Andre` Penza, born 19th August 1979. He joined Ghaqda Atturi Luqa at the age of 12 and made his debut on stage in 1995 where he was part of the cast in the first live musical staged in Maltes, ie:- Jesus Christ Superstar at De Porres Theatre, Sliema. Then he met the late Fr.John Abela, who immediately gave him a main role in “il- Maskot”, and Andre` never looked back. He took theatre seriously and was given main roles ever since.

In the meantime Andre` was also taking theatre training under the supervision of Albert Marshall, John Suda and Chris Grech, where he sat for ‘Trinity and Guildhall’ exams in performing arts and succeded with ‘distinction’. During this time, he was also chosen to perform abroad in International Theatre Festivals such as in Germany, Austria and Sicily. He was also part of the team who for several years produced works from William Shakespeare in Maltese at Manoel Theatre.

In the meantime, Andre` was now being given main roles on local Tv as well such as in ‘Is- Salib tal- Fidda, Dejjem Tieghek Becky, Gizelle, Ix- xhud li m deherx, Is- sigill tal- qrar, Emilja & ‘Dreams’.

Apart from acting, Andre` always showed interest in script writing as well. In 1997 he wrote a one-act play called `L-isbah rigal’ which was staged by Skene. This was followed by another one act play ‘L-imhatra’ which was also staged by Skene.
Since 2008, he has been conducting a group of teenagers from Skene . For this group he wrote and directed “Adam vs Eva, Figurini & Abort.

It-Tmiem? is his latest play etc etc……

Heralded as the best passion play of the season, Skene’s Skond San Ġwann lived up to the hype in some interesting and unexpected ways.

Intrigued to know more, and largely unfamiliar with the world of passion plays and Lenten devotions that predominate at this time of year, I went to Metanoia Theatre in Luqa without many expectations.

It was immediately apparent that this provincial theatre had managed to attract a surprising cross-section of Maltese society. Parents and their children, young couples and mature patrons from various localities and walks of life found a place in the audience.

Dedicated to the memory of Fr John Abela, OFM (the play’s author) and directed by Zep Camilleri, known for his work in television, the play was a complex and intricately woven tapestry of themes and images.

The performance succeeded in keeping itself above cliché by innovative approaches, not least in the staging itself. It must be difficult to animate a story everyone knows inside out, and the Passion play is one of the oldest dramatic forms in Europe (indeed, Europe’s oldest directorial book is for a Slovenian Passion play).

A passion play addresses the issues which inexorably led to the death of Christ, namely the sins of the audience. Not the most convivial way to spend an evening at the theatre, but certainly thought-provoking.
Mark Mifsud as John the Evangelist brought occasional flashes of humour to relieve the pressure of plot.

Mifsud relived the scenes narrated in the Gospel of John while writing them down, hampered by the evil wiles of Endor, a fiendish spectre, and encouraged by Huldah, a sober voice for good.

Andre Penza seemed comfortable playing a willowy, Zeffirelli-inspired Christ rather than attempt a more robust interpretation. Quiet moments of reflection worked well alongside Sarah-Lee Zammit’s energetic turn as Endor.

What Zammit’s role owed to the ancient witch was left questionable – a more direct reference might have been the androgynous Tempter in Mel Gibson’s film The Passion of Christ.

Zammit attacked the part with gusto, throwing herself about the stage and drawing the eye away from a sequence of frozen tableaux by her dance-like contortions and carefully modulated delivery.

Tiziana Camilleri played a believable counter-point to Endor’s wickedness as the prophetess Huldah, bouncing off Zammit’s energy and succeeding in giving a solid and memorable performance.

Other performers of note were Stefan Galea as Herod, at once funny and grotesque, Sandro Farrugia as an earnest St Peter and Chris Penza’s troubled Judas. The chorus, which linked the audience to the action, might have been used more sparingly but otherwise nothing felt unnecessary or out-of-place.

At times there was an uncomfortable attempt to balance formulaic dialogue with moments of more realistic characterisation that were not entirely successful.

Some of the actors pulled it off but others never became more than mouthpieces, and while this might have presented a more serious problem in any other kind of production it gave this very specific genre a link to centuries of tradition, to a place where the actor became, in a very essential way, a re-creation of another moment in time.

