Show to commemorate centenary from Sette Giugno

Minister for Justice, Culture and Local Government Owen Bonnici has announced Teatru Malta’s upcoming show VII (Sette), to commemorate the centenary since the Sette Giugno riots broke out in June 1919. The dynamic show is being organised in partnership with Fondazzjoni Ċelebrazzjonijiet Nazzjonali.

“Our history plays an important role in the shaping of our identity and traditions, and it is through culture and the arts that we can further promote our rich heritage”, said Minister Bonnici. “Our strategy as a government is to ensure that this flourishing sector is more accessible, and through this unique show, we are not only providing a platform for creatives which commemorates a momentous event, but we are also moulding it into an artistic performance to be enjoyed and appreciated by the public”.

VII is an original electronic musical devised and composed by sister-duo and artists of the year The New Victorians, inspired by one of the most memorable historical events in modern Maltese times, with a bilingual script written by Scottish playwright Erin Carter and translated by Simon Bartolo.

Arts Council Malta Chairman Albert Marshall said that, “historians agree about the seminal importance of the Sette Giugno in the process of Malta’s evolvement into a sovereign state. A hundred years later, we are emphasising the significance of this event primarily to ensure that the new generations, including contemporary society, better understand what constituted them a nation with identity.”

“One hundred years ago, on the 7th of June, something happened that the country still commemorates, the Sette Gugnio has become a part of the history of our nation. Today, unfortunately, for many this day is just a summer holiday. As Malta’s National Theatre, we wanted to celebrate this centenary, and also allow those events to remain in collective memory through theatre and music. We therefore wanted to come up with something completely different. We did not want to create an obvious reenactment. We created a project which is fresh and innovative based on those past events. The music of The New Victorians is contemporary and electronic and they are collaborating with several international artists, even from the UK. We can barely wait to show you what we have created together a hundred years later”, said Teatru Malta’s Artistic Director Sean Buhagiar.

Costumes for VII are being designed by Luke Azzopardi, with the support and artistic contribution of camilleriparismode while the one of a kind set is designed by none other than Aldo Moretti.

VII stars actors Jacob Piccinino, Leo Graham, Lee-N Abela, Christian Scicluna, Andrew Sowrey, Matthew Hunt, Jeremy Grech, Nicola Azzopardi, Sandie Von Brockdorff, Rebecca Camilleri, Zoe Camilleri, Julienne Restall, Bettina Cassar and Philippa Cassar with the participation of Żfin Malta.

VII will be staged on the 7th, 8th, 9th, 14th, 15th and 16th of June at Fort St Elmo’s Piazza d’Armi, Valletta.

This show is supported by Fondazzjoni Ċelebrazzjonijiet Nazzjonali, Arts Council Malta, Heritage Malta and LESA, under the auspices of the Ministry of Justice, Culture and Local Government and camilleriparismode.

For tickets visit www.fcn.mt/sette-giugno or call 21 220255 for more information.