Miti Miti rehearsals in full swing. Photo: Elisa von Brockdorff
You may have heard the words Miti Miti bandied around lately, especially if you happen to be parenting or hanging out with theatre kids. Teatru Malta’s (TM) new show, which premiered to schools just this morning, is as mythical as they come. Co-produced with ŻiguŻajg, it signifies the first show for Grupp Teatru Malta, which is the new ensemble of the national theatre company. It is partly-inspired by author and playwright Saviour Pirotta’s The Orchard Book of First Greek Myths for young children. And it’s also directed and co-created by TM’s own artistic director, Sean Buhagiar.
I catch up with Sean to learn more about what’s all the hype surrounding this production, and he starts off with those magic words – it invites young audiences to dive directly into the storytelling process. He decribes the show as an “interactive adventure” that’s inspired by classic Mediterranean myths close to home – from Homer to Ovid – but with a twist.
“Children get to choose which stories they’ll experience each time they come to the theatre. Each myth is paired with a life lesson, exploring themes like jealousy, maturity, and the importance of choices. These platonic themes are key, because we want kids to feel like they’re getting to know these ancient stories, not just watching passively,” he says.
This interactivity means that members of the audience can choose between characters like Pegasus or Medusa, in the process learning that their voices matter and can shape the world around them.
Miti Miti: ‘A powerful message packaged in a fun experience’
“It’s a powerful message packaged in a fun experience. The concept came to life with a fantastic creative team. We’re lucky to have composer Albert Garzia, designer James Dimech, and talented team members like Jacob, Moritz, and Jackie working behind the scenes. Together, we’ve built a show that lets kids experience these stories on their own terms.”
The artistic director adds that making this Grupp Teatru Malta’s first production feels symbolic.
“Their energy, versatility and creativity are crucial for this show. They bring these myths to life, guiding young audiences through these legendary tales while building a strong, a playful connection through a mix of song, dance, magic, and puppetry. I wanted our ensemble’s first show to be one that was rooted in versatility and engagement. Working with young audiences demands a lot – they’re honest, and they respond in real-time – and I couldn’t think of a better way to launch Grupp Teatru Malta than with this challenge,” he confides.
Interestingly, Miti Miti is presented as a bilingual show that uses both Maltese and English throughout, even in the songs and lyrics. Sean and Saviour collaborated closely on the script, ensuring both languages flowed naturally, while Albert Garzia joined on lyrics to create songs that reflect this blend. The show is being used as a bit of an experiment to gather feedback that helps TM better understand how the bilingual approach resonates with young audiences.
However, he also points out that using both languages isn’t just a stylistic choice – it’s about making the show accessible and inclusive.
“We want children to feel connected to the story and its themes, whether they speak Maltese, English, or both,. By incorporating both languages, we’re reflecting the way language is used in everyday life here, making the experience familiar and welcoming to everyone.”
He speaks passionately about this, and about how he believes that theatres should dedicate half their programming to children and teens. Does he actually, really believe that? He smiles, and acknowledges that the statement was a bit of “a provocation”. However, the stands by the words anyway.
‘This is what the country should prioritise’
“I also kind of mean it. Children already participate in other cultural and social spaces – they attend sports events, family dinners at restaurants, and other rituals that become part of their lives. Why should theatre be any different? A festival and a panto are not enough to create theatre-goers. If we’re serious about cultivating a love for the arts, we need to give young people the same access to theatre that adults enjoy, ” he insists.”
“There are plenty of theatre shows for adults to choose from every weekend. Imagine if every weekend, there was at least one play specifically for children and teens. Not just a couple of productions here and there, but a consistent, year-round offering. It’s about creating an ecosystem where theatre becomes as familiar to them as the TV or the football pitch. If we want to take the roughly 1% to roughly 10%, kids are our best bet to make the every-growing theatre industry sustainable. This is why I really believe the country should prioritizs this for the next five years. A lot is already being done, but sometimes I feel that children’s theatre is treated as less ‘important’ than straight adult theatre,” he concludes.
Meantime, Miti Miti shines as part of Teatru Malta’s commitment to make children’s programming a year-round fixture.
“We’re turning it into a repertoire piece, something that will be produced every year, with different myths added to the mix each season. This way, children can come back year after year and see a new story or revisit a favorite. It’s about showing that theatre for kids isn’t an afterthought – it’s a priority. If we, as the national theatre company, can take a step toward making this a reality, hopefully, it inspires other theatres to do the same. We want kids to grow up feeling that theatre is always available to them, like a cultural ritual that’s part of their lives,” Sean concludes.
For other Malta theatre reviews see Spazju Kreattiv’s Għanjiet il-Baħħ. Luke Saydon is also crowd-funding to attempt to restage Il-Każin tal-Imqarbin, one of Malta’s most important queer theatre productions in the past decade. And if travel’s your thing, check out my feature about the Ponyo-Tomonoura connection.
Disclaimer: I received no payment for this feature and there are no affiliate links included.