Sette Giugno – A play in both English and Maltese.

MARIE, 20s

A vibrant, self-aware woman who wouldn’t be too anachronistic were she born now. She is,
however, the epitome of the new woman in the roaring twenties – thoroughly modern millie as a
reference. She has a deep love for her country, for tradition and for her family – as any Maltese
woman would – but something inside of her remains unsatisfied even as she edges near to her most
anticipated day – that of her wedding to Karmenu, an ardent follower of Enrico Mizzi: the gallant
patriotic man whose words light a fire in everyone else – except her. Her entire life is thrown into
turmoil when she meets Hugo – whom she desperately falls in love with.

JOYCE, 20s

Marie’s best friend, colleague and next door neighbour. They have known each other since
childhood grew up together and are inseparable – but are polar opposites. Where Marie is naïve and
innocent, Joyce is shrewd and politically minded. She sees in Marie, something that she always
wished she could be – free from the thoughts that haunt her at night, the pent up rage she feels at
the state of her own life and that of her country. A follower of Enrico Mizzi – it was actually she who
introduced Marie to Karmel, she is wary of the influence Hugo begins to have over Marie.

HUGO, 20s-30s English

A naval officer who is in town for the week. He strikes an unexpected connection with Marie on the
night of the Dance and is thrown into turmoil as he desperately seeks to be with her against all odds.
He cannot understand neither the force of nature that is Marie, nor the force of the feelings within
him – but honestly seeks to follow them to their natural conclusion. He finds the differences
between their stations, the different lives they lead immaterial once he has found Marie.

VLAD, EARLY 20s, Russian

Russian immigrant, helping out on the construction of the dance.

PART 1 – 6 JUNE 1919, mid-afternoon.

We open on the inside of a kazin-cum-half-ready dance hall. People can be seen bustling and putting
up decorations, preparing for the evening at hand. One of them is JOYCE – who is in charge of the
evening. She walks around with a checklist, her heels clacking on the wooden floors. Another is
MARIE, the village rose, who stands aloof, undecided.

JOYCE: Marie!

Marie quickly turns away.

JOYCE: Fejn hrabt? Ghandna bzonnok-

MARIE: Kont qieghda nfittxek lestejt il-

JOYCE: Ma jimpurtax Ghandi –

MARIE: Imma kelli-

JOYCE: Ma –

MARIE: Imma –

They both stop talking. There is a palpable silence. And within a moment they both start giggling.

JOYCE: Imma kif dejjem l-istess!

MARIE: Mur spjega!

Beat.

JOYCE: Jaqaw ghandek it-tferfix?

MARIE: Ma tarax.

JOYCE: Nahseb li hsiebek imkien iehor illum.

MARIE: Minn daqshekk, ghandek ragun.

JOYCE: Hsiebek fuq xi hadd partikolari?

MARIE: M’ghedt xejn jien.

JOYCE: Hekk nahseb.

Beat.

MARIE: Ma tarahix daqsxejn hala dal---

JOYCE: Ieqaf hemm. Taf li hemm bzonn.

MARIE: Imma bilkemm ghandna ahna—

JOYCE: Ghedtlek iskot. Naf illi dan l-ahhar jidher qisu kollox bil-kontra. Daqs li kieku mhix qed tinhass
minn kullimkien din l-ghafsa. Illum stess l-ewwel darba illi ghaddejt minn strada merkanti u ma narax
lil dik il mara kollha tikmix – is-sinjura X – dik li qisha ghandha xi mitejn sena fuqha? Tafhiex?
Temminx, kienet miexja fit-triq, liebsa l-isbah ghonnella tal-harir li qatt rajt – u taf xi kruha fihom,
ghallinqas hekk nahseb jien – dejjem nisthajjilhom qishom mitilhom xi hadd. Imma bis-serjeta’ kollha
ikolli nghid li din il-mara kienet tidher qisha xi idolu mil mitologija griega, xi sahhara. Harget ideja
skanetru u tittallab ghax m’ghanda xejn. Ghaddiet deghxa minn fuqi meta rajtha, emminni.
Imbaghad harist ‘l hinn minnha u ghajnejja tiffoka fuq hafna, hafna izjed nies bhalha. Jittalbu,
jokorbu, jibku ghax m’ghandhomx biz-zejjed ghall-hobza ta kuljum.

Beat.

Ghalhekk ghandna bzonnha din. Lejl ta’ naqa pjacir u kif jghid l-Ingliz, naqa revels. Hemm bzonn li
kollox perfett. L-Assemblea tiltaqa’ ghada. Hemm bzonn—

MARIE: Fhimtek. Nifhmek.

JOYCE: Ma rridx li jerga’ jigri kif –

MARIE: Naf. Tinkwetax. Kollox ser ikun perfett. Wieghdtek.

The two women share a moment, smiling.

A naval entourage enters, all men in uniform, among them HUGO, tall, handsome – of a certain
breeding. They loiter around the doorway forcing MARIE and JOYCE to break apart and continue to
busy themselves with preperations for the oncoming festivities. They steal glances at each other,
nervously. Some time passes, and JOYCE steels her nerves.

JOYCE: Can we help you?

HUGO: We’re looking for the proprietor. Is he in?

JOYCE: I’m afraid not. We are closed for the day, we put a sign up front –

HUGO: Yes, I did see – terribly sorry to intrude, in fact, just thought I’d pop by and say hello to Joe –
perhaps he’d fix the boys and I something to drink—

JOYCE: Joe’s out. I’m sorry but we’re closed and we have a lot to do so if you don’t mind—

HUGO: Say no more. Terribly sorry for the intrusion, ladies. We’ll be on our way.

They exit.

JOYCE: Xi dwejjaq fihom.