21 May Aħdar Id-Deżert

Aħdar Id-Deżert, is a new production, a devised work shared amongst a team of 38 people including directors, assistants, volunteers and student members, all having worked together, shared rehearsals and discussed the theme at length since January 2016. The first building blocks began at the beginning of our artistic year, in October 2015, where each of our three groups worked separately on ideas that we related to travelling, journeying, migration –

People travel for various reasons, using different modes of transportation. Many also walk or travel in whatever means they have available to them, covering very long distances … to follow their dreams, to find freedom, to look for a loved one … On a different note, birds and other animals also journey for different reasons … to them borders and geographical names of countries are meaningless. Freedom of movement is a basic need common to all beings on our plant. Green is the colour of Hope, a desert is an expanse of dry land with the potential to blossom given the right conditions.

This is the first time that Opening Doors has embarked on an integrated full- length work. Tonight’s sharing shows the work at its initial stages. Under the direction of Sandra Mifsud, with the support of OD’s board members, teaching staff and volunteers, her aim is to continue to develop this production over the next 12 months by performing it on tour in several locations around Malta and Gozo.