Meet Silvia: An Intern’s Perspective At Teatru Malta

When I first decided to start this new experience with Teatru Malta, I had no idea what to expect. I knew I’d be immersing myself in a different culture and a unique approach to theatre. Teatru Malta is more than just a company; it’s not merely a means to kickstart a production week leading to the final performance. It’s a close-knit family, with all its members collaborating in a friendly and supportive way. They are always there to lend a helping hand. 

Creating a production and working behind the scenes is no walk in the park. It requires patience, the ability to find solutions when things don’t go as planned, and meticulous attention to detail – all of which they excel at every time.

Since I joined, I’ve been involved in various productions. The first was “Fi-Do,” where I assisted in selecting costumes and preparing the stage. It was an eye-opening experience since it was the first time I had participated in a performance that included not just people but dogs in the audience. It was completely new to me.

Between August and September, we had two workshops – Rimini Protokoll and XENI-SFE. The Xeni workshop, in particular, gave me the opportunity to be a part of it for two weeks. I joined in for the first week. While I already had some knowledge about light design, this workshop emphasised the importance of teamwork. It also underscored the necessity of paying careful attention to every detail of a performance. Sometimes, people underestimate the effort that goes on behind the scenes, but there’s a dedicated team working with passion. A performance isn’t just about the stage and the actors; it’s the harmonious result of everyone’s hard work. During that week, I learned how to organise the stage before the performances and the significance of considering everyone’s input and blending it to satisfy everyone’s desires. 

Following Xeni, we began work on “Aura,” a musical performed in complete darkness. I wasn’t directly involved in the organisation until the production week began. However, during that week, I experienced the performance as an audience member. It was an extraordinary experience – my first time being part of a performance without a traditional stage. Instead, I wore headphones and followed the story in darkness along with others. This made me realise that I wasn’t alone but sharing the moment and the story with fellow audience members. I also contributed to the organisation during the production week. I’m genuinely grateful that the Teatru Malta staff always granted me the opportunity to experience the performances and understand the distinction between being backstage and part of the audience. 

My internship concludes in November, and I’m pleased that I can still participate in more productions. Collaborating with others is never straightforward, but I can confidently say that the  Teatru Malta team has allowed me to get to know them better and be a part of their team. It’s  been a truly enriching experience, and I plan to carry the valuable lessons with me.