Theatre

Many happy returns

Shakespeare at Bay Street Theatre

This year the British Culture Association is commemorating Shakespeare's birthday on 24 April, a day after the birthday itself, at Bay Street Theatre. The programme, which is being produced by Paul Xuereb, will consist of two items: a new play, Helen of Troy, by the young but increasingly well-known playwright and theatre director Simon Bartolo, with actors from his fizzy Aleateia group, the group, whose recent Veronica Franco attracted excellent critical and box-office notice and two Shakespearean scenes performed by Margaret Agius and myself.

Helen of Troy is a light and amusing piece about a would-be or has-been actress, Helen, whose relations with her husband are threatened by her obsession with the stage. The skit gives us glimpses of Shakespearean scenes or brings in quotations from Shakespeare.

The audience will certainly recognise works like Macbeth, Anthony and Cleopatra, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Romeo and Juliet, and so on. The cast includes faces familiar to younger audiences in particular: Loraine Vella, Anthony Attard, Simon Bartolo (who both acts and directs), Stephora Gauci, Nathalie Borg and Chris Galea.

Making a come-back

Rowena Grima was kind enough to slip me into her busy schedule and sacrifice her coffee break for a brief tÍte a tÍte

Having been absent from the stage for about five years, I was intrigued to know what lured Rowena Grima back. ëWell,' she said, ëas it so happened, I was driving to work when my mobile rang, and out of the blue came tony bezzina's voice, saying that he had a fantastic part for me in his next production.' After a near miss with the centre strip, she gave it some thought, accepted, and that was that.

Rowena Grima wearing a not so flattering wig during one of the costume fittings for Dej‡ Revue

A couple of weeks later rehearsals for Dej‡ Revue began at Masquerade. They're fun, but she misses her free evenings. Rowena describes herself as an ëoutdoor' person who enjoys sport and various other activities that keep her on her toes. She's been debating for the past year whether or not to take up acting again, but juggling rehearsals with a career is no easy task. However, this was an opportunity she couldn't refuse.

Rowena's acting career began at school. Due to her outgoing nature and her comic talent, she had a tendency to get roped in to the annual school production. On leaving school, she was introduced to the MADC and auditioned for a part in the Shakespeare play. That year, she won the ëBest Actress' award in the One Act Play Festival. Christmas pantomime was to be the next step: ëEvery panto I watched, I would think: that should be me up there.' And sure enough, she was to form part of the chorus in the forthcoming years.

My earliest recollection of her on the stage was in the dance show X-Cited at the Catholic Institute about 15 years ago. However, her piece de resistance was her performance as Eliza Dolittle in MADC's production of My Fair Lady, where she finally had the opportunity to show her versatility as actress, comedienne and singer.

Although gifted with a beautiful voice, she has never had any formal training. Perhaps that will happen in the future. She admits that musicals have always been her preference. Maria in The Sound of Music was the character that came to mind when I asked what her ideal role would be.

Asked whether she would be interested in television, her answer was a definite ëno'. It's not just a matter of being camera-shy. There is no comparison between theatre and ëthe box'. ëHow could you replace the feel of the theatre - rehearsals, costume fittings, the rapport between the actors, the tension of production week, the musty smell backstage and the excitement of performing to a live audience - with the clinical atmosphere of a television studio? Besides, theatre is more selective - people can choose whether to see a show or not, but with TV you are imposing yourself on your audience.'

Well, I have every confidence that her various sketches in Masquerade's Dej‡ Revue will be no imposition on her audience. So, break a leg and give ëem hell

The National Museum of Fine Arts inaugurated, on Tuesday 10 April, the donation of five original lithographic prints by some of the greatest names in 20th century art.

This is the David Elyan Donation of 'School Print' colour lithographs by Pablo Picasso, Henri Matisse, Georges Braque, Fernand Leger and Raoul Dlty

The exhibition was introduced by Mr Dennis Vella of the Museum of Fine Arts. Mr Anthony Pace, Director of Museums, expressed his Department's appreciation of the confidence demonstrated by Mr Elyan in making his gift to the Museum.

The donor, Mr David Elyan, on his part, recounted the fascinating story of the concept behind School Prints, which were intended to bring the best modern European art to English schoolchildren at affordable prices, shortly after the Second World War.

A fully illustrated leaflet in colour, with an introductory article by Dennis Vella, and designed by Theresa M Vella, is being distributed free from the exhibition.

The exhibition remains open daily until 29 May, between 9am and 4pm. It will be closed on 1 and 9 May, 2001, being Public Holidays.

Sculpture by the Sea, Bondi 2001 - last call for artists' submissions

The Australian High Commissioner, Mr Iain Dickie announced the last call for artists' submissions for the fifth annual "Sculpture by the Sea", Bondi 2001 exhibition.

Gender Pieces by Tom Bass

Sculpture by the Sea, Bondi - is Australia's largest annual, outdoor, free to the public exhibition of contemporary sculpture staged along Sydney's spectacular Bondi to Tamarama coastal walk. Each year the exhibition, which attracts over 100,000 visitors, exhibits approximately 90 works by artists from around Australia and overseas - from as far afield as Iceland, Japan and the USA.

The exhibition of over 90 sculptures will be staged from 1-12 November 2001. This free to the public event attracted over 200,000 visitors last year and generated over AUD160,000 of sculpture sales, as well as approximately AUS50,000 of artist prizes and subsidies. A new element introduced to the 2000 exhibition was the invitation of senior Australian sculptors. The two artists invited to take part in the exhibition were Tom Bass and Bert Flugelman who respectively exhibited Gender Pieces and Making Waves.

Pre-selection of the 2001 exhibition will be conducted by Tom Arthur, Head of Sculpture, Sydney College of the Arts and Jim Croke, Head of Sculpture, National Art School.

Application forms are available at www.sculpturebythesea.com or by e-mailing info@sculpturebythesea.com or fax 0061 2 9357 2335.

Entries close 27 April 2001