By George Farrugia Calleja
When reading newspaper reports, especially in the post-truth world of SLAPPed media and tamed journalists, it’s a good idea to deconstruct what you read.
Here’s how you do it, the bits in CAPS being my pointers as to how to go about this and the sort of conclusions you can draw. The component parts are lifted from the Times’ report about how the main V18 sideshow was grumbled about as being un-original.
PREVARICATION ALERT:
Mr Mario Philip Azzopardi Artistic Director of V18 said that the Le Fura dels Baus team had performed in Chinese National Youth Games and that the “world-renowned” performers had created one of four equally great shows.
BUT THIS SHOW WAS NOT ONE OF THEM.
THIN EXCUSE ALERT:
He also pointed out that three of the four performances across Valletta were all original and Maltese-driven.
Some 99 per cent of the events throughout the year-long Valletta 2018 would be directed by Maltese, he said.
THAT’S AS MAY VERY WELL BE, BUT SO FLIPPING WHAT?
ARTISTIC DOUBLE-SPEAK ALERT:
The concept of taking La Fura dels Baus’s performance and aligning it with the inauguration of the Tritons Square was also original, he noted. “We used an existing, world-class show and adapted it to the Maltese context.”
YES, BUT THERE IS NO OTHER TRITON FOUNTAIN IN THE WORLD, SO IT COULD NOT HAVE BEEN ANYTHING BUT “ORIGINAL” IN THAT SENSE. THERE WAS NO OTHER ADAPTATION TO THE MALTESE CONTEXT.
REAL FACT ALERT:
Questions sent to V18 chairman Jason Micallef remained unanswered.
LEADING TO THE CONCLUSION THAT THE TRUTH IS THAT THERE IS NO SATISFACTORY ANSWER.
We can only assume that he will not be saying what the show cost us, either.