The dramatisation was consistently creative, evidence of a European culture exploring the passion story not as another piece of postmodern debris but as a living narrative to be reckoned with. The play opened with the crucifixion, the witch astride the cross tormenting Jesus, and closed with the Resurrection and a triumphant Christ.

The set design was consummate, an exercise in restraint that paid off very well. Overhead projections were used to good effect and scene changes were effected by a pair of revolving set-pieces.

The music was excellent, by turns delicately atmospheric and forcefully dramatic. The costumes were well crafted and the make-up generally successful, even if at times it looked as though the chorus, or Endor, had walked off the set of a Ziggy Stardust music video — but perhaps that just added to the surreality.

The play was structured as a series of vignettes like a series of dreams, questioning belief today and forever. It felt as though we were watching a truly Maltese art-form, something not often explored or indeed acknowledged by those of us who have not attended a procession or visited a wirja.

Cultural expression was linked with a fundamentally spiritual origin and in the process we saw moments of very beautiful, very honest theatre. Where the performance was most successful, it was most simple – two characters in conversation, a perfectly lit scene, a well-chosen quotation.

The use of light and darkness and the choices in colour were tasteful throughout.

As archetypes appeared and disappeared, a cinematic voice-over supplied context. With characters given the space to speak their part in the cosmic drama, it was exhilarating to see the constraints of narrative shrugged off because whatever one might believe (or not believe) the story supplied its own conviction.

The plainly confrontational message raised the play above easy ridicule and in the end the audience was challenged to accept or reject the story on its own merits. And whether we choose to believe or not, simply ignoring the Easter message is no longer an option.

Matul il-ħmistax il-sena li l-patri għamel ma’ Skene kien hemm bosta mumenti li kull wieħed minna jiftakar. Avveniment annwali kien id-dramm ta’ żmien il-Ġimgħa Mqaddsa. Ridna infakkru lil dan il-bniedem li tant għamel differenza fil-ħajja tagħna billi nużaw kliemu u niftakru fid-drammi li għamilna wieħed wieħed flimkien miegħu.

Rajtx …..inħawwad! Meta nibda infittex id-dawl jgħijduli li qiegħed inħawwad. Dan kien kliem Elegħażar fl-ewwel dramm li tellajna flimkien fl-1996. Dawl. Dejjem hekk kien kliemek. Fittxu id-dawl…. kliem li sa l-aħħar nett bqajt tgħidulna….

Is-sena ta’ wara f’waħda mil-linji illi kellha Shelomit fid-dramm Tamietna….. kienet tisħaq illi…… dak li kien, issa huwa ġrajja li għaddiet. Dak li wettaqt huwa parti minnek. Dak tiegħek, u tiegħek biss…. Ftit li xejn naqblu ma’ dan il-kliem. Dak li wettaqt int patri, speċjalment fil-kitba tiegħek, m’għaddiex….. huwa messaġġ ħaj u pożittiv illi ser jibqa magħna anke jekk int m’għadekx.

U s-sena ta’ wara f’Ħati? Pilatu kien jgħid….. Il-ġisem ħabs tar-ruħ….. mela allura qiegħed f’post ħafna aħjar inti żgur….. ħlist mill-ħabs u issa ħieles.

Mhux hekk kien kliemu. Ma kienx żorr…….. Rakel f’Ħelsien tkellmet hekk fuq Ġesu`. Pero aħna nistgħu ngħidu hekk ukoll fuqek….. qatt ma kont żorr…. dejjem lest tisma l-problemi tagħna, tgħabbihom fuq spallejk u tgħinna noħorġu minnhom.

Fis-sena 2000, smajna lil Maria ta’ Magdala fid-dramm Ħajjitna tgħidilna… Kif jista qatt xi ħadd jgħarbel u jifhem ħajjitna fil-mixja tagħha?… Hekk ngħidu aħna, kif qatt nistgħu nifhmu li lilek kien ser jieħdok daqshekk kmieni? Ma setgħax iħalliek ftit iehor? Le qatt m’aħna ser nifhmu, nippruvaw imma aħna egoisti wisq.

