan actors on its books, the ADC is sparing no effort to put up a level of performance consistent with the Maltese public’s expectations of theatre fare at the Astra. Stage performances had come to an enforced stop in 2003 due to the fire that had engulfed the theatre, but the stage rose from the ashes last autumn with the memorable production of La Boheme, with Josef Calleja in the lead role. Now that the theatre has been fully renovated, the Astra is geared to regale the public with regular productions as in the past.

A Shakespeare play is one of the wisest choices one could make in order to get a stage back to life. Written in 1598, The Merchant of Venice remains one of his best loved works. It features regularly is school syllabuses and in the repertoire of theatres worldwide.

Only recently, a film version was released with Al Pacino and Jeremy Irons in the main roles. It is obviously a very entertaining play, with comic and tragic overtones subtly interwoven in the fabric of the two plots.Shylock, Portia, Bassanio and Antonio are instantly recognisable names, and ‘all that glistens is not gold’ has sunk into popular wisdom.

Rehearsals for the Astra production, with a formidable cast of 45, are already in full swing. The leading roles are played by Franco Scicluna (Shylock), George Camilleri (Antonio), Maria Schembri (Portia) and Oliver Farrugia (Bassanio). The list includes Michael Camilleri, Melchior Cremona, Mario Portelli, George Refalo, Anton Said, Joe. M. Attard, John Mercieca, Paul Cini, Charles Zammit, Ninu Azzopardi, Melina Sciberras, Anna Ellis, George Sacco, George Camilleri Jr., Anthony Briffa, Aaron Cini and Gabriel Sillato.

Stage design and artwork have been entrusted to Peter Howitt and Joseph Cauchi respectively. Carmel Zammit is Stage Manager, leading a team consisting of George Farrugia (wardrobe), Manuel Grima and Antonella Zammit (production assistants), Georgianne Cachia (choreography), George Zammit and Donald Micallef (lights)

The play is directed by Mario Tabone.