FIRST February 2014

ET OF RP ES CA AG RED 13 P N & HIO FAS

FEBRUARY 2014 www.independent.com.mt

at home with

PHILIP AND HELEN FARRUGIA RANDON

contents

5 Editor’s desk 7 Fashion news Victoria Beckham’s first store to open in London

12 Red carpet news The red carpet hits and misses from awards season

14 Issue The pros and cons of co-education

16 Books Clare Azzopardi reveals all about her latest book

18 Fashion Smart and vintage wear from some of the top boutiques

29 Interiors At home with Helen and Philip Farrugia Randon

34 Travel The Maltese family who spent Christmas in Lapland

38 Relationships Why disability does not impede the desire for intimacy

42 Food Anton Dougall provides four sumptuous chicken recipes

46 Restoration Top art restorer Pierre Bugeja is interviewed

52 Events Diary Snaps from Malta’s top events of the last weeks

54 Competition Win a handbag, perfume and decorations for your home

56 Lifestyle Theatre director Sean Buhagiar’s life in the Arts

ON THE COVER Helen and Philip Farrugia Randon COVER PHOTO Jacob Sammut see page 29 ON THIS PAGE Sarah Zerafa wears a green dress exclusively from 1.2.3; Ripani bag exclusively from PORTO; Emozioni Hot diamond necklace and ring both exclusively from 202 Jewellery PHOTO Bernard Polidano MAKE-UP Natasha Polidano 2

FIRST FEBRUARY 2014

editor’s desk

H

ello and welcome to the February issue of FIRST, as always distributed free with The Malta Independent on Sunday, and just in time for Valentine’s Day. To mark the feast for lovers, we accepted an invitation into the beautiful home of Philip and Helen Farrugia Randon, a couple who are well-known for their philanthropic work through the Sovereign Military Order of Malta, to chat about how their mutual love has stayed strong through 40 years of marriage. While there, our photographer couldn’t resist sneaking a few snapshots of their favourite rooms.

The love theme continues as Alison Bezzina interviews Mario Borg, a Spina Bifida sufferer who makes a strong case for acceptance by all, of the same cravings for love and intimacy that people with a disability share with everyone else.

This month, FIRST also tackles the pros and cons of coeducation, a hot topic within the state school system, while 11 pages are dedicated to one of the magazine’s regular strong points: fashion. In this issue there is a focus on Victoria Beckham, a red carpet celebrity feature and a spectacular shoot featuring smart and vintage wear from some of Malta’s top boutiques, as well as a look at men’s fashion trends.

There’s plenty of arts coverage too: award winning author Clare Azzopardi reveals all about her latest book, Kulhadd Halla Isem Warajh, and there is an in-depth interview with Pierre Bugeja, one of Malta’s top art restorers and conservators. He reveals some of the secrets of the artistic treasures one can find on our islands.

Theatre director Sean Buhagiar, currently at the helm of the controversial play Jiena Nhobb, Inti Thobb at Teatru Manoel also talks about Malta, the Arts and what they mean to him.

Fiona Vella writes about spending a white Christmas in Lapland (Northern Finland), while Chef Anton Dougall provides four sumptuous chicken recipes. As usual, FIRST includes snaps from some of Malta’s top events of the last weeks in the Events Diary pages, while there are chances to win a delightful bag, perfume and decorations for your home on the competition pages.

Enjoy the read and, as always, let us know your thoughts on our Facebook page.

FIRST is published every month as a complimentary magazine with The Malta Independent on Sunday and is not to be sold separately. FIRST is published by Standard Publications Ltd, Standard House, Birkirara Hill, St Julian’s STJ1149, Malta. TEL (356) 2134 5888 FAX (356) 2134 6062, 2134 3460 WEB www.independent.com.mt EDITOR COLIN FITZ cfitz@independent.com.mt ADVERTISING CLAIRE BONDIN GAFÀ cgafa@independent.com.mt DESIGN CONRAD BONDIN cbondin@independent.com.mt PRODUCTION MANAGER ANDRE CAMILLERI acamilleri@independent.com.mt SALES CO-ORDINATOR AND ARTWORK COLLECTION NATHALIE BALDACCHINO nbaldacchino@independent.com.mt PRINTING PROGRESS PRESS FIRST FEBRUARY 2014

5

PROMOTION

Ziio Necklaces

Amore Baci

VALENTINE LOVE AT GABA and you will love it too...

Valentine’s Day Offers

At GABA, this Valentine’s Day is all about giving. When buying from GABA’s exclusive silver jewellery this Valentine’s Day, the second item comes at half the price. And if you buy two items from the silver jewellery range, GABA will give you a third one for free. Because everyone loves a great offer, especially if it’s from GABA!

Free gifts when trading in your jewellery

Ziio bracelet

Fashion trends, especially with jewellery, change and evolve at a very fast pace. Therefore, when six years ago, GABA introduced for the first time in Malta the concept of trading in jewellery, the company knew it was taking the concept of flexibility and innovation to a new level, knowing that customers would want to upgrade their jewellery collections whilst retaining the exclusive service that GABA always offers them. In fact, you can actually visit GABA’s showroom in Iklin, and trade in your unwanted or unused gold or silver jewellery items to get that much coveted neckpiece, ring or earrings. Trading in means leaving your pocket untouched and putting to better use, those items which would have otherwise been left idle in your jewellery box or drawer.

Brands At GABA one finds various brands housed all under one roof, across four floors of display area where customers can enjoy varied silver and gold jewellery collections for all ages. Brands include Amore&Baci, Adami & Martucci, Stroili, watch brands such as Alpina, Tissot, Oris, Citizen, Michael Kors and Swatch. The respect for tradition and fine heritage is reflected in the collection of exclusive home decor brands we represent such as Wedgwood, Royal Doulton, LSA International and more. GABA is also one of the most respected houses specializing in diamonds, an area which GABA operate with great passion, professionalism and pride.

Facebook Competition Alpina 6

FIRST FEBRUARY 2014

Citizen

Michael Kors

GABA is currently hosting a very exciting competition through its Facebook page. All those liking the page and sharing the competition on Facebook will enter the chance of winning a very elegant set of Adami & Martucci necklace and earrings worth over €460.

FASHION

eing asked to be the guest editor of the Christmas issue of Vogue Paris this year was an incredible honour, the designer said in a statement. “Working with Emmanuelle Alt editor-in-chief of French Vogue and her team was both exciting and inspiring and I am so proud of what we have created.”

The Spice Girl-turned-designer has also invited fans on a behindthe-scenes tour of her fashion brand through an interactive project titled: Five Years – The Victoria Beckham Fashion Story.

In her Vanity Fair interview, Beckham discussed both her private and professional life, including her memories of her time with the Spice Girls. The 39-year-old ruled out another band reunion, saying that all her passion is now focused on fashion. The mother of four posed in a series of sexy and lingerie outfits for photographer Sebastian Kim in the Italian magazine.

Meanwhile, Beckham’s Skype Collaboration Project is an online editorial hub that aims to spotlight the relationship between technology and the creative industries. British Vogue editor Alexandra

victoria rules

Following the announcement that she will open her eponymous brand’s long-awaited first store, in London, VICTORIA BECKHAM has kept herself in the public eye by assuming the position of guest editor of Vogue Paris and gracing the cover of Vanity Fair Italy’s January issue.

Shulman stars in the film, saying: “I think she’s proven herself to have a really successful fashion brand, I don’t think that there’s anybody that would doubt that.”

As for her debut store, Beckham has hired architect Farshid Moussavi, whose previous projects include London’s Olympic Park, to revamp the 7,000 sq ft, three-floor space, which sits opposite famed conceptual fashion store Dover Street Market.

“It’s young and cool,” she has said of the location. “There are great galleries in the area. There’s Dover Street Market directly opposite of us, which is not a bad thing.”

The debut store will be home to all the collections that fall under the Victoria Beckham umbrella: Victoria Beckham, Victoria Victoria Beckham, denim, optical and accessories.

Victoria Beckham in Vanity Fair Italia last month

FIRST FEBRUARY 2014

7

FASHION

J.W. Anderson A/W2014

menswear london style Last month the fashion world was buzzing with talk of a series of parties and catwalk shows dedicated to men’s fashion next autumn and winter titled LONDON COLLECTIONS: MEN.

Kylie Minogue at the D&G GQ party

Alexander McQueen mens’ A/W2014 8

FIRST FEBRUARY 2014

he annual London event sees 60 menswear designers showcase their wares for the coming season in front of assembled press, celebrities and buyers from over 45 countries.

GQ magazine celebrated the unveiling of Dolce & Gabbana’s men’s autumn 2014 tailoring collection with a party hosted at London’s New Bond Street D&G store hosted by Dolce favourite, Kylie Minogue at the D&G GQ party Kylie Minogue.

Wearing one of the brand's spring 2014 designs, Kylie was described by The Fashion Spot website as looking incredible in a navy polka dot swing dress and an oversized Roman coin belt.

The Australian singer also opted for a pair of over-the-knee suede boots that made the outfit truly her own.

Alexander McQueen’s show, held in a

Christopher Raeburn’s Arctic-inspired A/W2014

rough-edged, deconsecrated church, featured inspiration from the spirit of countercultureand the divisive British politics of the 1980s, according to the fashion website WWD. It said the brand’s creative director Sarah Burton turned out a punk-leaning collection with luxury flourishes and pops of colour and shine. There were clerical coats with vertical pleats at the back, and three-piece kilt suits with militarystyle jackets and trousers, some picked out in bright pink tartan. Black leather jackets were lined with shearling, while knits sparkled with gold zippers. Coats were long and dramatic.