Imbagħad fis-sena ta’ wara l-Għaqda Atturi Luqa iddeċidejt li tgħammidha b’isem ġdid…..SKENE. Ezatt 10 snin ilu. Kienet is-sena fejn wasal ukoll l-ewwel dramm miktub oriġinali għalina. SkondSanĠwann. Il-Madonna ma ridtiex tibki, kien jdejqek il-biki, kont għamilt linji li fih naraw lil Madonna tiftakar fil-passat u titbissem anke jekk binha mejjet. Tiftakar x’qatgħa kont tajtna meta waqajt ħdejn il-bir!! U hawn niftakaru x’qatgħa kont tajtna meta inkiser bik is-sett. Kellna taraġ u għidtilna jekk jiflaħ lili jiflaħ lil kulħadd imma t-taraġ lilek ma felħikx għax bqajt nieżel! Naħseb li kont weġġajt imma int lilna qatt ma ridt turi mil-liema tbatija tkun għaddej.

L-eku naqqax ġo qalbi il-leħen li ħareġ minn fommu, il-kelma sejħitli u il-leħen daħal f’ widnejja. Damdmet ġo moħħi sakemm ftaħtilha beraħ u niżżlet għeruqha fil-qiegħ ta’ qalbi….. kliem David, wieħed mill-atturi moderni f’Imġarrbin. Ma hux kliemna dan patri, huwa kliem dawk kollha li kienu jiġu t-tejatru u li kienu jaraw id-drammi fuq it-televiżjoni. Il-kelma kienet messaġġ qawwi għall-ħajja ta’ llum.
Niftakar fl-2003, Mary attrici moderna ohra fid-dramm Riflessi kienet titlob…. Ħudli ħsieb dan l-anġlu Mulej u ħaddnu miegħek għal dejjem, hekk nitolbuh aħna wkoll. Jeħdilna ħsieb dan l-anġlu illi qiegħed hemm fuq, bilqegħda fuq siġġu, b’sigarett f’idejh, bin-nuċċali fuq il-ponta ta’ mnieħru kemm kemm ma jaqax, jara kif ser jivvinta aktar xogħol!

Qum u ħares lejn il-ħajja…. qum… għaliex id-dmugħ? Għaliex il-qtiegħ il-qalb? Ħares madwarek u ilmaħ il-qawwwa tal-għoli. Dak kien il-kliem ta’ Ġesu’ f’DawlfidDlam. Dejjem hekk ridtna, u hekk tridna issa. Nħarsu madwarna u nagħtu kas il-ħajja u l-aktar importanti ma nibkukx.

Waqt li konna qed inqallbu l-iscripts, sibna bosta kelmiet illi kienu addattati għal-lum. Pero l-ebda silta aħjar minn din…. kliem Selig f’Żernieq:
Kont sibt ħabib li miegħu ftaħt qalbi bla stħajt.
Kont sibt ħabib li kien jisma attent it-tħannin u l-krib ġewwieni.
Kont sibt ħabib li qatt ma daħaq bija jew għaddieni biż-żmien.
Ħabib tassew li dejjem laqgħani u qatt ma warrabni
Ħabib tal-qalb li jilqgħek dejjem f’kull ħin
Ħabib li jifhem, li jagħder u jhenn
Ħabib li ma nafx kif ser terġa tkun il-ħajja mingħajrek maġenbi
Jien sibt fik, għalliem ta’ ħajja
Hemm għalfejn inżidu aktar?

Pero fadal 4 snin fil-mixja tal-patri ma’ Skene. U l-patri magħna ma kienx biss direttur, kien wkoll ħabib, pero kien mexxej spiritwali. U kliem il-Madonna f’Imsallbin ħarġu minn fommu kemm il-darba speċjalment fiż-żmien ta’ tiġrib bħal meta tlifna lil Dun Joe – Quddiem il-mewt m’hemmx kliem biex jwieżnek għajr twemminek mara…. U llum nipprova nemmen, nipprova nifhem, li qiegħed f’post aħjar avolja xi drabi ma nifhmux u nixtiequk hawn ħdejna.

