Theatre Anon

OSPIZIO – Theatre Anon, in their most ambitious project to date, have created a fascinating tale; one that is also spectacular, magical and hilarious – but also touching, because the story not only revealed the history of the Ospizio… but also told you something about yourself.

OSPIZIO’S CHARACTERS – The story follows Magda on her journey. We meet Paolo Passionei, who was Malta’s longest-serving Inquisitor, his secret mistress and their two daughters; the mad Mayor; the Monsignor; the heartthrob lawyer; Madam Sylvie, gatekeeper to the land of the forgotten; Di and Do, the perfect incompetents; Milly the cranky old woman; Rozita, who summons ghosts whenever she sings; and Pandora who leads the Chorus of the Forgotten. All these characters are set in a production which produced big laughs and plenty of magic. The audience followed a cast of 80 – actors and performers and artists together with The Big Band Brothers.

The cast included Isabella Attard, Toni Attard, Daniel Azzopardi, Narcy Calamatta, Stefan Farrugia, Paula Fleri-Soler, Charlotte Grech, Sandra Mifsud, Liliana Portelli, Hannah Schembri and Louiselle Vassallo. Paul Portelli was the artistic director. Ospizio was designed by Pierre Portelli, and Theatre anon has also collaborated with writer Clare Azzopardi on the project.

Ospizio has been commissioned by the Malta Arts Festival and developed specifically for performance on this particular site – the location was as much a part of the act as the performers and the story. The audience participated fully in the journey, moving through the site and discovering its secrets as the story unravels around it.

Ospizio took place on the old Ospizio site in Floriana on the 5th, 8th, 9th, 12th, 13th and 14th July2010.

Remarks by Dr Mario Demarco   http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20100717/opinion/in-support-of-culture-and-art-events

Remarks by Dr. Francis Zammit Dimechhttp://www.independent.com.mt/news.asp?newsitemid=109278

Remarks by I.M. Beck http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20100717/opinion/on-the-years-most-stifling-day

Remarks on photographer Darrin Zammit Lupi’s blog http://darrinzammitlupi.wordpress.com/2010/07/14/photographers-dream-and-nightmare/