The Ħassle Mejjet Theatre Collective – an independent creative collective based locally – is proud to announce its upcoming original play, Popolazzjoni: 4.

Based in Malta in the present day, Popolazzjoni: 4 is an absurdist work in Maltese and English that follows the characters of Natasha, Roberta, Jeremy, and Cini; four youths in their twenties who, for very different reasons, have grown tired of the country’s status quo and decided to live out their off-the-grid dreams on the islet of Filfla.

The play offers a glimpse into the challenges, successes, and conflicts that arise from this misadventure, with Natasha, Roberta, Jeremy, and Cini attempting to make do without the luxuries of the 21st century (to moderate success).

Despite the work’s comedic undertones, Popolazzjoni: 4 seeks to tackle several issues considered pertinent to modern-day Malta. These include hyper-capitalism, overdevelopment, and environmental negligence.

Devised by the Ħassle Mejjet Theatre Collective and written by Benjamin Abela, this run of Popolazzjoni: 4 is being directed by Gianluca Mifsud and features performances from Annalise Ebejer (playing Natasha), Bertha Farrugia (playing Roberta), Brendon Thearle (playing Jeremy), and Matthew Dimech Genuis (playing Cini).

“I’m thrilled to don the director’s role for the very first time, especially for a project of this nature. Collaborating with such a talented team to craft a production that not only highlights the contradictions prevailing in today’s passionate environmental and societal change efforts but also presents it to our viewers in a unique and thought-provoking manner,” said Director Gianluca Mifsud.

“There seems to be a growing dissatisfaction with Malta’s current state of affairs – particularly amongst young adults such as ourselves. ‘Popolazzjoni: 4’ seeks to shed some light on this very sentiment, all whilst emphasising the perceived futility of fighting against the status quo,” said Benjamin Abela.

The play will be staged at the Malta Society of Arts within Palazzo de La Salle on 26th August at 8pm (doors open at 7.30pm) and on 27th August at 7pm (doors open at 6.30pm).

Tickets are priced at €15 and can be purchased online via the Ticketmonti platform.

For more information about Popolazzjoni: 4, kindly visit the performance’s dedicated Facebook event.

Ħassle Mejjet is more or less a social experiment helping its members learn new, innovative ways of bringing creative ideas to life. Founded in late 2017 and opening its doors in 2018, Ħassle Mejjet Theatre Collective was formed to bring theatrical productions (be they original or pre-written) to life.

Since its inception, the collective has proudly produced various staged and online performances. These include An Ode to Teen Angst (2018), Pandora (2019), An Ode to Teen Angst: The COVID Chronicles (2021), and L-Aħħar Siġra (2021).

In 2023, Ħassle Mejjet Theatre Collective celebrated its fifth anniversary, dubbed ĦM 5, with a slew of events and celebrations.

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