U mid-dramm Meħlusin slitt din… Fil-fond ta’ qalbi imnaqqxa flimkien ħajti u ħajtek, imnaqqxa flimkien ġrajjietna, mixjietna, tamietna…… fil-fond ta’ qalbi…. U mhux biss fil-fond ta’ qalbi pero fil-qlub kollha ta’ dawk li ltaqgħu miegħek tul ħajtek.

Kliem Mariam ta’ Magdala dejjem kont titfa fih kliem li jolqot fil-laħam il-ħaj. Mariam fid-dramm Inħobbok lissnet… L-imħabba ma’ tissakkarx qas meta t tebut jinżel fit-trab. Kemm il-darba rajt u smajt f’dan l-aħħar xahar il-kelma inħobbuk patri?…. u facebook u s-siti tal-franġiskani u l-gazzetti…. Naħseb tawk xi laptop hemm fuq….. u taf kemm hawn min ma kiteb imkien?…. ma kienx hemm għalfejn ixandar għax int taf li fil-qalb ta’ ħafna l-imħabba lejk hija waħda immensa.

U għalhekk meta ftaħna l-iscript Sallabtni….. erġajna sibna kliem il-Madalena….. kbira t-telfa …. kbira….. imma kbira wkoll it-tifkira ta’ kliemek, għemielek, imħabbtek. In-nuqqas tiegħek jinħass wisq…. jinħass għaliex dak li kont tagħmel int għalina ftit tista tfissru bil-kliem. Nispera li tajniek ferħ daqs kemm tajt int lilna. Aħfrilna jekk inkwetajniek, ma studjajniex l-iscript fil-ħin, wasalna tard għar-rehearsals u baqbaqniek…. ma kienetx l-intenzjoni li nweġgħuk!

Is-sena li għaddiet għamilna d-dramm Sikktuh. Kien għoġobna l-monologu tal-Madonna…ma setax joġobna ta’ Ġesu` għax int għoġbok tagħmillu l-istick ma’ ħalqu, qas kelma miskin ma ħallejtu jgħid, imma dak kont int, dejjem b’idejat ġodda. L-aħħar linji tal-Madonna kienu… illum qed nifhem daqxejn oħra, għax avolja sieket u fommok meħjut mill-mewt qerrieda, imma xorta, xorta jidwi leħnek…… jekk wieqaf….. tistenna….. tisma. Dan l-aħħar meta konna qed inħejju għidna l-istess kliem….. li jekk nieqfu u naħsbu inħossuk li int għadek magħna, nistħajluk tidħak, tħares lejna u tieħu ġost tarana megħdijin fix-xogħol. Ġbartna patri, u tajtna familja oħra…… illum il-familja naqsilha l-missier….. naqas fiżikament għax spiritwalment għadek magħna, timxi magħna fil-kuruturi ta’ Skene, tieħu sehem fil-laqgħat tagħna u tieħu ħsieb tħares fuqna minn hemm fuq. Mhux ser nwegħduk li ma nibkukx, mhux ser ngħidulek li ma nimmisjawkx imma nwegħduk illi SKENE u l-membri kollha ser iżommu ħaj dak li int għallimtna, filwaqt li ngħaddu l-messaġġ pożittiv tad-drammi tiegħek lill udjenza….. u kien għalhekk li meta ddeċidejna xi dramm ser nagħmlu għal din is-sena…..iddeċidejna li SkondSanĠwann kellu jkun l-iscript li nirrepetu….. nirrepetuh 10 snin mill-magħmudija ta’ Skene…. SkondSanĠwann id-dramm li għalik kien wieħed mill-aktar jekk mhux l-aktar drammi għal qalbek…. U 4 xhur wara li int ħallejtna….. Skene tippreżenta SkondSanĠwann…. dramm għal żmien il-Ġimgħa Mqaddsa miktub minn patri Ġwann Abela…… Grazzi patri….

Għaliex SkondSanĠwann?

