Il-Każin tal-Imqarbin legit broke my heart – and then proceeded to mend it once again. Currently showing at the Valletta Campus, the musical production is an astonishingly impeccable follow-up to 2022’s It-Teatru tal-Miskin. I say astonishingly, because Luke Saydon’s first full musical production was as near-perfect as it could possibly be, and I’d have thought the chances of reaching that level of wonderful artistry twice in two years was unlikely.
Well, more fool me for doubting. Saydon has gone and done it again, writing, producing and performing in a production that takes a heart-breaking slice of ’80s history (the AIDS disaster) and transforms it into something magical. If it wasn’t already evident, Il-Każin tal-Imqarbin confirms Saydon as the prime Reġina of queer theatre in Malta with a two-hour tour de force that invites us into the secret world of the imqarbin (the naughty ones), who can only truly be themselves behind the closed doors of the każin.
In this każin we meet Ta’ Londra (Raphael Pace), and Il-Bambin (Ryan Grech), the clueless Is-Sagristan (Jamie Cardona) and – of course – ir-Reġina herself (Saydon), the gay mama who rules over her sparkly subjects. The każin is where they can dazzle in lipstick and heels, follow their hearts without being condemned by society.
But tragedy looms on the horizon – the AIDS epidemic that decimated the male gay community world-wide in the 80s. Dubbed “the gay plague” by a predominantly homophobic society, the virus literally killed thousands of young gay men who were ostracized and left to die alone. It is only today that history is starting to document one of the biggest failings of humanity, a failing that didn’t leave the Maltese community unscathed.
This is exactly what Saydon’s script for Il-Każin tal-Imqarbin brings out so poignantly. But its brilliance lies in the fact that this is no sad documentary. Instead, it’s a colourful kaleidoscope of beautiful love stories, the wit of dialogue and lyrics seeing the audience constantly erupt in laughter before slamming us with a hard dose of reality.
Il-Każin Tal-Imqarbin: Poignant, but Hopeful
II-Każin tal-Imqarbin starts off as a fun-filled cabaret, with catchy tracks like Libertà and Kieku Taf! setting the tone for a narrative that paints a disturbingly accurate picture of the hypocrisy of society. Each line is well-considered, the humour cutting. We’re lulled into this world of glitzy performers, we tap our feet to the music, even the police raids on the “parties tas-sissies” have their funny moments.
The tone changes gradually, as the first official case of AIDS reaches Malta, blamed on a gay man returned from London. The effects on the community are catastrophic, and slowly but surely the Każin is empty.
I won’t give away too much detail about just how sharp the dialogue and lyrics in this production are. I laughed so hard. Saydon is a keen observer of human nature and he nails the mannerisms, the 80s catchphrases, the social foibles of the ‘normal man’. And II-Każin tal-Imqarbin‘s cast is superb, so it’s all brought to life ever-so-naturally.
Saydon as ir-Reġina delivers a spectacular – and lung-worthy – performance, a real matriarch who will literally protect her ‘boys’ in the face of anything. Grech’s Il-Bambin gives the audience a believably complex character. His deepening love story with Is-Sagristan may have the temporary spotlight at the każin, but back in ‘real life’ he’s married and expecting.
Cardona’s Sagristan is endearingly naive and head-over-heels, little realising that he can kiss his dream of being a father goodbye. His rendition of Ħames Minuti turned on the tears for everyone. It has been an excellent year for Cardona, this being his third hefty role after Mid-Djarju ta’ Student fi Skola tal-Knisja (which I believe is still running) and The Great Dictator.
Pace’s Ta’ Londra is just as remarkable, his character so much more than a two-dimensional pretty boy. His lines are particularly hilarious, but the painful depth of his emotions remain a constant subtext.
As a full-length musical, II-Każin tal-Imqarbin has a lot of moving parts. Director Denise Mulholland brings them all together perfectly, creating a very tightly-paced performance. The music, composed by Saydon and arranged by Matteo Depares is flawlessly performed under the musical direction of Aleandro Monsigneur. Movement is by Chakib Zidi, who does not disappoint after his excellent showing with Brad Birch’s Peer Gynt.
Josette Ciappara delivers an excellent coda that gives us the historical context for the production, before it all comes to an ending that is as hopeful as it is touching, and you’ll walk out of theatre sad for knowing this happened but glad to know it doesn’t need to, anymore.
It’s only too easy to enjoy Il-Każin tal-Imqarbin as purely an entertainment piece now that HIV is no longer a death sentence. But it deserves to be recognised as a very important production that, for the first time, places this part of Malta’s history in the public eye.
The production runs on October 12, 13, 18, 19 and 20 at the Valletta Campus Theatre. New seats have been added, tickets here. Meanwhile, Malta has one of the highest rates of HIV transmission in the EU. Today, it needn’t be that way. Call on 21231231 for advice if you’re at risk.
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I received no payment for this review and I used complimentary press tickets. The opinions expressed here are purely my own and the production company had no input/control over what I wrote. To learn more about my policies and my reviewing process, visit my Affiliate/Advertising disclosure page.