EVA – 2005

National Dramafest’05
The Drama Centre
Blata l-Bajda, Malta


Actors
Simone Spiteri
Magda van Kuilenburg
Franica Pulis
Victoria Vella

Musicians
Tim Ellis
Philip Zammit

EVA entraps the symbolic character of Cleopatra and ensnares her in a sort of limbo, existing in a cloistered cocoon, eternally waiting for a cheating lover, living within a confined space in relation to her servants and most importantly herself. What one discovers is an intricately woven web of the complexity of womanhood who, in life, is admired as much as she is misunderstood. EVA departs from the Shakespearean mode of speaking and the text (written by Simone Spiteri) is taut, fast- paced and rhythmical.

The play starts in total darkness and two voices sing an ethereal song, a light grows slowly and we are introduced to the characters in this enclosed space. The same short piece of text is repeated three times back to back, which enables the actors to explore the same situation from three different but valid perspectives which seek to highlight the frustrations, hopes, frivolity, impudence and insecurities, amongst others, of womanhood.