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For the past couple of months Hubert Mugliette was living the life of Mick, a schizophrenic streetwise character from Harold Pinterís ëIl-Kertejkerí as translated by Guzi Gatt. Mugliette talks to Gilbert Calleja about his involvement in theatre and the actor in Maltese society.
Starting his career 25 years back Hubert Mugliette has been through pretty much everything that Maltese theatre has to offer. He has worked with numerous theatrical companies touching upon a good number of different genres including the TV programme ëAhníahna jew míahniex?í.
 ëMickí marks his return to traditional theatre and back to working with Guzi Gatt. Both men had started their theatre-making careers with socially engaged performances back in the 70s and 80s.
The two had met at ëAteatruí in TignÈ.
ìIt was simply a two-roomed old barrack which we had painted black, and set up as a theatre where we could present alternative theatre,î Mugliette says ìAteatru provided a space for young artists to react to the political-social climate of the time. A breathing space where people could meet, enjoy themselves - act and react.
ìWe had got hold of some old foldable chairs and although the theatre could hold less than fifty people we were determined to ëdo our thingí. It was an important outlet of energy which meant a lot to people like myself, Guzi Gatt, Michael Fenech, Joe Saliba, Immanuel Mifsud, Peter Busuttil,Ö We were all volunteers but that was the only place where we could vent our anger, state our cause, share ideas and do something out of our feelings vis-‡-vis the Malta of the time.
ìThe 80s were years of change ñ people wanted change. Labour had been in government for too long and the country was in a rut. The situation was difficult and this in itself made Malta very fecund territory for playwrights, theatre-makers and artists,î Mugliette says, ìwe didnít have to go far to get ëprimary materialí and in itself the political unease was driving us to work harder to consciously or unconsciously, reflect the happening change.
ìAteatru was a theatre group of ëunknowní actors, allowing newcomers to take their first step on stage. Resources were limited and it was close to the idea of ëpoor theatreí.î
The first play that he recalls having taken part in was one directed by Peter Busuttil, a script of Fernando Arrabal. He worked again with Peter on another play ñ Oreste Callejaís Igsma Ihirsa, the photographs of which have ended up in the current national Maltese Language textbook. ìOne of the more challenging roles was that of an old man. It was one of Immanuel Mifsudís first scripts and I found it quite challenging, as a 19-year-old bursting with life to explore and understand the psychology of an old man. Ironically it is a role I was asked to play in Bla Kommixxin lately. One I find perennially interesting.î
Ateatru had given him the chance to work with a number of upcoming directors, one of them being Michael Fenech, the man behind Bla Kommixxin. ìI had worked with Michael before and was very pleased when he asked me to take part in Bla Kommixxin. One of my latest regrets is in fact having had to turn down a part in his restaging of Ir-Rewwixta tal-Qassisin due to work commitments. He is a director I like to work with and the script is an original of Alfred Buttigieg who I wish would write more as he has, to say the least, a very interesting pen.
ìíFil parlament ma jikbrux fjurií by Oliver Friggieri, directed by Joe Saliba was another performance I participated in. Joe was quite a prolific director at the time and I always enjoyed working with him. He is very down to earth and is interested in the how and why of people. At one time Joe also entrusted me with designing the set and taking care of backstage for a play, ëFANTASARTí. It was fun but also a sobering experience. It got me to appreciate the hidden hard work that backstage crews pour into theatre, unthanked and unseenî. He laughs, ìOh I remember ëFantasartí. I first met Brigitte there. She was dressed up as a wedding cake,î he laughs wholeheartedly for some time. Calming to a boyish chuckle he says ìÖ then we married.î
ìFollowing that period I got involved with ëAhníahna jew míahniex?í which was a real challenge overall. The programmeís history is interesting in itself. It was meant to take a close look at the society of the time and satirise the whole situation.î
Mugliette describes how they had presented a pilot project to Ronnie Pellegrini (who at the time was chief executive officer of Xandir Malta) and it got accepted. All came to a standstill with the 1987 electoral campaigns but the programme took off following the change of government.
ìWe used to film every Sunday ñ all day long. It was projected that we do a series of 13 programmes but managed only 12 because we couldnít take anymore work. We were drained. It was hard work especially for Joe Azzoppardi (Peppi) who was co-ordinating the whole thing.î
The programme evolved around a bunker-room where a group of people were shut off but could receive information coming from outside. The outside sequences, the ënews bulletiní and all that had to come into the room was filmed first. What happened on the inside was then scripted accordingly and filmed. ëAhníahna jew míahniex?í brought together over 100 people.
ìAll young and without a clue of how to write and produce a TV programme, we sought to teach ourselves the tricks of the trade by organising a pre-production course in the basics of TV making,î Mugliette says.
ëAhníahna jew míahniex?í with its biting satire had achieved unprecedented popularity on Television Malta which at the time was the only local TV station.
