This April Teatru Manoel presents Is-Surmast by Trevor Zahra, in a special performance marking 30 years since the play was first performed on the stage of Malta’s national theatre. Directed by Joseph Galea and starring Charles Sammut, this Maltese language comedy-drama is set to be a treat for audiences of all ages.

The script of Is-Surmast is based on Zahra’s novel of the same name, and focuses on the character of Carmelo Ciantar: an eccentric and lovable headmaster (“surmast”) at a primary school, who was willing to ignore the instructions of his superiors in order to allow his school to run the same way he ran his home, based on his own personal whims and following in the footsteps of Santa Filomena. Things ran smoothly at home and school, until an old family friend returned from England and turned things upside down for Carmelo.

This production of Is-Surmast is performed by a formidable local cast including Charles Sammut in the leading role, Mario Spiteri (Snitz), Andre Mangion, Ryan Mark Debattista, Antonella Galea Loffreda, Marceline Galea, Anthony Ellul, Claudia Mizzi, and Emanuel Cassar, along with a number of young performers playing the roles of the school students. The original music is composed by Albert Garzia.

Trevor Zahra is widely regarded as Malta’s most prolific writer. In 2020, Zahra was awarded the prestigious National Book Prize Lifetime Achievement Award for Literature. The Prize pays tribute to Zahra’s long career of important contributions to local literature, having published more than 130 books for children, adolescents and adults. Zahra is also Malta’s most decorated National Book Prize-winning author, having received the Prize twenty times – nineteen times as an author and once as an illustrator.

Tickets range from €10 to €30 and can be purchased here!