The Daily Mail noted, with tongue firmly in cheek, that heavy hitting designer J.W. Anderson showcased his A/W14 offerings by taking to new heights – literally. Male models donned chunky block platforms complete with heels at his almost feminine show.

Accessories came in the form of a leather handbag styled as a workman's bucket, while rolls of gaffer tape were worn as bangles.

GQ journalist Nick Carvell said after the show that “the high heels might be for a select few, but the camel overcoat was a classic no matter your style.”

Fashion blogger Jay Young added: “I’m all for experimental men’s fashion but these shoes are truly atrocious. I'll stick to the classic styles thanks.”

At his show, designer Christopher Raeburn stuck to the season's favourite colour with his icy blues, which were brightened with the occasional shot of yellow.

“This season is about all things Arctic,” Raeburn told GQ.

PROMOTION

Valentino Uomo is an iconic object of desire resulting from a mix between heritage and modernity for the man who applies a classic elegance with a casual style. The bottle is a timeless Italian glass sculpture and the composition opens with bergamot and myrtle, succeeded in the heart by roasted coffee combined with gianduja cream, on a rich base created of cedar and precious leather.

Exclusively distributed by Ta’ Xbiex Perfumery Ltd. Tel: 2133 1553

te and ral-fruity eau de toilet tantalizing hly addictive, fresh flo a hig in a is rge a me t Nin tha De n ms art for t La Tentatio counter between two r Perfumer, and Vincen an unprecedented enence. Olivier Cresp, Nina Ricci’s Masteen the ate cre to ts ulg tal ind combined swirl of sweet caron inspired by a Chef at LadurØe, have Lemains, Head Pastrn:y a fragrance inspired macaron, and a ma. Tel: 2133 1553 Ltd ultimate temptatio ly distributed by Ta’ Xbiex Perfumery perfume. Exclusive

desirables Top products for your pleasure and comfort

Urban attitude or chic allure, from the most casual to the most refined, 1-2-3 encourages you to mix trends according to your lifestyle and imagination. Timeless garments are subtly reinvented to ensure an elegant and feminine silhouette. This soft knit blazer is part of the Moonlight theme.

Softness and femininity go perfectly together with the grey tone expressed here, there or all-over. Wear knit in its XXL, vest or sweater versions with jewel buttons and shiny details.

You’ve got the flame and Le Méridien’s got the food! Turn up the heat and add some piquant to your romance with your loved one for Valentine’s Day. There are two different events (€80/couple at Scirocco Restaurant or €120/couple at KuDéTa Lounge & Bar) and many great Valentine’s accommodation packages. The hotel has partnered up with 202 Jewellery to present each couple with a sparkly surprise during dinner. Info on lemeridienmalta.com/valentine or valentine.malta@lemeridien.com

the perfect evening Lacoste introducessid ste l e: Eau de Lacoell e partner for your senninsua nsu Se l, sua sen and Sensuelle. Femi ge of the evolution from a recreates the feelin l and refreshing evening’ sunny day to a coo playfully transformed the spirit of Lacosteanis elegant Lacoste clutch elle into a bottle. Pick up Eau De Lacoste Sensuwhen bag when purchasing uch po ry let toi te 90ml or a Lacos te Sensuelle 50ml. cos purchasing Eau De La

VERY INTELLIGENT POCKET Chic and organized, it takes your essentials from one bag to another. Available exclusively from PORTO, Portomaso Shopping Complex. Tel: 2137 2079

ays Always has created Alw n Secure Night for woexmetra struggling with the their g heavy night flow durin is 60% d pa ht nig e Th d. rio pe n normal larger at the back thae the flow, tur cap lps he which vements follows overnight moprotection tra ex es and provid st. where it is needed mo ht Always’ best ever night’s r nig protection, for a betteenquiries sleep. For trade contact VJ Salomonore 7 rke Ma ting on 8007 238 our or mt m. .co jsm w.v visit ww one lom Sa ‘VJ ge pa k Faceboo Marketing’.

FIRST FEBRUARY 2014

11

CELEBRITIES

Emma Thompson

Meryl Streep

Screen Actors Guild Awards Sandra Bullock smouldered in an emerald green Lanvin dress matched with silver Jimmy Choo Valetta sandals Morena Baccarin of the TV series Homeland showed off a remarkable post-baby figure in a cobalt blue chiffon Grecian style dress by Monique Lhuillier British actress Emma Thompson defied convention and wore Toboggan gold rose d’Orsay flat shoes with her William Vintage evening gown Meryl Streep went for the understated look in a Stella McCartney design Sandra Bullock

Morena Baccarin

Julia Roberts 12

FIRST FEBRUARY 2014

Helen Mirren

Emma Watson

Madonna and eight-year-old Son David

Stevie Nicks

Cyndi Lauper

RED CARPET EXTRAVAGANZA

Grammy Awards

FIRST takes a look at the good, the bad and the quirky styles that the stars have been wearing on the red carpet of the 2014 awards season so far.

Flamboyant 80s star Cyndi Lauper made her red carpet comeback in an Alexander McQueen creation

Queen of pop Beyoncé carried off a Michael Costello number with conviction and stylish aplomb Madonna and eight-year-old son David wore expertly cut matching Ralph Lauren tuxedos

Stevie Nicks of the band Fleetwood Mac wore a layered chiffon top with slashed shoulders, a rarely seen combo nowadays

Beyoncé

Golden Globes Cate Blanchett looked looked very elegant in a black, floor-sweeping Armani Privé creation Julia Roberts donned a Dolce & Gabbana dress/shirt combo that caused a bit of a stir Harry Potter actress Emma Watson caused a sensation with her second skin navy blue trousers and Dior backless dress Helen Mirren chose a delicate and green Jenny Peckham dress to look like elegance personified

Cate Blanchett

FIRST FEBRUARY 2014

13

ISSUE

GIRLS and BOYS

n September, St Claire’s announced co-ed schooling parents College in Pembroke were not worried, teachers were.” became the first Maltese He added that the genuine state secondary school to concerns would be addressed. introduce mixed education Some schools will undoubtedly in first form. Last month, have more boys, or more girls, and the Education Minister announced this scenario could be addressed State schools are gradually introducing that all state school first forms will by segregating the students during become co-educational from the co-education into the secondary system, with break, he was quoted as saying in start of the next scholastic year, the principle expected to be fully applied by The Malta Independent on Sunday. with form twos following the year As for teachers, they need not September. FIRST explores some of the issues worry after, and so on. about co-education since that have cropped up so far.

The Malta Union of Teachers has having mixed genders does not expressed concern, claiming that change much in the classroom, the decision was taken too hastily. A spokesman for the Ministry of Principal Ciappara told The Times of Malta.

Education replied that discussions with teachers, students and “The children are not acting differently. Teachers just need to parents will continue over the next few months. realise that it’s not an issue of having girls or boys. It’s about Journalists have visited St Claire’s, meeting college principal individuals and, as always, tackling the situations that come with Maria Ciappara who told them that before implementing the co-ed them,” she added. system, her college had held consultations with heads of private “The college did not make changes to subject content and students schools that practiced it. were free to choose the subjects and sports they were interested in, On a similar note, the Minister of Education Evarist Bartolo told a irrespective of their gender. Some male students enjoyed home press conference in January that: “We did not invent the wheel. San economics, some girls played football. The main changes, so far, Anton School will soon be celebrating 25 years of co-ed education. were of an infrastructural kind such as adding boys’ toilets,” Ms There was no increase in pregnancies or anything of the sort. When we Ciappara said.

14

FIRST FEBRUARY 2014

In the same interview, the Principal said she was concerned that gender awareness might be more pronounced when the students reached the third form and beyond, but that they had two years to prepare for that, and the information from mixed private schools was that boys and girls in the same class often became close friends and did not date, she added.

On Saturday 25 January, Minister Bartolo announced a number of measures aimed at tackling literacy and performance problems in schools. Girls, he said, fare better than boys in our schools, getting an average of 20 marks more than boys in exams.

“Forty per cent of fifth form girls pass at least six SEC exams, but when it comes to boys the number dwindles to just 12 per cent. Among other measures, “…co-ed schools will help improve boys’ performance, because they will now be sharing classes with girls, who tend to do better,” he explained.

Meanwhile, teachers’ union president Kevin Bonello has gone on record saying that the union agreed with the concept of coeducation but disagreed with the way it was being rolled out. Of particular concern was what it referred to as the lack of consultation on the middle school system – how Forms 1 and 2 will be separated from the higher forms (see table – Ed).

Mr Bonello said the introduction of middle schools meant that some teachers might have to move school, but, he told The Times, they were so far kept in the dark over how this would affect them. While heads of schools were consulted about the co-ed roll-out, teachers were not and many still had questions, he added.

The union has in fact pulled out of the co-ed national committee set up to give advice on the introduction of coeducation. Mr Bonello said the union would still share its views but not as part of the committee. In reply, an Education Ministry spokesperson said discussions with the union had taken place and would continue in the coming days.

FIRST asked a number of people for their opinion on the matter. A church school teacher told the magazine that although the change won’t affect her, she is unsure about it.

“Being a mathematics teacher, I have heard that girls abroad often don’t perform as well in sciences when in co-education as compared to the results they would obtain in all-girl schools.

However, I believe students in general will benefit as they will be given the opportunity to socialize with the opposite sex from an earlier stage. In this way, socialization will cease to be the priority for many students who are faced with the opposite sex for the first time at sixth form,” she said.

