#BEZZJONI: Narcy Calamatta

Photo: Elisa von Brockdorff

Finding Narcy Calamatta’s house was no trouble at all because if you’ve worked with him before, then much like us you’ve probably dropped him off home at some point…when his ever-patient wife is off taxi duty that is. 

Narcy was one of Teatru Malta’s first collaborators and one of the first theatre makers we had the pleasure of working with on…you guessed it a Commedia dell’Arte project. Today he’s considered to be an extension of the Teatru Malta family. With sun hat and face mask in tow in anticipation of his afternoon social distancing whiskey appointment with his neighbour and the taking of this photo he sat on his front patio bench for a quick catch up about life during COVID-19, as part of Teatru Malta’s series #BEZZJONI, a series of door to door encounters with Maltese theatre icons

Narcy Calamatta is well known for his television and theater work, as well as on radio and in journalism. He told us that as soon as he heard that Covid-19 had moved from China to Italy he locked himself inside and did not venture out except for an occasional walk.

Narcy, with a smile, told us, “In the end my guardian angel had to stop calling me lazy and she just gave me endless cuddles instead. I must confess that I wanted to go out and visit people to  tell them a joke and cheer them up a little. But when I was asked for my consent to re-show the comedy TV series, Wenzu u Rozi, I said that’s it then, I’ve done my part! I feel sorry that in March my theatre company ZARARTI had to stage a Commedia dell’Arte farce for the elderly and people with disabilities which we obviously had to cancel. But I just put myself away in the hut I have in my yard and wrote. I finished a screenplay in English on a patriotic subject. If it is ever made into a film the Lockdown would have served to make Malta proud in front of foreigners. Now I am writing stories for children and I intend to write stories for adults as well. Hooray for the Lockdown because I would never have found so much time to write, hooray for the phone and emails, hooray for the TV; Rai 5 and Classica I learned a lot of new things and I enjoyed a lot of culture. Life goes on. Hello to all the actors you’ve visited during this Bezzjoni series. Peace and health to all the Maltese and foreigners.”

This is how our dear Narcy ended his statement.