Grand Harbour Marina, Birgu 12-13-14 July 2012
Duration 50 minutes
Old Salt was initially devised as an open-air theatrical work. The performance explores the historical significance of Malta’s Grand Harbour and presents multiple perspectives on how life and love was experienced by women partnered to corsairs and captains in the 18th and 19th centuries.
Based on factual events and historical figures, Old Salt presents the lives of four women, each of whom is burdened by a personal and potentially tragic love story. As they wait by the shores of the Grand Harbour, their relationships are developed and secrets are shared. Events unfold to reveal a surreal and lonely universe wherein these four women discover real and imaginary beasts that can emerge from the sea’s dark waters. The performance features rich multi-media content as tales are recounted through mime, poetry, and drama with the involvement of masks, illustrations, giant moving beasts, and the sound of stringed music performed by a live quartet from a sculpted shipwreck berthed on land.
photo Rubberbodies
“Old Salt was one of the best performances at the Malta Arts Festival this year. It was as entertaining as its message was powerful and showcased exactly what the Arts Festival should be all about.”
Sea of Expressive Art – The Times, Wednesday, July 25, 2012
Credits: Director Jimmy Grima Rebecca Camilleri AS THE BLUE LADY Ira Melkonyan AS THE BLACK LADY Ada Wendy Moira AS THE WHITE LADY Maria Pia Meli AS THE RED LADY Anthony Askew AS THE PRINCE AZUL Jimmy Grima AS THE MESSENGER Manuel Cauchi AS THE OLD SALT Ana Topalovic on Cello Rahia Awalom on Cello Lucie Kucharova on Cello Roberta Attard on Violin Sound Design & Composition Mario Sammut Designer and Maker Matthew Pandolfino Visiting Sculptor Matthew Micallef Illustrator Anthony Askew CREW Nigel Baldacchino Martina Buhagiar Kristen Buhagiar Maria Schembri Simon Sultana Harkins Historical Research Liam Gauci Creative Writer Dr Arndt Kremer Visiting Dramaturg Lou Cope LIGHTS & SOUND TRANSIENT LIGHTS DESIGN & LAYOUT TINYISLANDSTUDIO PROGAMME ILLUSTRATIONS MATTHEW PANDOLFINO PRODUCTION MANAGER Nicole Blackman Supported by: Grand Harbour Marina Austrian Embassy Birgu Local Council thanks to: Mark Dingli Mario Pandolfino John Buxoll Mr. Kevin Sciberras - Regional Cultural Coordinator at Ministry for Gozo Ms. Joyce Dimech – Director Customer Services, Ministry for Gozo (ITS Gozo) Mr. Joseph Attard, Head of School, Gozo Centre for Art & Crafts. Commission of Malta Arts Festival 2012