CULTURE
The King's Consort - Valletta International Baroque Festival
Alternatively, if you’d like to get to grips with some political and social satire this Christmas, then the adult-only Comedy Knights: 5how Me the Funny (26 December-7 January, Salesians Theatre, Sliema, www.ticketline.com.mt) is bound to entertain. This laugh-out-loud sketch show returns for the fifth consecutive year and promises to sell out once again as it takes a (light-hearted) stab at all things Maltese.
Pantomimes You may be surprised to learn that the very British pantomime tradition has found a permanent home in Malta – and locals love attending it every year. The event itself actually dates back to the years when the British were still based in Malta, when the MADC was set up as an amateur dramatic club that showcased a variety of productions throughout the year. Today, two pantomimes take place – one at the MFCC in Ta’ Qali, and the other at the Manoel Theatre in Valletta. This year’s Ta’ Qali offering will be Cinderella (22 December-3 January, www.madc.com.mt), bringing an all-time favourite to the stage. With not-one-but-two ‘dames’ played by Michael Mangion and Jean Pierre Busuttil (as larger-than-life characters and men in drag) in the roles of the ugly sisters, poor Cinderella (played by Rachael Tedesco Triccas) is bound to have her work cut out for her. As for the Manoel Theatre panto, this is set to be Alice in Wonderland (23 December-7 January, www. masquerademalta.com) and will star well-known actor Malcolm Galea as the dame, as well as Stephen Oliver as the Mad Hatter and Joseph Zammit as the White Rabbit.
Cinderella
Both pantomimes promise fun for all the family, with lots of live music, singing, dancing and hilarious antics – the majority of which are performed in English (although you will spot the odd joke in Maltese). The real fun here comes with the audience participation, including the famous ‘panto call’ and ‘song sheet’. It’s definitely a way to inject some fairy-tale merriment into your festivities.
Religious Events And for something completely different, head over to the Christmas Carol Concert (7 December, St Mark’s Church, Rabat) at 7pm, performed by St Monica’s Choir. Year-onyear, this concert gains ground for its stunning renditions of carols and festive tunes, all of which are beautifully performed and fun to sing along to, followed by mince pies and mulled wine served in the Augustinian Cloister. Finally, if you’d like to experience the real magic of Christmas, then hop on the ferry over to Gozo to wander through the Għajnsielem Live Crib (10 December-7 January, Għajnsielem). From baby Jesus in his manger to an array of other Biblical characters (and even the odd donkey!), this is your chance to imagine beautiful Bethlehem as it might have been on that fateful night.