Il-ħrafa nafuha. Għax xi ħadd ġabar bil-kitba l-kliem u l-ġrajjiet ta’ l-Imgħallem. Is-snin kienu gerrbu u l-aħbar imwassla fuq ix-xtut tal-baħar tal-Galilija nfirxet mal-erbat irjieħ tal-Imperu Ruman. Dak li intom sallabtu, Alla qajjmu mill-imwiet… hekk ħarġu jippriedkaw fil-bidu… imbagħad bdew jiftakru u jfakkru `l xulxin fil-ġrajjiet mgħoddija. Minn fomm għall-ieħor, minn xhud għal ieħor. Qajl qajl sawru l-ġrajja. Riedu jiktbiha biex tibqa’ t-tifkira… ġabru d-dettalji. Min kiteb fejn twieled, min kif twieled, min fejn għallem, min fejn tkellem, min lil min fejjaq. Kitbu minn kienu l-għedewwa, min kienu l-ħatja. Kitbu…kitbu Mattew, Mark, Luqa….kitbu Pawlu, Pietru u Ġakbu l-ittri tagħhom. Dawk li kienu mal-imgħallem issa mietu kollha. Kien fadal wieħed biss, Ġwanni. Kiteb wkoll. Irrakonta l-ġrajja u fassalha ġo qafas ta’ dramm tassew fejn il-qawwiet jitqabdu u fejn l-għedewwa jippruvaw ixejnu l-qawwa tas-sewwa. Niseġ il-ġrajja bhal nissieġ li jaf jagħżel l-ilwien biex iżewwaq il-ħolqien tiegħu. Din in-nisġa għamilha fuq ix-xhieda mhux biss t’oħrajn li semgħu imma bħala xhud ewlieni. Kien hemm, ra b’għajnejh, għex il-ġrajja.

Kienet is-sena 27 W.K., għal-ħabta tax-xahar t’Ottubru. Ġesu` issa kellu madwar 33 sena. Niżel mill-Galilija lejn ix-xmara Ġordan biex jitgħammed minn idejn Ġwanni l-għammied. Hekk tibda n-nisġa tal-aħbar it-tajba tad-dixxiplu l-maħbub. Qajl qajl toħodna f’mixja ta’ konfront mal-għedewwa li tilħaq il-qofol tagħha fix-xahar t’April tas-sena 30 W.K. Ġesu` issa kellu madwar 36 sena u niżel Ġerusallem għall-festa tal-Għid li dik is-sena ħabtet is-Sibt. Kien il-Ġimgħa 7 t’April, fit-3.00pm, fil-ħin li fih kienu jinqatlu l-ħrief fit-Tempju, li fih ġie maqtul il-Ħaruf t’Alla…u nhar l-ewwel jum reġa ġie fosthom wara li qam mill-mewt.

SkondSanĠwann jiġbor b’mod drammatiku dawn l-aspetti kollha u oħrajn u jinsiġhom flimkien f’qafas teatrali. Huwa dramm fejn jintisġu flimkien ġrajjiet magħrufa, karbiet moħbija u xewqat ġewwiena. Hekk dak li jidher quddiemek mhux biss il-ġrajja tal-bieraħ imma wkoll feġġiet ta’ dawl għalina llum. SkondSanĠwann ilaqqagħna mal-ġrajja li nisimgħu tinqara fil-jiem tal-Ġimgħa Mqaddsa imma jorbotha fil-qafas ta’ taqbida bejn id-dlam u d-dawl.

Il-bidu ta’ l-esperjenza teatrali ta’ Żep Camilleri, 24 sena ilu, seħħ bħala reazzjoni għal diżappunt wieħed kbir li kellu – li jabbanduna attivita’ li tant kien iħobb, il-futbol. Ma kinitx faċli għalih li jaċċetta li ma setax jissokta b’dan l-isport minħabba uġigħ fiżiku, u kellu jieqaf. Issa x’se jiġri !?

Ftit xhur wara, darba fost l-oħrajn, kollega tiegħu (mill-kulleġġ fejn kien jattendi biex jilħaq għalliem) ħajru jmorru sat-teatru Manoel biex jaraw mima Izraelit, Sami Molcho, jagħti wirja. Daħal fit-teatru b’apprensjoni kbira u ħareġ b’entużjażmu akbar. Dik hi!! Sab x’jagħmel….. jaqbad il-mima! Kif, hekk allura!? Iva hekk! U beda jaħdem fuq dan il-ħsieb. Ried isir mima. Għamel xhur maqful id-dar, iqatta’ sigħat twal kuljum, jistudja u jesperimenta sakemm ftit ‘il fuq minn sena wara, Xandir Malta offrewlu awdizzjoni. Iva! Intogħġob ħafna u talbuh jagħmel tlettax-il ‘story sketch’ għall-programm Metronomu bil-karattru ħelu Joem. Wara din is-sensiela għamel tlieta oħra għat-televiżjoni.

