Mario Philip Azzopardi’s ‘Ix-Xiħa’ Which References Daphne Caruana Galizia To Show At Manoel Theatre
Mario Philip Azzopardi’s ‘Ix-Xiħa’, a satire which uses assassinated journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia as the basis of ones it characters, is set to hit the stage at the Manoel Theatre next month.
The decision has brought stinging criticism from some members of Malta’s artistic community, particularly given Azzopardi’s association with Joseph Muscat’s 2013 campaign and his plans to put up a play called ‘Min Qatel lil Daphne Caruana Galizia’ before the 2017 assassination, which involved the journalist dying after choking on her own bile.
“Literally unbelievably, this is how Teatru Manoel has decided Daphne Caruana Galizia, a woman demonized for years as is-Saħħara tal-Bidnija before her brutal murder, should be portrayed four years after her death. It’s from the same writer who, even before her murder, pitched a different script called ‘Min Qatel lil Daphne Caruana Galizia’ that was to end with her “choking on her own bile”. There are no words,” actor Philip Leone Ganado wrote on social media.
However, Azzopardi is insisting that many are missing the point of his satire, which deals with the death of a family matriarch and her will. Azzopardi had previously confirmed that a character is based on Caruana Galizia and referenced her.
“Bicca blogger” rings out in the trailer for play, a clear reference to the infamous Adrian Delia dig at the journalist. Azzopardi is defending the work, insisting that many are passing judgement without reading the script or seeing the play.
The Ix-Xiħa script was referenced in the public inquiry linked to the assassination with Azzopardi launching a defence of satire when appearing before the board. And Azzopardi revealed that he demanded it to be performed at the Manoel Theatre, 30 minutes after the sitting ended.
“After ‘bureaucratic’ setbacks and disruptions, this tragicomedy will be shown to Maltese audiences without cuts and reservations at the Manoel Theater,” a synopsis of the play reads.
The actual details of the play remain under wraps, with Azzopardi pledging to reveal more details in the coming days.
What do you think of the decision to put on the play?
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