Stand With Freedom Of Expression, Franco Debono Urges PN After Play Cancelled
Former PN MP Franco Debono has urged the Nationalist Party to take a stance in favour of free expression after the Manoel Theatre abruptly cancelled a play which portrayed Daphne Caruana Galizia in a negative light.
“Freedom of expression a la carte,” Debono wrote after Mario Philip Azzopardi’s satirical play ‘Ix-Xiħa’ was cancelled.
“No wonder elections keep getting lost by 40,000 votes again and again. The PN should be in favour of free expression and artistic expression, of everyone no matter who they are.”
“It cannot be that a handful of arrogant people keep a country without an Opposition,” he said, adding “Je Suis Freedom of Expression”, a reference to the “Je Suis Charlie” battlecry popularised by the 2015 Charlie Hebdo terrorist attack.
The Nationalist Party hasn’t expressed its opinion in favour or against the cancellation of the play.
Azzopardi’s political satire was about a matriarch disinheriting her four children in favour of the family’s maid. One of the children was clearly based on Caruana Galizia and she dies following an explosion in the climax of the play, ending up somewhere “worse than hell”.
The play generated significant controversy with people within the artistic community calling for a boycott of the Manoel Theatre and journalist Manuel Delia leaking the script, prompting Azzopardi to pledge to sue him over what he described as a flagrant breach of copyright.
The Manoel Theatre ended up cancelling the production, citing public outcry.
“Following public outcry and because the Teatru Manoel Management Board is receptive to sentiments among its audiences and within the artistic community, it was deemed appropriate to cancel the production with immediate effect,” the board said.
Azzopardi also warned that some actors who were set to take part in the play were even threatened with violence.
Do you agree with the decision to cancel the play?
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