This teacher makes a point about teenage girls’ performance possibly suffering when they are educated alongside boys, a concern that has been raised recently in Britain’s Guardian newspaper. Co-education is the norm rather than the exception in the UK, so readers with an interest in this issue will do well to do some international research via the internet.

One article FIRST came across was written by a Dr Anthony Seldon, the master Wellington College, an independent school in Berkshire with 950 pupils aged between 13-18.“The argument that girls and boys do better academically if taught separately is depressingly familiar,” he says.

“Such a case is misleading, especially as the evidence does not support it, and evidence matters in education as elsewhere. The one key survey in this field was conducted by Professor Alan Smithers of the University of Buckingham who, with Dr Pamela Robinson, published in 2006 an extensive analysis of the evidence in various countries. His conclusion was clear: there is simply no overwhelming evidence that single-sex education is better academically for young people. On the other hand, abundant evidence exists that children do better socially if they are educated in mixed groups.”

It is important to point out that the same article, published in The Guardian, also features the opinion of a Dr Chris Nicholls, headteacher of Moulsham high school, a state school for 11-18 year olds in Essex, who feels that his school is doing extremely well thanks to the fact that boys and girls are educated almost

entirely separately between the ages of 11 and 16.

George Caruana, is not a teacher or a parent (yet) but he told FIRST that he grew up in the UK, where he attended a co-ed boarding school.

“In secondary school many of my friends were female. We were very mixed in class and out. We had common rooms and were often alone without supervision. I feel it taught me how to interact better and gave me a sense of respect to the opposite sex. I think kids should be able to mix at all ages. They mix in junior schools so why not when they are older?”

Finally, Personal and Social Development teacher Trevor Kissaun told FIRST that co-education is simply just another challenge, although past experience has led him to be skeptical about the support teachers will receive from the authorities.

“I’m looking forward to it, in theory. Where problems will occur is in the delicate balance between finance and resources.

One need not be Nostradamus to predict that a limited amount of resources will be offered to teachers by the Education Division, and that is really where the nightmare will begin. To have a job to do and to not be given the tools to do it will probably be the problem, not having co-ed schools. I’d like to say that we, as teachers, are still adjusting to the recent reforms related to mixed ability classes, where, surprise surprise, not enough resources were provided to face the challenge,” he lamented.

An Education Ministry press release issued in mid-January, which can be found on www.education.gov.mt, says that the middle-school set-up will not be the same in all colleges.

Some colleges will have the middle school on premises within the same secondary school.

These include: Mosta Boys’ Secondary School, Mosta Girls’ Secondary School, Zejtun Girls’ Secondary School, Sta Lucia Girls’ Secondary School and Pembroke Secondary School. The other middle schools will be operating from another school as per the table below. All other students in the secondary sector will continue their education in the current schools.

College

Current School

Localities

Gozo College

Victoria GSS (designated to become a Middle School)

All College Primary Schools

Maria Regina College

Mosta BSS (designated to include a Middle School)

Mellieha Primary School, St Paul’s Bay Primary School

Maria Regina College

Mosta GSS (designated to include a Middle School)

Mosta Primary School, Naxxar Primary School, Gharghur Primary School

St Benedict College

Kirkop BSS (designated to include a Middle School instead of the Sports School)

All College Primary Schools

St Clare College

Pembroke Secondary School

All College Primary Schools

St Gorg Preca College

Blata l-Bajda GSS (designated to become a Middle School)

All College Primary Schools

St Ignatius College

Handaq GSS (designated to become a Middle School)

All College Primary Schools

St Margaret College

Cospicua GSS (designated to become a Middle School)

All College Primary Schools

St Nicholas College

Rabat GSS (designated to become a Middle School)

All College Primary Schools

St Theresa College

B’Kara BSS (designated to become a Middle School)

All College Primary Schools

St Thomas More

Zejtun GSS (designated to include a Middle School)

Zejtun Primary School, M’scala Primary School

St Thomas More*

St Lucia GSS (designated to include a Middle School) *others options are also being considered

Fgura Primary School, Tarxien Primary School, M’xlokk Primary School

FIRST FEBRUARY 2014

15

PROMOTION

I’M A TEACHER AT JUNIOR COLLEGE AND ONE OF THE TOUGHEST JOBS I FACE IS TO BRING STUDENTS OUT OF THE SECONDARY SCHOOL MENTALITY THAT ALL STORIES OR POEMS ARE WRITTEN AS A VEHICLE FOR THE AUTHOR TO PASS ON A MESSAGE

Photo: Virginia Monteforte

16

FIRST FEBRUARY 2014

Clare Azzopardi was born in 1977. She lectures in Maltese Literature at the University of Malta Junior College and for the past several years has been an active member of Inizjamed, an NGO whose mission is to promote literature in Malta and abroad. With Inizjamed, she has co-organised literary festivals and workshops, often in collaboration with Literature Across Frontiers.

Clare has collaborated with Trevor Zahra on various textbooks, written several others and won the Maltese National Book Award for children’s fiction for her novel Il-Kaz (kwazi) Kollu tal-Ahwa De Molizz. Her poetry and short stories have been collected in numerous anthologies while several of her stories have been translated into English, German, Italian, Croatian, Latvian, Czech, Hungarian, Dutch and have been published in various countries. Her work for adults includes Others, Across and Il-Linja l-Hadra (which won the Maltese National Book Award for fiction). Her first dramatic work, L-Interdett taht is-Sodda, a play in two monologues, has also been published in French and Arabic.

The eighth

WOMAN

CLARE AZZOPARDI is one of Malta’s most-loved children’s authors. Her books include the Jake Cassar series for young kids, and the De Molizz series for older ones: all are bestsellers and have won National Book Awards. She also won an award for ‘Il-Linja l-Ħadra’, a collection of stories for adults released in 2006.

The just released ‘Kulħadd Ħalla Isem Warajh’ marks her return to adult fiction after an eight-year break. WORDS: COLIN FITZ. lare Azzopardi’s Kulħadd Ħalla Isem Warajh is a collection of eight stories about eight different women. The stories are each called by the women’s names: Gracey, Sandra, Rita, Lily, Roża, Camilla, Margaret and Polly. All except one, set in London, are set in Malta.

“I just want to make it clear that it’s not a feminist book, or chick lit,” the author smiles when we meet to discuss her much anticipated return to adult literature.

“In fact I’m sure men will read the book and relate to it; plus there’s the bonus that they can take a look into the minds of authentic women and try to understand how we think…”

Men will be intrigued I’m sure. Take, for example, the first story.

Sandra is about a woman who leaves keys for others (kids when she’s young, eventually men) to find. She leaves her house key with the address for someone she’s just met at a bar, as an invitation for him to go to her house. Dear male reader, would you accept this tempting offer?

“I want readers to empathise with the characters; to get angry at them or to sympathise with them while they read,” the author asserts.

With Clare we’re in literary writing territory, as has been aptly described by reviewers of her work in the past. This book offers eight beautifully written but also very accessible stories. The themes are varied, but the common thread is the female point of view, as well as a sense of waiting – waiting for someone, for a man, for friends, for something, even for death.

“I’m a woman and understand women’s lives above all,” explains Clare. “Also, I’m happy to have finally given women centre stage: I feel that Maltese literature hasn’t given much importance to women so far. They’ve always been written as clichés: the mother or the wife, the nun or the prostitute. In this book we have eight women who live in the modern world. They all have a very interesting, relatable story to tell.”

Clare also displays a playful side by including a common thread through each of the stories. One particular woman and the initials PDM cameo in each tale... eventually the first seven tales are tied together when we find out the significance of PDM and the mysterious stranger in the final story. So it’s important to read them in sequence.

One thing Clare emphasises is that there is no message to be taken from her book. “I’m a teacher at Junior College and one of the toughest jobs I face is to bring students out of the secondary school mentality that all stories or poems are written as a vehicle for the author to pass on a message. I want people to enjoy the beauty and rhythmic possibilities of language. Even when I write my kids’ books – I just want them to have fun!”

Clare’s father was a teacher, and as a child television was never a priority, which perhaps goes some way to explaining why books and writing are such an important part of her life. “I was already in my teens when we got our first colour television, and I got my first

computer in third year at University. Reading was always the favourite method of using my time.

Clare spoke Maltese at home and at school, so she’s always loved the language. She started writing a little (inħarbex xi haga is the amusing phrase she uses) while at University, but only started taking it seriously after she graduated with a Masters in Teaching Literacy from the University of Sheffield. When he saw her work, Malta’s top children’s writer Trevor Żahra’s encouraged her to continue, commissioning her to co-create some school textbooks.

She cites Trevor as an influence and authors such as Antonio Tabucci, Angela Carter and Gabriel Garcia Marquez as favourites, but feels that her involvement in Inizjamed is what really started the ball rolling.

Inizjamed is a voluntary non-governmental cultural organization that is committed to the regeneration of Malta’s culture and artistic expression and actively promotes a greater awareness of the cultures of the Mediterranean. On its website, the organisation describes itself as a secular, non-partisan organization that acknowledges that every generation must seek to create its own language to respond to realities of its day and look beyond them.

“Meeting foreign writers, exchanging ideas, doing workshops and helping to organise the annual Mediterranean Literature Festival have all helped me make writing a priority in my life. I feel that this NGO is the only organization that is helping Maltese literature find its place among the literary works of other nations,” Clare says with a certain passion.

I ask her what she thinks of the current level of Maltese literature – a bit of a vague question I admit, but relevant considering the current debate on Maltese cultural awareness going on in the press and on social media.

