Nassaba: Song Of A Bird

Archival photograph of Jimmy Grima’s father and grandfather beside a bicycle with bird-trapping equipment in Qrendi, circa 1975
Jimmy Grima’s father, Michael and grandfather Salvu Schembri in Qrendi, circa 1975. Photograph taken by Grima’s mother, Doris.

Genre: Documentary Theatre

Duration: 60 minutes

Language: Maltese with English or French subtitles

A portrait of a disappearing practice, a way of being in nature, and a game in which parent and child forge a generational bond. Jimmy Grima followed his father with a camera to the fields along the rocky Maltese coasts, where, until recently, his father had gone to catch migratory birds.

In a one-hour performance, Jimmy incorporated the video material to present the emotional world of the Maltese bird catchers and their bird-learned songs.

For Full Video Documentation, please contact Jimmy at jimmy@rubber-bodies.com.

Credits

ByJimmy Grima / rubberbodies
AuthorsJimmy Grima
Michael Grima
Joachim Robbrecht
ChoirMichael Grima
Louis Camilleri
Dramaturgical adviceJoachim Robbrecht
Maria Rößler
SurtitlesIra Melkonyan
Translations & transcriptionsJulia Camilleri
Production designtiny island studio
Bird trap modelMichael Grima
Matthew Micallef
Filming and editingJimmy Grima
Post and additional editingChris Goa Farrugia
Sound design and masteringMario Sammut
Thanks toMark Anthony Falzon
Ira Melkonyan
Teatru Malta for the collaboration of Maltese performances.

Manifestions

Oct 30, 2022Théâtre de Liège (Liège, Belgium)
Oct 30, 2021Istitut Kattoliku (Floriana, Malta)
Aug 17, 18, 19, 2021Boulevard Theatre Festival (Den Bosch, the Netherlands)
Aug 26, 27, 28, 2021Theater Spektakel (Zurich, Switzerland)
Oct 18, 2018Palazzo Verdala (Il-Buskett, Malta)
Oct 17, 2018Senglea Homing Club (Senglea, Malta)
Oct 16, 2018Soċjetà Santa Marija u Banda Re Ġorġ V (Mqabba, Malta)
Oct 14, 2018Cirklu taż-Żgħażagħ (Xagħra, Gozo, Malta)
Oct 13, 2018La Vittoria Band Club (Mellieħa, Malta)
Oct 12, 2018Scouts Headquarters (Floriana, Malta)