A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings
When we started working on the Three Islands Project we needed to find a story that would work in all three locations. ‘A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings’ is a very simple story that deals with profound issues of communities affected by change, and the metaphor of the sea bringing and taking away. This highlighted the commonalities between Malta, Cyprus and Cornwall and presented the possibility of adapting the story to the individual locations.
The intention was to represent a working community: a world that is self-sustaining and to explore how an unexpected arrival changes that. ‘A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings’ is a magical text, where different rules prevail.
One of the great things about theatre is that it can produce temporary communities. The Three Islands Project has become one such community. I think what makes it different from other projects is the fact that it is truly international and that it travels. It somehow sets us all in a space where differences are valued and celebrated. We all start as strangers and nothing is taken for granted.
Not even a common language is taken for granted. The language of the show, spoken by a multicultural and multilingual cast, has become the language of our village ‘Mahal-le’ and it bears traces of Latin, Maltese, English, Spanish, Italian, Greek Cypriot and Japanese all gathered as we travelled and we also collaborated to invent words. The script has become a palimpsest: like an old medieval manuscript that has been erased and written over time after time, so open your eyes and listen with your heart.
Mercedes Kemp
Writer
We are very grateful to the Marquez Estate who has generously given us exclusive permission to present this story.
Music from the show is available on CD here
A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings is presented by Kneehigh Theatre and WILD WORKS In collaboration with THOC, State Theatre of Cyprus and St James Cavalier, Malta
