this week

What a week!

The Real Thing is currently running at the MADC clubrooms. Director Marc Cabourdin tells Ramona Depares about the joys of acting and directing

My acting career started as a bit of fun really, with a one-act play in ’98. Then I played the part of Danny Zuco in Grease, probably every male actor’s dream role. As they say, one thing led to another: I did a couple of musicals, some plays and now I’m directing The Real Thing. Did I ever think I’d end up on stage? Difficult to say but one thing’s sure: I met a gang of old school-friends a while ago and they all agreed that acting is something that they expected me to do, that somehow it’s in my character.
Which is probably true. I like the thrill of having an audience in my hand, for instance the Manoel Theatre is very intimate and I like that. Even the MADC clubrooms are nice and cosy, you get the feeling that you’re really talking to the audience. Of course, this is something that on a good night can happen on any stage, but every actor has to go through a number of bad nights before appreciating this. There was this one night, when Dracula was running, when I felt that the audience were not there with me and that left me pretty peeved, I can tell you. It’s a bit like having a nice steak and letting it go cold. The following night I really made it a point to make up for it: a friend of mine had just come out of hospital and I saved my best performance for her.

Before going on stage I get stage-fright, and yet it’s not real fright but more a case of nerves. And if I don’t feel nervous before a performance I will work myself up until I do. Nerves and tensions are important for the concentration, I believe. You should just see me backstage, I make it look like a scene from Rocky talking to the curtains, jumping around and telling myself that "everything will be all right on the night".

I want to see the shake in my hand before I actually go on stage. After all, as an established actor who’s also a friend of mine once said, the day I don’t get stage fright I might as well stop acting.

The pity of acting is that it can’t be done as a full-time job in Malta. In fact, this is the main grouch that all local theatre lovers have in common. Full-time acting is not about becoming famous or leaving the island – incidentally I love living in Malta – but about earning your living by doing something you enjoy. That’s what I call real luck. Of course, actual fame would be a bonus.

Do I prefer acting or directing? Acting, definitely. This is the first time I’m directing a play and to my surprise I find that I am enjoying the responsibility. The Real Thing has twelve scene changes and includes trains, houses, studies… everything. And in between scenes we have a cool selection of music, too. You can imagine the complications that arise with every rehearsal. Good job I love complications!

What’s good about being a novice director is that you don’t bring any pre-conceptions with you. I take criticism very well and we’re a good group. But I just know that on the night I will be really mad at myself that I’m not up there on stage acting with the others.

People ask me whether the theatre is my hobby and I reply that it isn’t. Theatre is my religion. People go to Sunday Mass and I go to the theatre. It’s the one thing that keeps me off the street and my head on my shoulders.

I do have other things going on. I own Salvino’s coffee shop in Valletta. It’s a very relaxed and chilled out place, which is why I love it. We’re all about jazz and swing music, delicious sandwiches and great coffee. Many of the regulars belong to the theatre crowd and there’s a great atmosphere especially on weekends. I also open for lunch during the week but I never get there before elevenish. Salvino’s offers a late lunch, going until past three. Then it’s chilling out and chatting before I leave at around five. It’s been a year now since I’ve been operating Salvino’s, we’ve never actually advertised but we’ve been lucky enough to gain custom by word of mouth. We try to be different, even when it comes to the menu. The number of bread-fillings is endless and my cook does the best dressings and that a fact!

I must admit that I love the city. It’s a pity that when the evening comes it’s still basically dead. True, there are some people who always have a full-house on weekends but this doesn’t mean you can say that Valletta is happening. I count myself lucky as being close to the theatre scene, because a lot of friends drop in but still… one night you’re packed and the other you’re empty.

My life hardly contains any empty spaces. Right now I’m doing a Nescafe` commercial, which is pretty cool and rather fun. I’m also a genuine football fan, by which I mean that when it comes to clubs I side with no-one. Well, I am half French so they do get my support but other than that I enjoy watching any game. I did use to play a bit myself but since this theatre business it’s become more and more difficult to find the time. Football is up there on my list of loves together with my pint, JB and women.

On a typical working day I wake up 10.30ish, chill out, shower and just make it in time for the lunch session at Salvino’s. After I close my place I normally go home or to another café to read some script. Seven o’clock brings with it rehearsal time, which can go on quite late until midnight. Finally it’s off to the local for a drink. My eating habits are somewhat weird: ordering pizza at one in the morning is not uncommon. And if I’ve drunk too much it will be two pizzas.

Then it’s home, a bit of comedy channel and some reading. I’ve been on this book for the past three months! My preference leans towards the historical novels, I don’t enjoy fiction. Recently I’ve read Mein Kampf to try and figure out why the world is in its present state. What I don’t like about fictional novels are the long-winded descriptions.

My weekends are generally very quiet. I’m not a club person, at all, and I haven’t been to Paceville in a long time. What will I do tonight after the play? We’ll come up with something for sure.