Difference between revisions of "MTADA"

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'''March 1977'''
'''March 1977'''
Lessons start with First Intake (of [[Josette Ciappra]])
Lessons start with First Intake (of [[Josette Ciappara]])


'''September 1977'''
'''September 1977'''
Line 269: Line 269:


'''May 1980'''
'''May 1980'''
New teachers’ appointments: [[Lino Mintoff]], [[Mario Ascione]], [[Joe Friggieri]] (Maltese speech), [[George Fava]] (stage design), [[V. Riolo]] (project work), [[J. Bruno]] (sound technician), [[Lina Galea Cumbo]] (make-up), [[Mary Field]] (speech classes in English).
New teachers’ appointments: [[Lino Mintoff]], [[Mario Ascione]], [[Joe Friggieri]] (Maltese speech), [[George Fava]] (stage design), [[Vanni Riolo]] (project work), [[J. Bruno]] (sound technician), [[Lina Galea Cumbo]] (make-up), [[Mary Field]] (speech classes in English).
11 May 1980, p. 15
11 May 1980, p. 15
14 May 1980, p. 11
14 May 1980, p. 11

Revision as of 00:37, 17 August 2017

MTADA Time-line 1977-1980

March 1977 Lessons start with First Intake (of Josette Ciappara)

September 1977 Peter Cox joins MTADA as Assistant Director and TIE Coordinator. 9 June 1979, p. 13

October 1977 Second Intake joins the school. First Intake start their second term.

15 December 1977 MTADA stage debut with Chekhov’s Jubilee (trans by Scalpello, directed by Adrian Rendle and Azzopardi) and Peter Shaffer’s Black Comedy (Adrian Rendle). First Intake.

January 1978 First Intake start their third term. 24 January 1978, p. 7

January 1978 Auditions held for new student intake. 21 November 1977, p. 8

24-26 February 1978 Maleth stage X’Ħobz Jiekol Kubinski (That Man Kubinski). Nathalie Schembri appears ‘courtesy of MTADA’. 16 February 1979, p. 7

April 1978 Third Intake start lessons. 21 November 1977, p. 8

April 1978 First Intake start their fourth term.

April – June 1978 Roger Watkins on a temporary visit to produce a TIE Programme that includes The Mirrorman and On Trial. He works with fourth term students (I.e. First Intake). The programme is presented in early summer. 9 May 1978, p. 9

13 – 14 April 1978 A programme presented by Third and Second Term seniors. Includes: Hobson’s Choice, After Liverpool, and Games


28 April 1978 MTADA students, with the Malta Association of Teachers of English, present a programme of Theatre in Education of extracts from O/A Level plays. 25 April 1978, p. 9

30 May 1978 The Diary of Anne Frank presented by Juniors, fourth term students. Directed by Peter Cox. At the Manoel Theatre. 9 May 1978, p. 9

1 June 1978 Antigone (Jean Anouilh). Directed by Adrian Rendle. First Intake. 9 May 1978, p. 9

4 June 1978 La Locandiera. Translated and directed by Albert Marshall. First Intake. Leads are Marthese Brincat, Lino Mintoff and Joe Quattromani. Also taking part are Joe Bonnici, Carmel Bonello, Helga Navarro, Nathalie Schembri, Alfred Scalpello. 3 June 1978, p. 11

29 May – 4 June 1978 Exhibition of models for stage productions by the stage management course. 9 May 1978, p. 9

10-14 June 1978 Third term students present Arms and the Man (Bernard Shaw; directed by Mario Azzopardi) and Ring Round the Moon (Jean Anouilh, translated by Christopher Fry; directed by Joe Friggieri). 9 May 1978, p. 9 9 June 1978, p. 13

13-22 July 1978 Tony Bezzina ‘from MTADA’ takes parts in a MADC production of The Winter’s Tale. 20 June 1978, p. 9

July 1978 New auditions held. 9 June 1978, p. 13

September 1978 Fourth Intake start lessons. 9 June 1978, p. 13

11 September 1978 First Intake, i.e. the first intake of students of March 1977, start their fifth and final year. 9 June 1978, p. 13 28 September 1978, p. 9

30 September 1978 Minamata presented by First Intake, with Peace Laboratory of Hal Far. Originally directed by Roger Watkins, redirected by Peter Cox. 28 September 1978, p. 9 Play is restaged in November. 1 November 1978, p. 11

20-21 October 1978 Abelard and Heloise (Ronald Miller), directed by Alfred Mallia. First Intake/Fifth term. 28 September 1978, p. 9

October 1978 Studio Productions of The Lunatic View (David Campton), directed by Joe Friggieri; Lysistrata (Aristophanes), directed by Albert Marshall. Fourth Intake/First term, i.e. students who started course in September 1978 debut with scenes from Midsummer Night’s Dream. Directed by Carmel Aquilina. 28 September 1978, p. 9