“I can only answer you from my own experience, and as a teacher in higher education I can tell you that there is an interest in literature and there is talent among the students I have encountered. But in Malta we all have to do full time work besides writing, so few of us have enough time to perfect our craft.

“In my opinion Maltese poetry had already reached great heights in the 60s and 70s, with Mario Azzopardi writing about the Maltese identity and Daniel Massa and Victor Fenech writing powerful poetry that challenged the political status quo. On the other hand, prose is still breaking down certain taboos,” she mused.

“Perhaps we don’t have a Dante or a Shakespeare – but then again we don’t have as long a tradition of written Maltese. After all, Maltese only started being widely written around the 1920s. It may take 200 years for us to come up with a great literary figure... if we need one at all, that is.”

As for Clare’s own future, she is writing another adult novel while also working on the third instalment of her children’s De Molizz series. Personally I think she should allow herself a little time to bask in the praise she has already received for Kulħadd Ħalla Isem Warajh.

FIRST FEBRUARY 2014

17

FASHION

18

FIRST FEBRUARY 2014

elegance and sophistication You can’t go wrong with this smart, vintage inspired collection that provides the perfect transition between winter and spring.

Navy printed suit exclusively from 1-2-3; Babette Wasserman London necklace, earrings and ring all exclusively from 202 Jewellery FIRST FEBRUARY 2014

19

FASHION

Knitted dress exclusively from 1-2-3; brown cluch bag by Chiara P, Bulatti necklace and Nour ring all exclusively from PORTO 20

FIRST FEBRUARY 2014

FASHION

Dress exclusively from 1-2-3, Tresor Paris earrings and matching pendant both exclusively from 202 Jewellery; Citydrap bag exclusively from PORTO 22

FIRST FEBRUARY 2014

FASHION

Red suit and white blouse by Betty Barclay both exclusively from MEI; shoes exclusively from 1-2-3; purple Braccialini bag exclusively from PORTO; Christina London watch and earrings both exclusively from 202 Jewellery 24

FIRST FEBRUARY 2014

FASHION

MODEL Sarah Zerafa PHOTOGRAPHY Bernard Polidano STYLIST Claire Bondin Gafà HAIR Josmar Giordimaina, L-Iklin. Tel: 7906 2594 MAKE-UP Natasha Polidano NAILS Lola’s Beauty Salon, Msida. Tel 7925 6397 CLOTHES & ACCESSORIES 1-2-3 Westin Dragonara Resort, St Julian’s Tel 2374 5031 202 JEWELLERY Valletta, Sliema, Victoria, Fgura, Le Meridien Hotel & Spa, The Palace Hotel Tel: 2720 2202 MEI Westin Dragonara Resort, St Julian’s Tel 2374 5031 PORTO Portomaso Tel 2137 2079

Betty Barclay red dress exclusively from MEI; Nour chunky necklace exclusively from PORTO 26

FIRST FEBRUARY 2014

FIRST FEBRUARY 2014

27

INTERIORS

at home with Helen and Philip Philip and Helen Farrugia Randon have been married 39 years today. They met in 1970 and married five years later. Philip is 64, four years younger than Helen, and they live with their daughter Philippa, 35, and five-year-old Max the dog in a spacious town house in St Julian’s. WORDS COLIN FITZ. PHOTOS JACOB SAMMUT.

FIRST FEBRUARY 2014

29

INTERIORS

etting married was the best decision they ever made, declares Helen as Philip nods his agreement. She is lighting a fire, making their sitting room even more snug and welcoming than it is on initial entry. “We met at Café Cordina in Valletta one Saturday morning in January 1970 when I was 24 and he was 20. Our families knew each other a little but we didn’t,” she continues.

For Philip it was love at first sight. “I was with a common friend and when he spoke to her I took the plunge and introduced myself,” he says, sporting his oft-seen cheeky smile.

Helen usually went to visit family friends for lunch but had decided to skip it that day, opting for a pizza at a restaurant called Bologna (now long since closed down) on the corner of Archbishop Street. Philip followed and asked if he could join her, paying for her pizza and inviting her to the cinema.

“I accepted and we watched a film called The Bliss of Mrs Blossom – I remember it was a very silly film, but he was very forward and put his arm around me while we watched. Well, I suppose I didn’t 30

FIRST FEBRUARY 2014

mind because we’ve been together ever since,” laughs Helen.

The Bliss of Mrs Blossom was a 1968 British comedy starring Shirley MacLaine and Richard Attenborough, with appearances by John Cleese and Patricia ‘Mrs Bucket’ Routledge. The story revolves around Robert Blossom, a workaholic brassiere manufacturer who sends his bumbling employee Ambrose Tuttle to a certain Mrs Blossom to have a sewing machine repaired. Mrs Blossom seduces Tuttle, then hides him in the attic, instructing him to sneak out in the middle of the night. Tuttle is enchanted by the woman and decides to stay and serve as her secret paramour.

Although the film is loosely based on a real incident, one can understand why the couple thought it was ‘stupid’… although it remains a fond enough memory for them to order it on DVD recently.

Helen only found out about the four year age gap at a dinner three months later. “He was mature beyond his years and the age question had never come up. It was a bit of a shock but by that time I had grown very fond of him.”

Another important reason why the relationship blossomed is the fact that Philip made – and still makes – Helen laugh “like crazy.”

They also developed a great relationship with each other’s families.

Marriage was a decision they made together.

The deed took place on 9 February 1975 at St Julian’s church, followed by a reception at the Phoenicia Hotel and a honeymoon in London.

As they recall details of their first few years together, Philip and Helen display comfortable body language and an air of casual comfort in each other’s company. How did they manage to keep the love burning so brightly for so long?

“Helen always gave me the space to develop and grow as a person,” responds Philip. “She has indulged my book obsession, which is why I have dedicated all the books I’ve written to her.”

“If one of us is getting obsessed with something, the other very

gently brings us back down to earth,” adds Helen. “On the other hand, we are very encouraging towards each other.”

Philip doesn’t drive and he is convinced that it is one of the things that irks Helen about him, though she gives no indication that it does.

Meanwhile, Helen says that the way she panics and buzzes around is Philip’s pet peeve about her, but her husband claims her energy and drive is actually an inspiration. If they ever do get upset, it doesn’t seem that it ever leads to a serious fallout.

HELEN ALWAYS GAVE ME THE SPACE TO DEVELOP AND GROW AS A PERSON, SHE HAS INDULGED MY BOOK OBSESSION, WHICH IS WHY I HAVE DEDICATED ALL THE BOOKS I’VE WRITTEN TO HER

FIRST FEBRUARY 2014

31

INTERIORS

“We enjoy our life together. Even today, if we’re awake at 3am, we can have an interesting conversation. We have lots of happy memories including holiday trips together. But even on holiday, we give each other space – I go off on my book adventures and she goes off shopping, then we meet for lunch,” explains Philip.

“We’re best friends,” adds Helen. “We’ve never taken each other for granted and we’ve allowed space for each other’s mistakes and differences. But love only comes easy if you make it easy. You both have to constantly work at it.”

32

FIRST FEBRUARY 2014

The Farrugia Randon sitting room boasts many paintings and other works of art, including some by Philip himself.

“We collect anything that takes our fancy. Helen is related to the Caruana Dingli artists and I’m a figurative painter... most of our collection is traditional rather than modern,” Philip says. “I also love the crucifix, both as a religious icon and from an artistic viewpoint. To me it represents the ultimate love, when God allowed himself to be in that isolated, painful situation for us.”

The staircase is adorned with a historic marble slab that commemorates Malta’s first constitution in 1921, drafted under the guidance of Philip’s great grandfather Sir Filippo Sceberras. It was previously a feature in Valletta’s Giovani di Malta Club that had been destroyed in a Second World War air raid.

Philip is a lawyer by profession though now retired. He currently serves as a director on the board of HSBC bank, and also on the board of the St John’s co-Cathedral Foundation. He is also the President of the Maltese Association of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta an organization dedicated to helping the poor, sick and underprivileged.

“We take two plane loads of sick to Lourdes once a year. Throughout the year we also organize other functions to help, as the Knights have called them since 1050, ‘Our Lords the Sick’,” explains Helen.

Helen is the daughter of the late President Emeritus Censu Tabone and his wife Maria, who is coincidentally 94 today, and she is also a Dame of the Order.

Philip has written 22 books on subjects as varied as law, history and art, as well as books for children. He was responsible for creating the Puttinu Cares character that has helped to enrich the lives of hundreds of sick children in recent years. His book collection features thousands of tomes collected in three library rooms, the largest of which serves as his study.

“You can only have a study like mine — which takes up the largest room in the house — if your partner loves you very much, understands your needs and supports who you are,” Philip muses. “Helen actually designed this room and chose the colour scheme. That’s why I call her ‘my wings’.

Over the years she has taught me how to fly and reach great heights.”

TRAVEL

winter wonderland

It was a truly white Christmas for FIONA VELLA and her family, who spent the last week of December in Lapland, Northern Finland. Photos by the author. s we looked down from the tiny aeroplane windows through the fluffy white clouds, there appeared a strange landscape of dark land remarkably patterned with shiny rivers and lakes. It was our first glimpse of land within the Arctic Circle and it was beautiful.

Our excitement swelled as the chartered plane landed smoothly at Ivalo airport in Lapland, North Finland, and soon we found ourselves walking in the crunchy snow. Mischievous, brightly dressed elves greeted us with playful tricks, whilst a traditionally dressed Finnish Sami, one of the indigenous people of this area, welcomed us to his land in the company of a large reindeer.

