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Maltese Performers Brilliantly ‘Defying The Norm’ At Edinburgh Fringe Fest

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Maltese performers have been turning heads and splitting sides at this year’s famously subversive 70th annual Edinburgh Fringe Festival, and they’re showing no signs of slowing down.

The Scottish international arts festival hosts thousands of events throughout its capital city during the month of August, and Maltese performers Philippa Cassar, Maxine Aquilina, Malcolm Galea, Joseph Zammit, Gianni Selvaggi, and Steve Hili (among others) have been winning the hearts of their audiences.

Fringe 70

The Fringe has seen Philippa Cassar take part in two musical-performances at the Assembly Hall; a rendition of Stephen Sodheim’s beloved fairy-tale cocktail Into the Woods where she plays a Cinderella in the midst of an existential crisis, as well performing as an actor-musician in the folk musical Atlantic: America and The Great War – a story set on the brink of World War I, which approaches the mystifying question of what it means to be American.

Cassar spoke to Lovin Malta, reflecting on her experiences at the revered-yet-rigorous Fringe Festival thus far:

“This year the Fringe celebrates its 70th Anniversary, so it’s a huge privilege to not only witness the Festival buzz, but to experience it first hand,” Philippa said. “It’s like something out of a dream – there are live acts in the streets performing to cheering crowds constantly (come rain or shine), and too many shows to choose from. Whether you’re interested in circus, comedy, classical music, improvised theatre, dance or musicals. You name it, it’s there.”

Fringe 3

Philippa Cassar as Cinderella in Sodheim’s “Into the Woods”

Since Cassar’s shows are running daily, and sometimes back-to-back, she hasn’t had much time to check out the other Maltese performers taking part in this year’s Fringe Festival.

Fellow Maltese performers Malcolm Galea and Joseph Zammit’s comedy, The Complete History of Europe (More or Less), and Steve Hili’s Burning Love to the Ground (And Lasagne) have been keeling crowds over in laughter throughout their festival-run. Cassar said she would love to catch both Maltese shows, as well as Gianni Selvaggi in the comedy-cabaret My Fanny Valentine on her one off-day as another smiling face in the crowd.

Burning Love

Steve Hili burning love…or lasagne

“This has been such a rewarding experience for me – getting to collaborate with international artists and creatives and watching some super innovative pieces,” Cassar said. 

The young and promising musician-actress has no intentions of stopping, or even slowing down, once the famous Fringe Festival closes its city-wide curtains.

Cassar will be taking part in a storytelling-gig with The New Victorians in London on the 20th September, of which she says, “Bring it!”

The New Victorians

Tag a friend who’s in Edinburgh!

READ NEXT: The Maltese Director Of Smash Hit 24 Is Planning A TV Series About The Great Siege Of Malta

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