25 October 1978 Start of TIE tour with extracts from O/A Level plays. 28 September 1978, p. 9

December 1978 Fedra (Phedre, Racine, translation by Frans Sammut), directed by Mario Azzopardi and The Mask and the Face (Luigi Chiarelli, adapted by C.B. Fernald), directed by Adrian Rendle. First Intake. At The Manoel Theatre. In Fedra: Joe Quattromani (The King), Josette Ciappara (Fedra), Lina Galea Cumbo (Enoni), Lino Mintoff (Ippolitu), Ninette Micallef (Aricja), Monica Attard, Marthese Brincat, Charles Wyatt, Alfred Mallia (instead of Charles Falzon, Terameni). 14 December 1978, p. 15 15 December 1978, p. 15 17 December 1978, p. 23 24 December 1978, p. 17 The Government Inspector (Gogol), directed by Albert Marshall. Second Intake. At the Manoel Theatre. Michael Sciortino (Mayor), Mario Ascione (Khlyestakov), Mary Vassallo (wife), Marisa Camilleri Kamsky (daughter), Dominic Said and Mario Attard (Bobchinskys), Robert Camilleri (Osip), Noel Chircop (School Master), Saviour Pirotta (Police Inspector), David Fillippidis (Shopkeeper). 17 December 1978, p. 23 20 December 1978, p. 15

10 January 1979 New term starts. A new intake of students, Fifth Intake, joins the school. They start working on A Merchant of Venice, with Mario Azzopardi. Juniors working with Alfred Mallia on The Caucasian Chalk Circle (Bertholt Brecht). Leonard Dixon in Malta to work on a TIE project (The Monkey King – The Jewel, by Stanley Evernden). 23 January 1979, p. 7

January – February 1979 Third Intake are working with Adrian Rendle on extracts from The Cherry Orchard and The Seagull. Peter Cox working with other Juniors on Happy as Larry (Donagh McDonagh) 23 January 1979, p. 7

15 February 1979 Extracts from Pygmalion, a studio production directed by Leonoard Dixon, with Third Intake. 23 January 1979, p. 7

23 and 24 February 1979 Second Intake present Anastasia (Guy Bolton), directed by Peter Cox. 23 January 1979, p. 7

2 and 3 February 1979 Second Intake present Miss Julie (August Strindberg), directed by Albert Marshall.

12 April 1979 Mixed Double and An Entertainment on Marriage, directed by Albert Marshall. Third term.

24 and 25 April 1979 Second Intake present their graduation pieces. Golden Tut (Franis Ebejer), Tania Spiteri, Bernardette Pule, Robert Camilleri. A Phoenix Too Frequent (Christopher Fry). Mira Bharwani (Dynamene), Marisa Camilleri Kamsky (Doto), Anthony Bezzina (Tegeus, ex-student). Directed by Adrian Rendle. 21 April 1979, p. 11 22 April 1979, p. 20

28 and 29 April 1979 Erwieħ għall-Qiegħa (trans. Frans Sammut, The Lower Depths, Maxim Gorki), directed by Mario Azzopardi. Monica Attard (Nataxa), Joe Bonello, Joyce Cassar (Vassilissa), [[Mario Camenzuli]] (Satin), Mike Sciortino (Vaska), Dominic Said, Alfred Mallia (Luka), [[Alfred Scalpello]] (Kostiljev), Margaret Borg (Nasteja), David Philippidis (Klexx) Second Intake? 20 April 1979, p. 9 22 April 1979, p. 20 26 April 1979, p. 9 29 April 1979, p. 23 1 May 1979, p. 11 6 May 1979, p. 23 10 May 1979, p. 11

April 1979 Emy Scicluna, ex-MTADA, plays in MADC’s Portrait of Murder (Robert Bloomfield). 25 April 1979, p. 9

3 and 4 May 1979 Juniors present Happy as Larry (Donagh Macdonagh), directed by Peter Cox 2 May 1979, p. 9

4 May 1979 MTADA participate on TVM programme Metronomu. Directed by Mario Azzopardi. 6 May 1979, p. 24

20 May 1979 First performance of Maltese Mobile Theatre Unit (ex-MTADA) of Erwieħ għall-Qiegħa, Sliema 12 May 1979, p. 28 18 May 1979, p. 11

June 1979 Third Intake working on Pinter’s The Birthday Party. 24 June 1979, p. v

4 and 5 June 1979 Presentations of Pinter’s The Birthday Party, directed by Mario Azzopardi. 24 June 1979, p. v 26 June 1979, p. 13 1 July 1979, p. xiv 4 July 1979, p. 13

29 June 1979 Fifth Intake present Saturday, Sunday, Monday (Eduardo de Filippo). Directed by Alfred Mallia. 24 June 1979, p. v 29 June 1979, p. 15

13 July 1979 Il-Mara Twajba ta’ Setzwan (The Good Woman of Setzwan, Bertolt Brecht, directed by Albert Marshall). Margaret Agius (Shen Teh), Mario Camenzuli (Yang Sun), Marthese Bianco (Yang), Dominic Said (policeman). Intake B(?) 1 July 1979, p. xiv 22 July 1979, p. 20