We chose to stay in the Hotel Kieppi because it is a small hotel built in traditional Finnish style and therefore more authentic. Its owner, Matti Välitalo, 34

FIRST FEBRUARY 2014

informed us that in Finnish, the word kieppi refers to the burrow where animals hibernate during winter, and indeed the place was warm and snug in contrast to the icy cold outside.

THE OVERWHELMING SURREALISM OF THE PLACE MADE US FEEL AS IF WE HAD JUST STEPPED INTO AN ENCHANTING CHRISTMAS POSTCARD The hotel formed part of a closely knit chain of other hotels and establishments in the resort of Saariselkä, which offered

various services including the rental of Arctic thermal clothing and accessories, which together with other layers of clothes, provided us with excellent protection against the -30˚C temperatures.

Between the beginning of December and the first days of January, Saariselkä experiences the polar night. Basically, the sun doesn’t rise during this time period.

However the place doesn’t lie in total darkness since the light of the moon, the stars, and the magnificent Northern Lights are reflected by the snow. During this period, at about ten in the morning, the dusky blue sky turns into an unusual blend of silver and blue colours which is later imbued with different hues of blue and red, until at about three in the afternoon when it starts getting dark again.

We found ourselves spoilt for choice for

Santa’s office shop

December in Saariselka

The Hotel Kieppi’s owner admiring the Northern Lights

Snowmobiles ready to go

activities to participate in. In the early morning of Christmas Eve we were driven on reindeer sleighs by two Sami amid a silent forest of trees heavily laden with snow until we stood in awe as the first light reached us, and all around us was enveloped in the light of a spectacular white Christmas.

The best moment for the children was the visit to the ‘real’ Father Christmas’ village in the Arctic Circle. With activities including ice fishing, tobogganing, reindeer sleigh rides, husky sledding, snow hockey, skidoo rides, and an igloo bar, even the adults found themselves acting like kids among all the fun. A search for Santa on Christmas Day included a private meeting where each family was greeted in this legendary figure’s cosy log cabin which was full of presents.

During the gala dinner at the Tunturi

Hotel we discovered that the Christmas specialty of Finland was not turkey but ham. As we were treated to a bountiful meal of meats and fish, and a selection of pastries made with delicious wild berries, we commented on how completely different it all was from how we usually celebrated back home. We did miss the company of family members and the presence of baby Jesus in a crib, which was nowhere to be seen. But in Saariselkä everything was designed to entertain visitors and there was no time to feel any sadness.

The overwhelming surrealism of the place made us feel as if we had just stepped into an enchanting Christmas postcard, and as we caught the flight back to Malta, my family agreed with me that everyone should experience this remarkable place at least once in their lifetime.

FIRST FEBRUARY 2014

35

PROMOTION

an inspiring experience Since 2009, St Edward’s College has offered the worldwide-successful International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP) at Sixth Form level, where it is the sole curriculum for sixth formers. The college follows 147 other countries that employ the IBDP in their schools. But what makes the IBDP a better choice over other programmes? he International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (DP) is an academically challenging and balanced educational programme with final examinations that prepares students, aged 16 to 19, for future success at university and life beyond.

The Diploma Programme prepares students for success in higher education and life in an international society. It is intended to focus on the intellectual, social, emotional and physical well-being of students. The programme is recognised and respected by the world’s leading universities. The diploma model is not based on any particular country pattern but features the essentials of many.

Through this programme, students are given a variety of opportunities which provide them with the necessary skills, experiences and guidance to progress on from Sixth Form. The core components of the programme encourage students to participate in creative and serviceoriented activities, while at the same

time emphasising the importance of reflection on a personal and academic level.

St Edward’s College decided to offer the IB Diploma Programme because the model used ensures that students learn more than a collection of facts which are memorised and recited but rather students take assessments which are constructed in a way to gauge their knowledge and not their memory skills. In addition to this students at the college also become familiar with principles of extended essay writing, learn to conduct independent research as well as write research papers. This equips them with the necessary skills needed to cope with tertiary education. Students who graduate from the programme find that it enhances their opportunities at tertiary institutions.

For more details about St Edward’s College visit their website at www.stedwards.edu.mt. For admission details please contact: admissions@stedwards.edu.mt

Lawrence Grech — reading for BSc. Mathematics, Statistics and Operations Research The IB programme is more work intensive compared to other local boards, but this helped me familiarise myself with a lot of topics I’m now doing at University. This facilitated my transition to University, and, in a way, made up for some things I miss out on here. These include a very strong sense of community and friendship, the difference between teaching and lecturing, and the vast sports facilities.

The element of the extended essay and providing various presentations provides a number of skills. These skills lead to other skills such as the ability to compile a thesis, checking for plagiarism, time management and respecting deadlines. Furthermore, the programme instilled qualities such as leadership, team-work, risk-taking, and made them my personal advantages.

Rebecca Schembri — reading for Doctor of Medicine and Surgery The most important skill I learnt is independent self study. There will always be that one lecturer whose topic you cannot wrap your head around so you have to find personal methods of learning the material.

Analytical skills are another important asset. There is more freedom at university: from deciding which books to use to deciding whether to use books or the lecturer’s notes. The advantage with IB is that there are resources available online, much like medicine. So it is when you are pushed out of your comfort zone that you see growth.

FIRST FEBRUARY 2014

37

RELATIONSHIPS

Photo: Jacob Sammut

38

FIRST FEBRUARY 2014

Love me,

JUST THE WAY I AM

Alison Bezzina speaks to spina bifida sufferer MARIO BORG who makes the case that love, intimacy and passionate relationships are no less important to people with disabilities then they are to everyone else. ario Borg is handsome, energetic and strong. He’s soft spoken, well groomed and his eyes are full of kindness.

Mario was born with Spina Bifida – a developmental congenital disorder caused by the incomplete closing of the body’s embryonicneural tube. In many cases this results in paraplegia, and in the long run confines sufferers to a wheelchair. I meet him at the Inspire Fitness Centre in Marsascala.

Conversing with Mario is easy. Words flow like we’ve known each other for years and soon enough, Mario reveals that behind his soft smiling eyes lies a lonely heart that aches to belong to someone special. He explains that a series of short relationships, all with women who also had some form of disability, have left him hurt, but he also maintains that he’s not about to give up on love.

“I don’t know what it is,” he says with a look of despair. “Maybe it’s because of my disability or perhaps it’s my character. Sometimes I think that I’m too nice, and so I come across like a child, making it difficult for women to relate to me. Maybe I come across as too negative... but who isn’t negative at times?”

Mario says he is aware that a physical disability puts some people off, but he claims he also knows disabled people who have great long term relationships, and he believes it’s a question of finding the right person.

“Whenever I ask a woman out I get a host of excuses, the most common being that they are not looking to be in a relationship, but then after a while I see them with some other guy. In the past some women also made me feel as though revealing my feelings to them was wrong, and soon after they started to avoid me.

“Because of so many rejections and excuses, I am now afraid to even get close to a woman, even if it’s just to talk. This fear costs me many opportunities but unfortunately I’m not one of those guys whose appearance makes girls’ hearts melt. Having said that, I’m not a monster. You will not turn into stone if you look at me, and I’m not contagious either,” he says, with a smile.

“My last break-up was the worst not only because I loved her very much but also because soon after, she started dating an able-bodied man. It took me almost a year to get over it, but I’m now looking at giving it another shot with someone else.”

Back in 1999 Mario had attended a wheelchair dancing course at Inspire and though he was completely new to the sport, he soon went on to compete and win many prestigious awards both locally and abroad.

“That was a good phase in my life,” he muses. “But it seems that all good things come to an end, and circumstances made me leave the dancing scene.”

BECAUSE OF SO MANY REJECTIONS AND EXCUSES, I AM NOW AFRAID TO EVEN GET CLOSE TO A WOMAN, EVEN IF IT’S JUST TO TALK. THIS FEAR IS COSTING ME A LOT OF OPPORTUNITIES BUT UNFORTUNATELY I’M NOT ONE OF THOSE GUYS WHOSE APPEARANCE MAKES GIRLS’ HEARTS MELT. HAVING SAID THAT, I’M NOT A MONSTER FIRST FEBRUARY 2014

39

RELATIONSHIPS We speak about his love of the arts and the book of Maltese poetry that he published in 2001 called Minn Qiegh il-Wied. He says he’s enjoyed taking part in a local TV drama but soon the sadness and disappointment in not finding love soon return to the conversation.

“I gave my all to making previous relationships work but unfortunately I feel most women don’t look beyond the physical, and for them, someone in a wheelchair can’t be sexy. Most don’t want to be with a disabled man because they wish for someone strong enough to take care of them. The funny thing is that many times the opposite happens, with the woman ending up taking care of the man and all the family. Real strength is not only physical but in character and mind. My strength comes from the challenges I face because of my disability,” he stresses.

“As a child I was in and out of hospital. I had to have several operations, and then lots of physiotherapy sessions. This meant that I couldn’t catch up with the rest of my peers and I had to repeat several school years. As a result I lost my core group of friends and spent the last year of my school breaks pretty much alone,” he recalls.

Despite this built-up sadness, Mario’s inner strength doesn’t fail to come through. “I might sound negative,” he says, “but I haven’t given up. I’m taking driving lessons now because I know that having more independence and freedom of movement will help in finding and maintaining a relationship. In the past I’ve always depended on people driving me to places, and as a result I only met my girlfriends as part of a wider group of friends. Clearly this is not ideal when you want to take the relationship one step further,” he adds, smiling again.