Kienu issa għaddew madwar tliet snin u Joem kien laħaq qabad ritmu sew jagħti wirjiet f’ħafna swali. Min ma’ jiftakarx lil Joem bħala Kristu l-Pulċinell fix-xogħol teatrali televiżiv Kristu fl-iżbarra. Iżda ġara li bil-mod dan il-karattru beda jnaqqas mid-dehriet tiegħu. Sidu, Żep Camilleri, intefa’ fuq xogħol televiżiv li ħadlu ħafna mill-ħin li s-soltu kien jiddedikah għal Joem. U dan Joem spiċċa magħluq fil-gwardarobba mal-kostum tiegħu definittivament. Kienet is-sena 1982. Għal ħames snin sħaħ Żep ħadem l-aktar bħala direttur televiżiv ma’ l-istazzjon edukattiv, illum ‘Education Channel 22′, b’dehriet sporadiċi u rari ‘l hemm u ‘l hawn bħala mima.

Imma Joem kien laħaq injetta f’Camilleri ġibda kbira lejn it-teatru u mill-1987 ‘il quddiem qabad pass sfrenat kemm bħala attur imma l-aktar bħala direttur teatrali. Fil-fatt lil Camilleri issibu għaddej is-sena kollha jaħdem fuq proġetti ma’ diversi kumpaniji li jagħżlu li jafdaw f’idejh drammi kif ukoll kummiedji fit-Teatru Manoel u mhux biss. Fil-Manoel l-aktar xogħolijiet sinjifikattivi huma Tlettax għall-Ikel, Il-Kerrejja, Bugħawwieġ, L-Impotenti, L-Imġarrab, Il-Merkant ta’ Venezja u Żewġ Ġentlomi ta’ Venezja.

Biss il-teatru mużikali jibqa’ l-ġeneru l-aktar għal qalbu. Fil-fatt fl-1989 idderieġa b’suċċess ir-’rock opera’ Bastilja u xogħolijiet ta’ dan it-tip li ġew wara kienu Ulied in-Nanna Venut fl-Amerka (1991), Ġesu ta’ Nazaret (1993), Qtil Ġo Venezja (1993), u Inez Farruġ (1995) u Sister Act. Fl-1992 kiteb, ipproduċa u dderieġa l-’concept musical’ – Erwieħ, għad-‘Depiro Youth Theatre’ fir-Rabat bl-introduzzjoni fuq ix-xena tal-kantanta Debbie Scerri. Sett ieħor ta’ proġetti mużikali hu dak reliġjuż fejn allura ħadem ma’ diversi għaqdiet lokali biex ittellgħu xogħolijiet bħal Jien Ġużeppi, Sebastian, u 1956.

Għal xi snin ingħaqad mal-kumpanija Politeatru u ħadem kemm bħala attur (Ir-Raħal tal-Boloh, L-Għadu tal-Poplu, Passjoni taħt il-Blat, Trumbetti u Ġornijiet, Aħna u l-Isvizzeri), kif ukoll bħala direttur (Jien Ġlomt b’Repubblika, Tliet Rubli Biss, Paduk u l-Prostituta, Vendetta), ma’ l-MADC (Tartuffe, Bugħawwieġ) u mal-Maleth (Dawk l-Imbierka Iħirsa).

Fażi oħra importanti hi dik li waħħlet lil Żep mal-kumpanija Talenti ta’ Mario Micallef. Flimkien dawn ħadmu fuq diversi proġetti, l-aktar xi xogħolijiet ta’ ‘Shakespeare’ bil-Malti. Imma aktar għall-qalb Camilleri jibqgħu l-one-man shows li Micallef ħadem fuq kitbiet tiegħu. Dan il-ġeneru teatrali jibqa’ uniku f’Malta u ħadd ma azzarda jisfida lil Micallef li jagħti storja b’għadd ta’ monologi b’karattri differenti għal siegħa u nofs, waħdu! Min minn dawk li rawh jinsa L-Imġarrab. Dan kien l-ewwel xogħol (u x’aktarx l-akbar) ta’ f’din is-sensiela għal Camilleri.