September 1979 Auditions and new students’ intake. Sixth Intake 19 August 1979, p. 20

12-14 October 1979 Ex-MTADA students appear in 3-K’s Productions of Gojjelli, Brillanti, Djamanti u Kalmanti. They are Tony Bezzina, Charles Wyatt, Mario Ascione. Current student Anna Fava participates as well. 26 September 1979

December 1979 Sixth Intake present scenes based on Richard III (Shakespeare), directed by Karmenu Aquilina. 3 October 1979, p. 10

25 and 26 October 1979 Third Intake present The Man of Destiny (Bernard Shaw) and The Unknown General (Rene de Obaldia). Directed by Adrian Rendle. 3 October 1979, p. 10 14 October 1979, p. 20

November 1979 TIE programme based on Oreste Calejja’s work, 4 Drammi. Directed by Mario Azzopardi. Michael Sciortino, Margaret Agius, Joyce Cassar, Alfred Scalpello, Michael Tabone, Manuel Cauci, Phyllis Zammit. 3 October 1979, p. 10 25 November 1979, p. 23 9 December 1979, p. 18 30 December 1978, p. 17

3, 4 (cancelled) and 17 (rescheduled) November 1979 Third Intake. Roots (Arnold Wesker). Translated and directed Alfred Mallia. Carmen Mallia (Bice), Marthese Bianco (the mother), Anna Beck, Philip Mizzi, Carmel Cumbo, Saviour Pirotta. 29 October 1979, p. 5 18 November 1979, p. 21

Mid-December 1979 Juniors present The Roses of Eyam, directed by Peter Cox. 3 October 1979, p. 10

9 December 1979 Third Intake (Graduating students) present: Cavalleria Rusticana (Giovanni Verga), translated by Frank Mallia and directed by Alfred Mallia; and Blood Wedding (Garcia Lorca, translated and directed by Mario Azzopardi) Cavalleria Rusticana: Anna Beck, Joe Brincat, Marthese Bianco. Blood Wedding: Margaret Agius (bride), Josette Ciappara, Phyllis Zammit (groom’s mother), Mario Camenzuli, Manuel Cauci (Leonardo), Tanya Spiteri, Philip Mizzi 3 October 1979, p. 10 30 November 1979, p. 13 2 December 1979, p. 20 5 December 1979, p. 13 7 December 1979, p.11 13 December 1979, p. 11 This is the night when the debacle happened – 16 December 1979, p. 23

9 December 1979 MTADA suspended. 16 December 1979, p. 23

18 January 1980 MTADA still suspended 18 January 1980, p. 20 20 January 1980, p. 18 21 January 1980, p. 7 18 May 1980, p. 17

February 1980 Hedda Gabler, performed by ex-MTADA students, shown on TVM. 17 February 1980, p. 21 18 February 1980, p. 9 9 March 1980, p. 24

24 April 1980 MTADA to re-open. Adrian Rendle affects hand-over to Albert Marshall. Rendle and Cox terminate contract in July 1980. 7 April 1980, p. 9 20 April 1980, p. 25 23 April 1980, p. 11

May 1980 Five students resign: Arthur Bezzina, Marthese Bianco, Joseph Borg, Manuel Cauci, Stephen Florian 11 May 1980, p. 21

May 1980 New teachers’ appointments: Lino Mintoff, Mario Ascione, Joe Friggieri (Maltese speech), George Fava (stage design), Vanni Riolo (project work), J. Bruno (sound technician), Lina Galea Cumbo (make-up), Mary Field (speech classes in English). 11 May 1980, p. 15 14 May 1980, p. 11

June 1980 Seniors working on Pirandello’s Cece, Il-Morsa, Ir-Raġel bil-Fjura f’Ħalqu and The Doctor’s Duty, extracts from A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and Variations on The Bacchae of Euripides. 12 June 1980, p. 9 22 June 1980, p. 24

27 June 1980 Opening of MTADA’s newly equipped Studio Theatre. Opening performance is Cece (translated by Albert Marshall, directed by Mario Ascione). 22 June 1980, p. 24 13 July 1980, p. 20 20 July 1980, p. 18

14 July 1980 End of summer term. 22 June 1980, p. 24

September 1980 New students’ intake. 22 June 1980, p. 24

10 September 1980 New term starts. 13 July 1980, p. 20

December 1980 Class of Michael Tabone, Agnes Spiteri, Christine Calleja, Monica Grech, Renato Dimech graduate. By now, Rendle and Cox have left. 21 October 1980, p. 7

December 1980 Skene, the MTADA magazine, published. 9 December 1980, p. 13


Cons. Of debacle Organic growth disrupted. Rendle/Cox leave. See especially 20 July 1980, p. 18

Pros. Of debacle Studio Theatre opened; more teachers/classes introduced (13 teachers in all – 15 September 1980, p. 9)