Mario’s family and friends try to console him by telling him that he doesn’t need to have a relationship since he has their love in his life.

“They tell me that their love should be enough, but it isn’t really.

Even though I thank God for blessing me with a good family and great friends, the kind of love I’m after is different from the one that they can give me. Some tell me it’s God’s will... as if He has anything to do with it. We all crave for that someone special with whom to share our life, our most inner thoughts, and with whom we can also be intimate.

“Unfortunately most people seem to equate people with disabilities with children”, explains Mario. “And children and sex don’t go together do they? It is automatically assumed that because we are disabled we are not sexually active. The problem is that people percieve sex as being a dirty thing and we’re presumed to be angels with no sex organs, no fantasies and no desires,” he pointed out.

HOPEFULLY ONE DAY I’LL FIND THE ONE I’M LOOKING FOR, SOMEONE WHO WILL LOOK BEYOND MY DISABILITY...

“In other countries people with disabilities are given more sexual education than they are given here, and in some places they’ve even introduced to the idea of sex surrogates who help individuals with disabilities take steps towards having a functional sexual relationship. They work with their clients through repeated sexual experience sessions to develop emotional and physical intimacy over time,” Mario explained.

“Hopefully one day I’ll find the one I’m looking for, someone who will look beyond my disability and will look straight at it and love it for what it is. I don’t want someone to feel sorry for me, 40

FIRST FEBRUARY 2014

just someone who will love and accept me as I am, someone who will encourage me to be the best that I can be in life. I don’t want a perfect relationship, just someone who won’t give up on me!”

Mario was interviewed at the Inspire Therapy & Leisure Centre, the only fully accessible fitness facility in Malta. All income from memberships is directed towards specialist programmes and services for disabled people

Psychotherapist Mariella Dimech on relationships and disability As a therapist it has always been evident to me that the most important aspect of a person’s life is their romantic relationship, or lack of it.

Most people who come to therapy come because they cannot find love, are not in love anymore, are finding it hard to sustain their relationship or have to deal with separation. Even when a person is asking for help because they are suffering from anxiety, depression or other mental or emotional problems, it is very often that the motivation to get better is to be able to have healthy relationships.

People with disabilities are no different. The truth is that there are many myths about the type of relationships people with disabilities wish for and can have. Studies continuously show that most disabled people will be interested in having romantic relationships. Furthermore they wish for relationships that don’t just embrace intimacy and commitment but also passion.

The emotional and psychological difficulties for a person with a disability are that they may feel conditioned about showing that they are attracted to another person since they fear rejection due to their disability. Unfortunately trying to hide a disability or lessen the severity of the situation may actually lead to a bigger problem. With social networking and dating through the internet on the increase this is gradually becoming more common.

Persons with disabilities who accept themselves readily are more likely to make it clear to their families and friends that relationships and sex are important and natural in their lives. Disabilities may create limitations in everyday living, however this should not be misinterpreted as not wanting to have what everyone else yearns for — love, passion and relationships.

By understanding that we are brought up with particular beliefs about what being disabled means and recognising that some of these beliefs are actually myths, we may begin to interpret disability differently. Persons with disabilities can be autonomous; they function and are active within society. It is necessary to put in the foreground what is distinctive and particular about a disabled person aside from the disability.

Persons with disabilities have a responsibility to empower people to be aware of their personal beliefs when they are based on fear and misinformation. The more persons with disabilities are integrated into society on equal terms the more normal and logical having relationships would be. This is even more achievable when disability is not portrayed and understood by others as a barrier to living a normal integrated life. This is possible when a person’s worth is defined by who he is rather than any disability he may have.

FOOD

Rolled & Stuffed Chicken Breast Ingredients for four portions 4 chicken breasts, skinless and boneless 4 tbsp cranberry sauce 300g gorgonzola cheese 24 slices of bacon Olive oil Salt & freshly ground black pepper 1. Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas mark 6.

2. Place each chicken breast between two pieces of cling film and, using a meat mallet, bash out the pieces until about 0.5cm thick. Remove the cling film.

3. Spread one tbsp of cranberry sauce over each chicken breast. Place a piece of gorgonzola in the middle of each chicken breast, season and roll up the chicken to enclose the cheese.

4. Place the slices of bacon round the chicken breast and tightly wrap around it. Put a tooth pick right through to keep the breast from opening. Repeat with the remaining chicken and bacon slices.

5. Place the chicken breasts on a baking tray, drizzle with a little olive oil and cook in the oven for about 20-25 minutes until the cheese is melted.

Serve hot with salad or hot vegetables.

42

FIRST FEBRUARY 2014

Spaghetti with Chicken Liver Ingredients for four portions 50g unsalted butter 1 small onion, cubed 400g chicken livers, cleaned & cut into small cubes 30g dried porcini , soaked in water for 20 minutes, then drained (keep the water) 1 tbsp tomato purée 50ml Marsala or dry white wine 300g spaghetti Salt and freshly ground black pepper 2 tsp truffle oil 50-100g Parmesan, freshly grated

Chicken

Photo: Jonathan Borg

1. For the sauce, melt the butter in a frying pan, add the onion and cook for about 5-7 minutes, or until golden-brown.

2. Add the chicken livers, stir them around in the hot butter and fry for 3-4 minutes. Stir in the drained porcini, tomato purée and Marsala. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. (Add a little of the saved porcini soaking water if the sauce is too thick.)

3. Meanwhile, cook the pasta in plenty of lightly salted boiling water until al dente, then drain and mix with the sauce.

4. Stir in the truffle oil and sprinkle each serving with freshly grated Parmesan.

versatility Whether you’re preparing a family dinner or planning a party, it’s hard to go wrong with a chicken dish. Whether you’re in the mood for breast, wing or liver, Anton B. Dougall has got a delicious recipe for you.

FIRST FEBRUARY 2014

43

FOOD

Chicken Chasseur Ingredients for four portions 1 large chicken 150g button mushrooms 250ml brown sauce (made from granules) One glass white wine 50g butter 200g tomatoes 100g chopped onions Chopped tarragon & rosemarie 1 bay leaf Seasoning A handful of flour 1. Remove the skin and fat from chicken. Cut into pieces and season.

2. Place butter in a sauté pan on a hot stove.

3. Pass the chicken through the flour and lightly fry in the butter till it takes on a golden colour.

4. Remove from pan and place it on a few squares of kitchen roll.

5. Add the chopped onions to the sauté pan and fry in same butter. Add the mushrooms.

Spicy Chicken Wings Ingredients for four portions For the cure 1 head of garlic 1 bunch of fresh thyme, roughly chopped 3 tbsp grated ginger, including its skin 6 dried red chillies, roughly broken 4 tbsp sea salt For the wings 12 chicken wings (skin on) 2 x 4cm cinnamon sticks 500-700ml pints of vegetable oil or rapeseed oil For the dusting (optional) 3 tsp rubbed sage or crushed dried sage 1 tbsp garlic powder (optional) 1 tbsp vegetable bouillon powder 1 tsp chilli powder 1 tsp dried thyme ½ tbsp sea salt To serve with Coleslaw

6. Drain off the fat. Add the wine and reduce by half. Add the brown sauce.

7. Peel and cut the tomatoes into cubes (you can use tinned tomato pulp). Add to the pan.

8. Add the herbs and the chicken. Season. Cover and cook and gently on the stove for 90 minutes. You may also cook it in a casserole in the oven.

1. For the cure, cut the head of garlic several times across the width and discard as much of the papery skin as you can. Put the garlic in a large shallow dish and add all of the remaining cure ingredients.

With a pestle, gently bruise the mixture to release the flavours.

Add the chicken wings and massage the cure into them. Cover and refrigerate for at least six hours, overnight if possible.

2 When ready to cook the chicken, preheat the oven to 150C/300F/Gas mark 2. Remove the chicken wings from the fridge, wipe off the cure with kitchen paper and pat as dry as possible.

Place them in a deep ovenproof pot with a tightly fitting lid, add the cinnamon sticks and sprinkle oil onto the wings. Cover with the lid and cook in the preheated oven for three hours; there is no need to disturb the dish during this time.

3. Remove the pot from the oven and leave the chicken to cool slightly in the oil while you make

the dusting. The chicken will need one final quick cook in the oven, so if you want to serve them immediately, increase the temperature to 220C/425F/Gas mark 7.

4. Blend together the ingredients for the dusting in a food-processor and set aside.

5. When the chicken wings have cooled, line a dish with a double layer of kitchen paper. With a slotted spoon, remove the chicken wings from the oil (carefully as they will be very tender) and place on the kitchen paper for a few minutes. Carefully transfer the wings to a roasting tin, and roast for 12 minutes or so or until crisp.

6. Remove the wings from the oven and pat with kitchen paper again.

Shake over the dusting mixture and serve, with coleslaw on the side, allowing three chicken wings per person. Serve any extra dusting alongside in case you want to add even more.

Anton can be contacted via e-mail on info@tisjir.com or the website www.tisjir.com. Contact him for more information about his cooking club, Klabb tat-Tisjir.

44

FIRST FEBRUARY 2014

RESTORATION

The examined LIFE

Senior conservator PIERRE BUGEJA went on the unemployed register after he graduated with a degree in art conservation and restoration nine years ago. Now he runs the largest restoration laboratory in Malta, with work flooding in from local and international collectors and the possibility of a massive artistic discovery on the horizon. Veronica Stivala met him to find out more.

