Ladies, gentlemen and children, please take your seats, for the return of the Manoel Christmas pantomime!
Booking is now open for a delightfully delicious treat at Teatru Manoel this Christmas, when one of Malta’s favourite festive season traditions makes an eagerly awaited comeback after three years with Ċikku and the Chocolate Panto, produced by Masquerade Malta, written by Malcolm Galea and directed by anthony bezzina.
“Here we go again! After our highly acclaimed production of Matilda the Musical it’s fantastic for me to be back directing a panto at the Manoel,” says bezzina. “Ċikku and the Chocolate Panto is going to be a vibrant, hilarious and positively scrumdiddlyumptious homage to Roald Dahl, the master of children’s storytelling.”
Led by Galea as Dame Desserta, Ċikku’s stellar cast also includes Joseph Zammit, Katherine Brown and Marco Calleja. With musical direction from Kris Spiteri, Valerie Burke’s choreography and vocal coaching by Tina Frendo – not to mention Romualdo Moretti’s spectacular set design and larger-than-life costumes designed by Simona Mamo – Ċikku and the Chocolate Panto will be a night to remember for the whole family.
Galea’s version of the story introduces Ċikku, a penniless young man who lives with his mother in a giant bajtra. His fortunes change when he finds a coveted golden ticket to visit Willy Wonder’s famous Chocolate Panto, along with a group of other winners. Unfortunately, everything isn’t quite as splendiferous as it seems. Ċikku discovers that the show’s protagonist, the glamorous Diva Divine, is a frightsome witch who wants to destroy all the children in the audience! Will Ċikku and his new friends succeed in exposing Diva for the horrible person that she is and turn her own magic against her?
Grab your tickets to find out at www.teatrumanoel.mt. What’s more, if you book before 17 November, you will enjoy a 10% discount on all tickets except those in the theatre’s gallery!
“Anticipation is high, not only among the cast and crew as we start rehearsals, but also among audiences for panto’s return to the Manoel, after three very long years due to COVID-19,” adds bezzina. “We’re truly looking forward to serving a festive treat chock-full of perennial panto favourites. I must say, I can’t wait to be standing backstage to hear the audience shrieking ‘behind you!’ – one of my favourite panto moments!”
Ċikku and the Chocolate Panto will be performed at Teatru Manoel between 23 December
2022 and 8 January 2023 with shows at 3pm and 8pm. Tickets are available online at www.teatrumanoel.mt, by telephone on (+356) 21246389 or on bookings@teatrumanoel.mt. For more information visit www.teatrumanoel.mt or www.masquerademalta.com
