DWAL ĠODDA: A modern take on Good Friday, Palm Sunday
It is perhaps peculiar that a Good Friday–related performance is held on Palm Sunday. However, Dwal Ġodda, a group of theatrical performers in Għargħur, have a reasonable explanation for it.
“This tradition started in 1975,” Rakele Gauci, member of Dwal Ġodda troupe told The Malta Independent.
“Rumour has it that the performance had started being organised on Palm Sunday because all the roads surrounding the town, such as those to Naxxar and Mosta, were closed due to Good Friday celebrations, so more people would attend the show if it were performed on another day.”
Since 1975, every Palm Sunday, the Dwal Ġodda troupe infuses a theatrical breath of life into the traditional Good Friday procession in Għargħur, raising the curtain on Holy Week.
The drama is performed on an open-air stage along the church parvis, and then throughout the streets.
“Our stage is very minimalistic,” said Rakele, “we wanted to bring out the beauty of the Għargħur church, which is our backdrop, especially since it has been restored.”
Starting off as a small mime back in the 70’s, what is produced today is a modern script, which “contrasts past and present realities”, providing the example of the soldiers in the story dressed in the camouflage attire which is linked to the position nowadays.
Yesterday’s performance was called ‘Radam’(debris), and, with a traditional core, hoped to bring reference to the ‘constant conflicts’ in today’s world, intertwining the bomb that fell on the Mosta dome 75 years ago, with the seven deadly sins, the ingredients that produce the scents in our churches and Holy Week exhibitions and current news on war and corruption.
The group notes that crucifixion is still a stark reality nowadays and therefore, through their performance, hoped to ask “how can that strange sweet smell which envelopes our churches during Holy Week be like balsam in our lives all year round?”