46

FIRST FEBRUARY 2014

o you ever get that feeling that you’re not alone when you really should be? It happens sometimes when you look at a piece of art. Perhaps it’s the idea that you are standing among works of art created by other people, or maybe it’s all those eyes looking at you. Either way, I definitely did not feel we were alone as I walked with senior conservator Pierre Bugeja in his massive art restoration workshop in Mosta.

Painting after painting, the restorer showed me the projects he was working on. On one, he pointed towards darker shades in the background, hinting at another palimpsestic painting lurking under the visible one. You can see an eye there, he said, adding that a portrait of a Maltese family probably lurked beneath the concealing oils. The more we spoke, the more it emerged how the art of restoration is a probing into the past, a form of detective work if you may.

Indeed otherworldliness has played a strong part in

come in the space of some nine years. Bugeja got qualified in the field of industrial electronics in 1998 but he always wanted to do something related to art. It was his wife (then girlfriend) who spotted a call for applications for a conservation course in Malta. Bugeja seized the opportunity to apply, and although he had missed the majority of the preparatory phase, he studied the notes on his own and passed the course.

This determined behaviour can be seen as a blueprint for Bugeja’s work ethic. Although he found himself virtually unemployed after he graduated B. Conservation Hons in 2005 – he had to register with the government for there were hardly any vacancies and many of his classmates decided to follow a different path – one small job led to another and very soon the conservator found himself employing staff in order to cope with the ever-increasing workload.

Bugeja’s companies are divided into two branches: SalvArti for disinfestation of works of art, furniture and antiques and PrevArti, for art conservation and restoration. SalvArti is unique in Malta in that it is the only local company that disinfests items without using toxic chemicals, using the latest technologies including a microwave system as used by the Vatican museums. PrevArti caters for easel and mural paintings, decorative frames, polychrome sculptures, books and paper artefacts. The company has been entrusted with various conservation-restoration projects commissioned by the ecclesiastical authorities, state-run entities and the local private sector expanding the company’s vast experience and portfolio of works.

Photos: Jonathan Borg

IT MAKES ME FEEL PART OF THAT VOYAGE OF GETTING CLOSER TO GOD, AND BY WORKING ON RELIGIOUS PAINTINGS I FEEL I’M MAKING A CONTRIBUTION TO THAT JOURNEY

Bugeja’s career. A spiritual man, he confided how churches are his preferred working space. “Church art has a special vibe to it,” he commented. “It makes me feel part of that voyage of getting closer to God, and by working on religious paintings I feel I’m making a contribution to that journey.”

He is a soft-spoken man, humble and, although proud of his work, not one to show off or brag. Sporting long, brown hair and matching stubble, he wore a red and cream striped sweater pulled over a pair of jeans on the day... this man has the air of the artist about him.

It was a fascination with art that drew this 35-year-old into becoming an art restorer. And although he has forged a career out of restoration, he admits that he needs to paint, to create too. He later unearthed some of his own pieces of art: one showed a man’s torso, lurking in the ephemeral shadows of the famous chiaroscuro technique. Despite Bugeja’s job taking up a huge chunk of his time (he sometimes works into the night, staying as late as 4am), the conservator feels his artistic side “needs to emerge”; his medium, paint, his favourite style, chiaroscuro.

Already in his fourth studio, Bugeja owns the biggest restoration laboratory in Malta. This is impressive considering how far he has

His oeuvre is endless; to name a few, some of his projects have included the restoration of a 17th century painting depicting St John in the Wilderness by Jeronimo Jacinto de Espinosa, exhibited during the Caravaggio exhibition in Malta in 2007, The Martyrdom of St Barbara, titular painting at the Capuchins church in Kalkara by Agostino Masucci (who was also the Director of the Academy of St Luke in Rome), three precious paintings belonging to St George’s Basilica in Gozo, now exhibited at il-Hagar Museum, The Virgin of Divine Grace by Stefano Erardi (titular painting at the Capuchins church in Victoria), The Nativity of Christ, an altarpiece in one of the side chapels of All Souls church, Ta' l-Erwieħ in Lower Merchants Street, Valletta and an old statue of the Madonna taċ-Ċintura at St Mark’s Church in Rabat. PrevArti has also been entrusted with the restoration of the wall paintings at Villa Francia and has carried out restoration works within the Paladini Chapel in the Grandmaster’s Palace.

In 2009-2010 it was entrusted with the restoration of over 100 paintings by Chev. Emvin Caruana Dingli in preparation for an exhibition organised by Fondazzjoni Patrimonju Malti. And between 2011 and 2012, PrevArti restored 40 paintings before the reopening of the Wignacourt Museum in Rabat and in 2013 carried out important restoration works at Our Lady of Victory Church in Valletta commissioned by Din L-Art Helwa.

Of the numerous projects Bugeja’s company has worked on, he lists the Lija parish Church of Our Saviour, with its paintings by Giuseppe Calì adorning the ceiling, as one of his favourites.

As he explained: “I’ll never forget that feeling of awe when I went up to the cupola. I had never been so close to the paintings of this church, which are quite unique in that rather than representing fragmented scenes, they form one whole picture of the nativity.

Getting so close to the work of one of my favourite artists was humbling. I admire his heavy brush work and the speed at which he used to paint.”

FIRST FEBRUARY 2014

47

RESTORATION

St John in the Wilderness during retouching

St John in the Wilderness by Jerónimo Jacinto de Espinosa 1600 - 1667

St John in the Wilderness during cleaning

RESTORATION IS ALL ABOUT TAKING THE RIGHT DECISIONS... YOU GET TO THEM FROM EXPERIENCE

PrevArti has worked on other important projects by the same artist at Balzan parish church and another 12 canvas paintings including the titular paintings at St Paul’s Bay parish church and St Lawrence parish church in Gozo.

What is the most important aspect to his trade? “Respecting the original, always. Restoration is all about taking the right decisions on how to intervene. You get to make the right ones from experience. Employing inapproriate materials and techniques can be very damaging to the original and this is irreversible, even if masked with retouching” It was experience that led Bugeja to pick up on the fact that the dull painting he has been working on recently could possibly be one of immense value. He refused to reveal who the artist could be

The Ecstacy of Mary Magdalene — before and after conservation and restoration 48

FIRST FEBRUARY 2014

as scientific studies are still being carried out in collaboration with several scholars, but if the glint in his eye was anything to go by, it may be something of Caravaggio-esque proportions and of massive importance.

Bugeja is a family man; he and his wife LouiseAnn have a girl aged seven and two boys, aged five and three. He fondly notes how the older two have already shown an interest in art. Needless to say, they are being sent to art lessons. But he admitted it is very difficult to balance family life with work and said he could not have done it without the support of his wife. An artiste herself (she sings with a band called Salt), she understands that with all things worth achieving, there comes an element of sacrifice.

Pope Innocent XII — before and after conservation and restoration

FITNESS

Carmelo Calleja lost 35 kilos in 20 weeks

Josephine Formosa lost 25 kilos in 20 weeks

Photos by Claire Farrugia Photography

Now I weigh around 106 kilos, but my target weight is to reach a healthy 85 kilos.

“I still cook but I make healthy food. I eat every three hours – food such as brown bread, fruit, vegetables, tuna, chicken and couscous – and I enjoy it. Things like being able to go up stairs without losing my breath, and being able to wear large or medium-sized clothes instead of XXXL make it all worth it. Plus, my cholesterol is down from 9.8 to 2.6, and my blood pressure is lower too,” he concludes happily.

Josephine Formosa is 53years-old and has been married, to Publius, for the past 33 years. ifty-one-year-old They have one daughter, Carmelo Calleja is a Christine. carpenter by trade. He has “I was always chubby, even as three children, Rainier, a girl, but as the years passed, I Neville and Arnold.

FIRST meets siblings Carmelo and Josephine, both of whom became heavier and heavier. My “Two years ago, my word fell had been asking me to were leading extremely unhealthy lifestyles, which in turn, husband apart when I lost the most do something about it for years. I were making them very unhappy. Until, that is, they important person in my life – my tried many diets but I always put mother. I was living with her at the weight back on. The fact that discovered Stellina’ s Lifestyle Changes... the time and I took her death I had thyroid problems made it very badly. I started drinking and even more difficult,” she begins. eating excessively. The fact that “When Carmelo joined I am a very good cook didn’t help,” he reveals.

Stellina’s programme, he started losing weight and I was amazed.

“I became so overweight I couldn’t sleep lying down; I had to He spurred me on to try it myself and in the past five months I have doze off sitting in a chair. My eating habits were terrible. I never lost almost 25 kilos of fat. I’ve gone from 108 kilos to around 73!” had breakfast. I would leave the house and buy pastizzi on the way Josephine makes sure to go for a walk every morning, and when it to work. I would eat anything I saw; not because I was hungry but rains she uses a cross trainer at home. She eats healthy food and out of habit,” he adds. feels full and satisfied.

Around Christmas 2013, Carmelo went on holiday with his sister.

“Apart from Stellina and her team, I am also lucky to have the full They both over-indulged and on his return he weighed the most he support of my family. For example, my husband – who never used had ever done. to cook before – helps me by occasionally preparing my meals.

“I started getting chest pains and my doctor told me I needed to Most importantly, I look and feel younger and happier; everyone lose weight, but I found it too hard. By the time I went to Stellina’s has commented about my change for the better!”

Educational Talk about six months ago, I had given up. But she gave me courage and told me I could do it, not on my own, but with Call 2167 8456 or 7967 8456, the help of her team,” Carmelo explains. e-mail stellina@lifestylechanges.eu “In my first month, I lost 17.5 kilos, just by eating healthily. Then or find Stellina’s Lifestyle Changes on I started exercising – gym every other day and walking every day.

