Amélie – The Musical comes to the Manoel Theatre this week. It is a heart-warming stage adaptation of the 2001 French romantic comedy starring Audrey Tautou and directed by Jean-Pierre Jeunet, with music by Daniel Messé and Nathan Tysen. Twenty-five years on, this story is brought to life on stage by Revamp MT’s directorial duo, Dorothy Bezzina and musical director Edward Mifsud.
Set against the vibrant backdrop of Paris, the enchanting story of a shy but observant young woman, Amélie Poulain (played here by Chrissy Despott), unfolds. While grappling with her own journey towards happiness, Amélie secretly improves the lives of those around her in imaginative ways.
Bezzina explains that Amélie was chosen for its charm and originality, noting that it has never been staged in Malta before.
“We wanted to bring something different to the stage – a musical that isn’t well-trodden here – and we’re always drawn to stories that feel deeply human. Amélie – The Musical felt like a natural choice,” she says.
“It’s a beautiful piece with a captivating score and, while it may seem like a light, whimsical story about a girl in Paris, it has much more depth. At its core, it explores loneliness – something that feels especially relevant today, when social media can leave people feeling more isolated – and it celebrates the quiet power of small, anonymous acts of kindness that can make the world a better place.”
Bezzina continues: “Amélie’s a dreamer, and much of the story takes place in her imagination, which makes it fun to produce. Because it can take the narrative anywhere, it enables quirky and unexpected characters, adding an extra element of humour. A garden gnome takes a world tour and Elton John even makes an appearance!”
The cast of 27 – who have had French accent coaching by Stephen Oliver (who also stars in the play) to prepare them for the streets of Paris – brings together a rich and varied ensemble. It includes children, seasoned performers and older newcomers, creating what she describes as “a beautiful mix which makes it interesting”.
She adds that the production also “incorporates several puppets,” including a young Amélie. This child version of the character is packed into a suitcase by her older self as she leaves home, symbolising both her coming of age and the emotional baggage we all carry with us throughout our lives.
“Working with puppets has been a new experience for me,” Bezzina smiles “and it’s been fascinating. We’ve been lucky to have Paul Portelli from Theatre Anon as part of the cast. His team created the puppets and has led workshops to help us bring them to life. What’s especially interesting is that, when the puppets take centre stage, you might expect the manipulator to feel distanced from the action – but it’s actually the opposite. The relationship between the manipulator and the puppet is something surprisingly personal and intimate.”
The production also places special emphasis on actor-musicianship, with performers not only acting but also bringing the score to life onstage. Several seasoned musicians are part of the cast, while different actors also take turns playing different instruments.
“Some of the characters are closely tied to their own instruments – you can’t have a French story without an accordion, for example,” Bezzina says.
In a particularly touching moment, the accordion becomes the voice of a blind beggar, whom Amélie guides through the streets of Montmartre in an effort to lift his spirits.
Designed by UK-based theatre designer Matthew Cassar, the set is, at heart, a train station, drawing on the Parisian métro’s art nouveau aesthetic, and realised in a range of gorgeous greens.
“Cassar also designed the costumes,” Bezzina continues, “which are vibrant, with red for Amélie and subtle red accents woven throughout the ensemble.”
The actors mostly remain on stage throughout as a collective presence, stepping forward to tell their part of the story and, in doing so, adopting additional elements or characteristics that bring each moment to life.
With gentle yet poignant emotion, Amélie – The Musical shows audiences the power of human connection and the way the extraordinary can hide within our everyday lives.
Bezzina hopes that this delightful tale will encourage people to step back out into the world with hope and joy, perhaps inspiring small acts of kindness – and that audiences will continue to support new musical theatre productions brought to Malta’s shores in the future.
Amélie – The Musical runs from May 7 to 19. The production is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals on behalf of Samuel French, Inc., and is staged in collaboration with the Manoel Theatre. It is produced in partnership with Visit Malta, with the support of Creative Europe Desk and the French Embassy in Malta. Tickets from teatrumanoel.mt.