Matul dawn is-snin kollha li ilu jaħdem, Żep Camilleri kellu x-xorti jiltaqa’ ma’ bosta artisti barranin f’dan il-qasam – Ingliżi, Amerikani kif ukoll Russi. Biss x’aktarx li l-aktar għal qalbu minn dawn il-laqgħat tibqa’ dik ma’ Marcel Marceau il-mima magħruf Franċiz. Ma jistax ikun mod ieħor. Il-mima kienet l-ewwel imħabba tiegħu.

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Fr. John was born at Rabat, Malta in 1954, carried out secondary education at the Secondary Technical School from where he joined the Franciscans with solemn profession in 1976. Studied Philosophy in Malta and Theology at the Franciscan International Seminary in Jerusalem. After the priestly ordination in 1979 he obtained a Licenciate Degree in Psycho-Pedagogy from the Pontifical Ateneum Antonianum in Rome. He kept alive his Holy Land link by teaching Biblical Geography and published two books in Maltese “Il-Bibbja fl-ambjent tagħha” (The Bible in its context) – a geographical – historical introduction to the Bible, and “Fl-Art Imqaddsa mal-Franġiskani” (In the Holy Land with the Franciscans) – a guide to the Holy Land. One of his works “Via Crucis – it-Triq tas-Salib” has been translated in English, set up on the Internet and is used by thousands all over the world. It has been translated in polish and set online too.

Fr. John served the Maltese Franciscan Province in various ministries of Government, Formation, Communications and also served at the General Curia of the Order of Friars Minor as Director of the OFM Communications Office. He participated in 29 archaeological excavation campaigns held by the Studium Biblicum Franciscanum (Jerusalem) in Jordan (Mt. Nebo, Machaerus, Madaba, Nitl, Umm al-Rasas, Mukhayyet, Wadi Mousa, Ain Kaniseh) and mosaic restoration projects there. He wass an authorized pilgrims leader in Israel and leaded pilgrimages to the Holy Land for the past 15 years.

Fr. John has been interested in maltese writing since his secondary education and “discovered” theatre in his formation years with the Franciscans. Ever since he has been writing, directing and producing maltese original plays (mainly religious) breaking new ground. Some of these plays have also been published in booklet form and year in year out they are performed by many theatre groups around the Maltese islands. He spent from 1982 to 1996 at the Catholic Institute directing and performing with the house theatre company MASK. It was a period of intensive work and experience where many of today’s established actors and TV personalities/actors were formed and performed. The list is too long to publish: all local TV channels have acquired these talents which were introduced to public performance by MASK. Those were years when MASK was synonym with excellence. Since 1996 Fr. John joined SKENE at Luqa… a new challenge which he undertook with enthusiasm. Even here the ground is fertile and his writings have continued to be challenging to patrons and actors alike.

LIST OF PLAYS WRITTEN BY FR. JOHN ABELA OFM

Matul dawn il-lezzjonijiet, l-istudenti qegħdin jiġu mħejjija għal dak kollu li għandhom bżonn biex jirnexxu fl-aspirazzjonijiet tagħhom li jsiru atturi. Ovvjament dawn l-eżerċizzi jkunu adattati għalihom skond l-età. Dawn jinkludu:
* Eżerċizzji għall-vuċi
* Ezerċizzji għan-nifs
* Ezerċizzju fiżiku
* Id-differenza bejn reċtar għat-tv u dak għat-teatru
* Teatru Soċjali
* Teatru Komiku
* Teatru Serju
* Teatru Fiżiku
* Teatru Improviżat
* Mima
* Script/Playwriting
* Make-up għat-Teatru

Il-lezzjonijiet jibdew fl-ewwel ġimgha t’Ottubru u jsiru kull nhar ta’ Sibt wara nofsinhar. Għal aktar informazzjoni ċemplu fuq 21806712 (wara s-7.00pm) jew 99486538. Tistgħu tniżżlu l-formola minn hawn u tibgħatuha permezz ta’ email lil skene@skenemalta.com