Facebook for more details Josephine Formosa lost almost 25 kilos of fat in the past five months

50

FIRST FEBRUARY 2014

All in the family

SOCIETY

Simon Vincent (Area President for Hilton EMEA Region), Clement Hassid, Matthew Mullan (New Hilton Malta General Manager)

Tamara Naudi, Daniela DeCelis Ruth Azzopardi, Mr Hassid, Marcella Ercolini, Joanne Piccinino, Claudia Preca, Fabien Vella

Matthew Mullan, Mrs Mullan, Mr Hassid

Hilton Malta employees bid farewell to General Manager Mr Clement Hassid at a retirement party thrown in his honour at the Portomaso Suite on Wednesday 15 January. In the course of his eight-year tenure at the helm, Mr Hassid was instrumental in leading the Hilton to the forefront of the local hotel industry. His retirement party marked the end of a 47-year career in the hospitality business.

Dr Rebers, Mrs Lorenz-Rebers and H.E. the H.E. the Ambassador of the Netherlands Dr Rita Dulci Rahman, Dr Ulrich Rebers, Pianists Andrey Nesterenko and Sofia Vasheruk who German Ambassador Klaus-Peter Brandes H.E. the Tunisian Ambassador Souad Gueblaoui, Mrs Xenia Lorenz-Rebers and son. entertained the guests The International Knee and Hip Centre Malta, a centre of excellence for computer assisted knee and hip replacement, celebrated its public blessing and official opening by Bishop H.E. Mons. Charles Scicluna and the German Ambassador Klaus-Peter Brandes in December.

Nelly Vassallo (Inspire employee), Peter Fenech (Inspire adult client) and Ms Michelle Muscat

Ms Michelle Muscat hosted an afternoon tea event at the Auberge de Castille, to raise funds in aid of the Inspire Foundation on the International Day of Persons with Disabilities in December. €10,000 was raised.

Jo Caruana, Iggy Fenech, Nicola Busuttil Waterbiscuit lounge, bar and restaurant in St Julian’s recently hosted media people to an informal lunch to mark the launch of the new menu for 2014.

events diary A selection of snapshots from events, launches and parties held in the last few weeks. Send invitations and enquiries to cfitz@independent.com.mt

President Dr George Abela hosted the Russian community in Malta to a celebration of the Orthodox Christmas festivity in the Russian Chapel at San Anton on 7 January.

Present for the occasion were President Emeritus Dr Eddie Fenech Adami, the Minister of Foreign Affairs Dr George Vella, the Ambassadors of the USA, the Hellenic Republic, Ireland, Austria, Italy, France and Germany, and the British and the Australian High Commissioners.

The Trio band led by artistic director of Alexei Lundin with President Abela and Mr Oleg Beglov, Director of the Russian Centre for Science and Culture

Journalist Chris Cauchi shares a joke with outgoing Air Malta CEO Peter Davies (right) and the airline’s Chief Commercial Officer Philip Saunders

52

Air Malta recently treated journalists and other media people to a lunch at The Palace in Sliema to thank them for their support and constructive criticism throughout the year.

At the event, airline officials showed a video outlining the company’s news highlights from 2013, followed by the first viewing of its latest promotional film.

FIRST FEBRUARY 2014

Journalists Joe Cassar, Roderick Agius and Noel Grima

PROMOTION

a sparkling chance nfurling the notes of Chance, Chance Eau Fraîche and Chance Eau Tendre, perfumes and illuminates the skin with a subtle pearly sheen. Chance Shimmering Body Cream is rich and its silky texture wraps the body in an iridescent veil and moisturises the skin, leaving it delectably soft. Its floral scent prolongs the trail of Chance, while its subtle pearly shimmer further enhances the skin.

Chance Eau Fraîche Shimmering Touch is like a caress of the skin; its velvety gel texture is applied in subtle touches to enhance the fresh and vibrant trail of Chance Eau Fraîche. Its delicate shimmer is a must for highlighting and putting a sparkle in your décolleté.

Chance Eau Tendre Shimmering Powdered Perfume is refined and feminine. The application with a powder puff deposits a cloud of tenderness on the skin and a fine dusting of shimmer on the body. A delicate and subtle illumination with a fruityfloral scent that revives the Chance Eau Tendre fragrance for ever-greater softness.

CHANEL is exclusively distributed

by Alfred Gera & Sons Ltd

competition read and win

A Valentino Uomo perfume courtesy of Ta’ Xbiex Perfumery Ltd (Tel: 2133 1553) A handmade glass scented candleholder courtesy of Mdina Glass (www.mdinaglass.com.mt) A mirror & tassel pouch courtesy of Accessorize (www.accessorize.com) A copy of Clare Azzopardi’s book Kulhadd Halla Isem Warajh courtesy of Merlin Publishers (www.merlinpublishers.com)

All correct answers received will go into a hat and winners will be drawn by lots JANUARY ISSUE WINNERS A limited edition Polaar Skincare set courtesy of Ta’ Xbiex Perfumery Ltd: Antoinette Vella of B’Bugia One of two copies of the book Fil-Merghat ta’ L-impossibli

by John A. Bonello courtesy of Merlin Publishers: L.C. Schembri of Hamrun and Simon Borg of San Gwann A FIRST goody bag containing make-up and various products: Pauline Caruana of Msida The bottle of LAN Roja wine courtesy of Charles Grech Ltd in the December 2013 issue competition was won by Lara Agius of Gzira

the answer to last month’s main question What Maltese team did Anton Camilleri play for in the 1970s? Floriana FC

QUESTION What is the name of Helen and Philip Farrugia Randon’s daughter?

Answer Name Address Postcode 54

FIRST FEBRUARY 2014

Tel

E-mail

Send your entries to: FIRST competition, Standard Publications Ltd, Standard House, B’Kara Hill, St Julian’s STJ 1149

CLOSING DATE FRIDAY 26 FEBRUARY 2014

Delicate, dancing and sparkling, chance presents itself when you least expect it. To enhance your fragrance trail, CHANEL unveils three new shimmering products for the body in limited edition, so catch them while you can.

LIFESTYLE

searching for the maltese soul SEAN BUHAGIAR is a professional producer, artistic director and theatre practitioner whose goal is to reach into local hearts and minds through the creation of memorable pieces of Maltese theatre. he arts are my life, and my job. Creativity has always been my favourite human trait, and the arts have always been my favourite human expression. I have studied and trained for years and yet, I keep being fascinated by the possibilities. Nowadays they are my passion but also my income.

At the moment people may know I am directing a play called Jiena Nhobb Inti Thobb at Teatru Manoel. Theatre is a massive part of what I do. It is my baby and I will always do my best to make time for it. It is also the expression I know best. Artistic direction involves working with the artists, theatre lets you be it. I have worn many hats over the years, from producer to actor to director, and I love all of them. I love film too, and festivals, however I will always be most in love with the stage.

How did I get here? I started off studying theatre and communication studies at the University of Malta. I went on to achieve a masters in performance creativity from universities in Rome, Paris and Poland where I carried out research in the field of creativity in education through the Arts.

As an actor I trained at the Malta Drama Centre and people may have seen me play Alan Strang in Equus, Joey in Sulari fuq Strada Stretta, and Id-Dudaj in the political allegory Indemonjati.

I’ve acted in Malta and toured in Ireland, Tunisia and Italy. I started earning my daily bread from the Arts when I spent three years as the Performing Arts Executive of the Malta Council of Culture and the Arts, handling the portfolio of Theatre, Dance and Music.

Among other things I’m now artistic director of Notte Bianca and of Dr Klown, a ‘clown doctor’ project at Mater Dei Hospital; a

56

FIRST FEBRUARY 2014

co-founder of ĊirkuMalta and an executive of Fundazzjoni Avventura, a project aimed at encouraging new indigenous Maltese theatre-works, not to mention associate producer of the annual Staġun tat-Teatru Malti with the National Theatre and Mario Philip Azzopardi.

With regards to the Maltese plays, our theatre is about telling a good story through good theatre. The important thing is that audiences enjoy the experience and think it memorable, not that they receive a message of some kind. We don’t do anything because we want to offend or shock, as some people may accuse us of doing. We just produce what we believe are great pieces of theatre.

I believe an artist needs to be let free to express creativity, but he needs to know his audience. However, I acknowledge that this is also show business and there is always the financial aspect to consider. There is show, and there is business. You have to be creative within a structre.

I am not one to wave the flag of the sacredness of the artist, and I’m not a fan of artistic masturbation. My ambition, particularly as a director, is to create the greatest possible experience for the audience with the best possible creative and artistic expressionwith the resourcess available. I am not interested in doing the same thing, I am interested in pushing the envelope and in discovering new stories, new ways to tell them and new reactions from society.

Over the last few years Malta has seen a resurgence in high-standard theatrical productions. I think this is great. The only discordant note is the fact that very little of it has been in Maltese or addressed Maltese issues. The vibrancy of the present theatrical calendar is primarily based on the importation of British or American theatre, which, while professionally competent is alien to the Maltese experience. The great local theatrical talent is being squandered on imports which do very little to support our unique culture.

I have no problem with the presentation of foreign plays and I am not a fan of an insular mentality. What I regret is that while foreign content works very well and introduces us to foreign cultures and foreign concerns, it does little to address the Maltese soul and so both should be very important in the Maltese artistic calendar.

I want you to watch our productions because you can’t watch them anywhere else, and they are made for you. Productions like Jien Inhobb are home-made. It is theatre for the Maltese soul.