Joseph Scicluna (1956 - 2017)

Actor, dramaturge, director, sound-editor

Born on the island of Malta in February 11th 1956, in the middle of the Cold war, to Italian mother and Maltese father, where he remains until 1976, year in which he earned scientific maturity. In 1980 he graduates in zootechnics at the University of Tripoli and, back in Malta, approaches the world of work which he was trained for. But his keen on making theater is chasing him. That irresistible aspiration was born inside him at the time of the unforgettable black and white television dramas, which he had been profoundly influenced by. Inexorably driven by his dream, like a young Don Quixote immersed in his literary ideal of chivalric life, he begins his studies as an actor at the Maltese Dramatic Art Academy where he graduated in 1983 with honors. Right away he takes part in the productions of the local theater companies: Fabrika Fantastika and Ateatru and, in 1985, the Maltese playwright Francis Ebejer writes specifically for him the Gahan ta' Bingemma (Bingemma’s Jester).

In 1986, with the fervor of a knight in armor, he joined the Italian theatrical carousel, cooperating with numerous companies: Teatro Invito, Teatro La Ribalta by Antonio Viganò, Scarlattine Teatro, Laboratorio Permanente di Ricerca sull'Arte dell'Attore by D. Castaldo and the Erbamil Company of Bergamo, where alongside the role of actor he approaches dramaturgy, for the realization of plays in English, addressed to adults and children.

Since 2006, his union of arts with the actress and director Katia Capato, brings him to create for Malta, as playwright, actor, director and sound-editor, the performances CARAVAGGIO IN BIANCO E NERO, XICLUNAS COMIX TRIO BAND, inspired by the character of Corto Maltese, ID INTERNATI U DEPORTATI and for Italy ME CHEETA! ... YOU?!, Produced by Scarlattine Teatro, PILLOLE DI GUERRA ... CALDA, BRINDISI COSMOGONICO, I ROVINATI and L’UOMO CHE PESO’ IL MONDO also performed at the festival of Maltese scientific dissemination, Science in the City.

In 2012 the artistic collaboration with Katia Capato takes shape with the foundation of the company NUOVE COSMOGONIE TEATRO under whose brand gather the already rich production created in union with Capato.

Beside the theatrical production activity there is the management of theatrical workshops for children using English language, and of sound-editor, or rather, the creation of special soundtracks for the produced shows .

The participation in the project IL FISICO in TEATRO by SaperCapire research group, gives a way to the playwright and the actor to taste himself with scientific themes exploiting his personal passion for them. In fact L’UOMO CHE PESO’ IL MONDO is the first of a series of titles planned. Scicluna is attracted by the purpose of the project which consists on making fun and captivating, through theater, topics that studied at school, have in many cases looked difficult and without attraction . By joining the project, through his work as a playwright and actor, he wants to contribute on reawakening the desire of knowledge, interesting the vast public to a comprehensible, entertaining and captivating science. The strength of dissemination of the show L’UOMO CHE PESO’ IL MONDO was tested with a series of previews on heterogeneous audiences, obtaining without difference to raise in the viewer the desire of knowing or deepen the study of the scientific topics which the show refers to.

He participated in some television and film productions as actor.

THEATER PRODUCTIONS FROM 1983 TO 2014:

ATEATRU PRODUCTIONS (1983-1986 MALTA):

• PA UBU AND MA UBU by Alfred Jary, directed by Micheal Fenech

• La LOGIQUE by Alfred Buttigieg, directed by Micheal Fenech

• SATIRA by Oreste Calleja, directed by Peter Busuttil

• THE HOME COMING by Harold Pinter, directed by Guzi Gatt

• THE MAIDS by Jean Janet, directed by Dominic Said

1985: THE GAHAN TA BINGEMMA by Francis Ebejer, directed by Mario Azzopardi (MALTA)

1986: SONNAMBULATA directed by Hanna Barczat (Teatro studio 3 - Perugia, ITALY)

TEATRO INVITO PRODUCTIONS (1993-1996):

• IL PAESE DI CUCCAGNA directed by Luca Radaelli

• IL PARTIGIANO JOHONNY directed by Luca Radaelli

• PROMESSI SPOSI directed by Beppe Rosso

PRODUCTIONS directed by Giuzeppi Schembri Bonaci (1993-1996 MALTA):

• DOTTOR FAUSTUS by Christopher Marlowe

• INTERNATI monologue by Joseph Scicluna and Giuzeppi Schembri Bonaci

• GHABEX

1993: MIGRANTI directed by Marco Baliani (Bari, Bosnia, Sarajevo)

TEATRO LA RIBALTA PRODUCTIONS directed by Antonio Viganò (1997-2005):

• IL PAESE DEI VINTI

• ALI (500 replicas Italy, France, Germany)

• NAUFRAGIO

2000: FRANZ WOYZECK by Buchner, directed by Alberto Cavecchia.

2001: FANDO AND LYS by Fernado Arrabal, directed by Durshan Saver Delizia

FABRIKA FANTASTIKA PRODUCTIONS directed by Peter Busuttil (1983-2008 MALTA / ITALY):

• ARANCIA MACCANICA by Anthony Burgess theater adaptation by Claudio Tomati

• WILLY by Claudio Tomati (Coproduction with Teatro Invito)

• COME è BELLO ESSERE RE

• WAITING FOR GODOT by Samuel Beckett translated into Maltese by Joseph Scicluna

• IGSMAIHIRSA of Oreste Calleja

• GHAZIZ FRANCIS

ERBAMIL PRODUCTIONS directed by Fabio Comana (2009-2012):

• FRANKENSTEIN THE BIENG (For the theater - teens and adults - in English)

• ROBINSON AND MAN FRIDAY (For the theater - teens and adults - in English)

• PROCESSO A CARAVAGGIO

LABPERM by D. CASTALDO PRODUCTIONS (2009-2012):

• KING J. LEAR in co-production with Scarlattine Teatro

• ENTRATE

 SCARLATTINE TEATRO PRODUCTIONS directed by Michele Losi (2005-2014):

• OLTRE IL MURO

• SCIROCCO

• ANCORA UN ALTRO BASTA by the contemporary playwright Martino Ferro.

• TYCHO L'UOMO D'NASO D'ORO by Joseph Scicluna, directed by Giuseppi Schembri Bonaci

• FILI

• MEETING THE ODYSSEY - ADVENTURE BEYOND ARTS, MYTHS AND EVERYDAY LIFE European Project

NUOVE COSMOGONIE TEATRO PRODUCTIONS by K. Capato and J. Scicluna (2006-2014 ITALY / MALTA):

     CARAVAGGIO IN BIANCO E NERO

     XICLUNA COMIX TRIO BAND

     ME CHEETA! ...AND YOU?!

     ADDIO DEL PASSATO

     I ROVINATI

     BRINDISI COSMOGONICO Atto I e Atto II

     PILLOLE DI GUERRA...CALDA e Gwerra Familti...u Ommi (versione maltese)

     L'UOMO CHE PESO' IL MONDO

2014: KAPPILLAN TÀ MALTA directed by Peter Busuttil. Stagun Teatru Malti productions

TV PRODUCTIONS:

1989-1991: Program BIM BUM BAM.

CINEMATOGRAPHIC PRODUCTIONS:

1998 JAHILA short film by Giovanni Maderna (Terzo al sacher festival by Nanni Moretti)

2008 DIARI feature film by Attilio Azzola awarded at the Cannes Film Festival 2008

2009 LA COSA GIUSTA directed by Marco Campogiani.