I point out that notwithstanding their binding anti-establishment ideals the cast members got dispersed with most of them nowadays forming part of the establishment (as also happened with the members of the former Moviment Qawmien letterarju).
ìIt is a natural evolution,î he says. ìAfter years of hitting at the establishment and making small consecutive steps you leave yourself little opposition.î
Is Malta suffering from lack of socially engaged action-groups? Are youths suffering from a complacent sense of apathy? Have we become too disenchanted with politics to bother?
ìI donít think there is lack of criticism,î he says, ìthings have evolved and the establishment is being attacked on different frontsÖ take for example ëthe Zoo Machineí, theyíre producing good satireÖ the difference is that with the pluralism of the media it is easier and faster to get your message across. There is also however the added pitfall of being commercially viable that todayís satirists have to contend with.î
But isnít that a good thing? You were saying a moment ago that the lack of finances were one of the problems that had to be faced.
ìTrue, but when you fund yourself you are also free. When you receive funding, when someone is paying you for your work it is very difficult not to have to respect his agenda. It is difficult to bite the hand that feeds you.î
How has your career evolved since then?
ìFollowing ëAhníahna Öí I had joined ëTeatru Tal-Bniedemí a group under the direction of John Schranz. During this same period I had the opportunity to work with Immanuel Mifsud on ëRuzarí, a solo performance about the poet Ruzar Briffa, in conjunction with the Akkademja tal-Malti.
ìThe project fell through with the Akkademja but Manwel and I decided to go ahead with the performance which we put up at the MITP for four other theatre groups.
ìI canít forget íRuzarí not only because it was the most difficult performances I ever had but also because I received the nicest compliment ever about my acting ñ After she had seen it, Brigitte whispered to me ëkeep actingí,î he says with a smile bringing the tone down.
The subject turns to ëIl-Kertejkerí.
ëMickí marks his return to the stage.
ìThe role was in contrast with my own character. Mick is a schizophrenic and blurts out anything he has in mind ñ ëstraight forwardí. I am more reserved. I like to observe people and take my time to react. Or at least I like to think I do.
ìWhen Iím preparing for a role I try to assimilate the characterís behaviour and my own. I remember this got a bit out of hand when I did ëIt-tlett Manikomji taí Van Goghí, with Schranz. It was my first public performance with him as director and one of the many characters I was playing was Hitler. During one rehearsal I kind of ëlost ití ñ reaching that affinity with the character gives you mixed feelings Ö on the one hand youíre happy about the achievement as an actor, but on the other it can be frightening.î
www.orestecalleja.com/igsmaihirsa.htm
Il-Kertejker
An excellent performance in Maltese of Harold Pinterís ëThe Caretakerí. Guzi Gattís masterly translation of this classic has brought to the fore the beauty of the Maltese language. Gattís work not only shows great sensitivity to the use of the word but it is also a welcome addition to Maltese literature in its widest sense.
Gatt casted well his actors with Hubert Mugliette playing the unpredictable Mick, Renato Dimech doing the part of Aston, Mickís mentally disabled brother and Michael Tabone in the part of Davis a tramp with whom the two brothers confide.
The two act performance takes place in a run-down room with two beds and some junk recovered from the streets. A zinc bucket hangs above the actors heads in order to collect dripping water seeping from the roof.
ëIl-Kertejkerí deserves to be remembered as a very good interpretation of Pinterís work.
Unfortunately it attracted few people presumably because of the general prejudice against performances in Maltese - a prejudice based on the many mediocre plays which have plagued Maltese theatre in recent years.
Theatre Festival
Mugliette remembers fondly the Mediterranean Theatre Festival which used to be organised by the Mediterranean Institute of the University of Malta. The festival was the baby of Dr. John Schrantz who had managed to bring over to Malta a good number of high quality performances.
ìI remember groups/companies like Odin Teatret, Atalaya, Tony Scott and many others from all around the Mediterranean basin. It was a true melting pot. People from Tunisia, Italy, India, Malta Ö we could discuss training practices, common prolems, ideas and it culminated in a collective performance.î There were many memorable performances and I particularly remember two performances: ëIl mare in tascaí and ëRitornano I Miei FigliíÖ visual poetry.
The festival was held twice and then, very unfortunately, it was stopped. It was a great opportunity for Theatre in Malta. Much like the Jazz festival it would have a definite influence on theatre in Malta.
I remember the profound effect that was left on me as an actor when I did a Training Stage in Bologna and also when I attended the ISTA of Salento where in both cases I met actors from all around the world, saw there performances, ate, breathed and discussed theatre with Balinese, Indians, Italians, Cubans, Brazilians, Argentinians, Americans, english ....í
http://home.um.edu.mt/medinst/
www.odinteatret.dk/
www.deconstruction.info/atalaya/eintro_at.php
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