interview

A hard act to follow

Better known for excelling in the arts than in politics, Narcy Calamatta takes Ramona Depares on a trip down memory lane to his ‘Bongu Malta’ days

Narcy Calamatta is a name that is well-loved by many cinema and theatre goers in Malta. He is perhaps best known for his part as Wenzu, in the popular ‘Wenzu u Rozi’ series that first hit local screens way back in the seventies – and which has now made a spectacular come-back putting Narcy once more in the lead part. But Narcy has also produced, directed or somehow participated in many of the best-attended theatre productions on the island.

And that’s not all. Narcy’s name has also been linked to leftist ideologies and he has in fact contested the elections for the Labour party four times. Unsuccessfully, although not unfortunately so, he insists, but more about that later. What I was really after in this interview is which facet of his multi-coloured personality makes the real Narcy tick? He answers the question with some matter-of-fact statement about his character.

"I am anti-mobile phones and cars, anti-consumerism and the ‘Americana’ lifestyle that is slowly but surely creeping in here. And I’d like to become a writer when I grow up. Actually I hope I never do grow up, I’m 62 now."

All suitably leftist statements, I suppose, but statements that I soon realise for Narcy are really a way of life and not just empty words. As we talk, he jumps from past to present to future in the same sentence, describing himself as a ‘cinema person’, a potential painter and a lucky cat who always lands on its feet all in one go.

"I am blessed by God. In spite of all my mishaps I have always landed on my feet and right now I’m enjoying the happiest moments of my life. So I feel lucky. My family is looking after itself now, I’m retired and I can play at my number one hobby, the cinema. The cinema is a collaborative art, the result is always the fruit of teamwork and I feel that I am back in my own metier. People do accuse me of bossing them around and I suppose this is true. But my bossing is more like that of a mother hen, I just know what is good for everyone and I like to bring out the talent which everyone has inside."

Narcy’s love for the cinema goes way back to the time he emigrated to London when still in his twenties. He stayed there for three years, enjoyed ‘reasonable success’ and came back to Malta to try every department that is related to the cinema. Thanks to his past working at the Barclay’s bank he soon became involved in producing ("I could handle the finances too"). However, in 1985 he "burnt his fingers" – preferring not to elaborate on that phrase – and decided not to do cinema any longer. At the time, Narcy was doing Iron Warrior with Miles O’Keefe and had a 100% screen credit. Anyone involved in the movie industry will immediately recognise the prestige of this statement. The decision was not easy to take because deep down Narcy’s love was for cinema and not theatre. I asked him why.

"With the theatre, you do something and it’s over in half an hour. Within one hour everyone has forgotten about it. But with cinema it’s different, your work goes down on record and people can remember it forever."

It’s hardly a surprise when Narcy tells me that even during that time his love for cinema never stopped. Whenever anyone spoke about his work as director in theatrical productions, the comments were invariably that Narcy was a cinematic artist. As for his style, do not be deceived by his ‘Wenzu u Rozi’ fame into thinking that the burlesque is his favourite genre. His love for the classics such as Shakespeare and Ibsen runs just as deep.

"I’ve had the satisfaction of doing classics such Eugene o’Neille, Ibsen and Shakespeare. I’ve actually filmed Alfred Palma’s translation of Romeo and Juliet but have had no opportunity of showing it to an audience. I called it Romeo u Guljetta Flambe` and the interpretation is quite unusual. I have a Greek chorus echoing the great lines ‘Jien il-Buffu ta’ Xortija’ (I’m fortune’s fool) throughout. It’s such a significant line and it is missed when said only once."

His passion for the work is obvious in his words. His greatest regret is that after his first work with PBS (then ‘Xandir Malta’) on a quiz programme in 1972, he was not given any more work there until the first ‘Wenzu u Rozi’ production in ’77.

"And this, I’ll have you know, was a last minute stop-gap decision because of a certain political situation that no-one else wanted to touch. This he could not understand, especially since the then Head of Programmes had described him as ‘a revelation’.

"Even then, after an undisputed success that is still talked about today, I was only offered the next production in 1986 when I was asked to rescue the financial situation at the TVM in the throes of political boycott."

He starts musing about ‘Bongu Malta’ and how the programme was a hit even with Maltese emigrants. Narcy’s next part on national TV was in a Peppino de Filippo comedy, which he says he accepted only because ‘Xandir Malta’ bound itself to produce Pirandello’s Enrico IV.

"Again, this play is a masterpiece that was watched only by a few dozen people. I don’t think the Maltese audience is ready for these kind of classical works yet," he says diplomatically. "But I was never offered again anything else until today’s ‘Wenzu u Rozi’ production started."

The conversation is loaded with political innuendo and I grab the opportunity to ask him about his, many say unremarkable, political career. He laughs at my question and describes how once another newspaper had come out with the headline ‘Narcy Calamatta does not want to be elected’. I ask him if it’s true and he thinks for a moment before nodding his head.

"Yes, it’s true. I only contested the elections because I had many right-wing friends and I wanted to show them that people who are left-wing can indeed be their friends. That’s the only reason I contested."

Do we take politics too seriously, is my next question. Very surprisingly, at least to me, the answer is a determined no. The Maltese, he thinks, view politics in an extremely superficial way and they only care about whether someone is wearing a blue or a red scarf.

"We are a frivolous and a hollow nation."

I ask him whether he’ll be contesting the election again and this question elicits a guffaw.

"My goodness, I live my life by the minute. I never plan anything. Who knows what I’ll be doing? My life is very spur-of-the-moment but in all of it I see the hand of God. Even my other regret, that I was not allowed to specialise with a Masters Degree after I graduated with a BA in Theatre and Communication studies – yes, there’s another political story in that – today I can accept as the hand of God."

I ask him how it’s possible to reconcile his disappointment with God’s will. His answer is simple.

"Well I am doing cinema again, which was always my one love, so you see…there was the hand of God working there too."