Kaptan Xrink - by Zoo

Zoo started off a few years back, formed by three lemonheadders. They later added another important member for their team, Claire Agius Ordway. Since then they gradually became stronger, bigger and even more successful.

In the soming weeks they will be staging a fantastic show for children... we caught up with Sander and asked him a few question.

THE INTERVIEW

How did Zoo come about?

Owen, Daniel and I had a programme going on at the time ‘Zinners ', and we decided to opt for a Small show for our closest friends and sponsors. We had a capacity of 250 pax... and ended up with 300 wanting to come and watch us. It was real fun. After that we did another one and invited Claire to join in, since it was almost a ‘male club'! After the second show ZOO GOES BOO we decided to form the company

Since then Zoo came a long way. It now boasts a successful company with a number of employees in your pay roll. What, in your opinion, is the secret to this success?

Doing things slowly and building gradually, balancing between our dreams and the reality of the financial situation. Our latest productions have better budgets, thus creating an environment where we can experiment with our shows.

A few weeks ago I had the pleasure of being present during the opening of your new Theatre - City Theatre. It was moving to see your proud and excited faces on the night. How did it feel to be on your own stage?

It is the strongest feeling I ever had, (apart from the obvious wedding vows with Alsion). I actually had tears in my eyes...at a certain point on that night.

To my knowledge, the Theatre has already been hired for a show, however you will be using the theatre yourself for your upcoming production of Kaptan Xrink. Before we talk about the production itself, tell me a bit about the TV program of Kaptan Xrink?

Xrink started off after a discussion with ONE TV where we were offered 2 proposals. One was very similar to Skartocc we had on PBS previously, the other was a good kids program. One Productions went for the 2nd option since ONE TV never really had a good program with a good investment in the kids section

You have a vast experience with kids programs... you've produced 4 other kids TV shows before this... Mini Bugz, Bernie, Chiyo and Misrah Kola... did these help you improve and thus coming out with a better project this time round?

Yes! It certainly did. I learnt a lot from Mini Bugz. That was my beginning, together with Tony Busutill and Bryan Muscat. Bernie was a small project which I personally experimented a lot with puppets; and selling adverts. Chiyo was a memorable experience was education came in big time. Together with Bryan , we created wonderful characters for Chiyo, but unfortunately we had very poor support from the station administrators. Misrah kola was our biggest investment before XRINK. Xrink is more or less the nephew of all these big projects.

How are you preparing for the show? Are you anticipating large crowds? How many shows in all are you planning?

We are planning 3 shows (capacity of 650 per show). We are not aiming for a sell out since this is our first trial. The show, however, is one of a kind, and has many visual effects, together with some great scenes. It is fun working on something like this... it's totally different from a ZOO comedy show You have to play with colours, characters... and you have to involve the kids; yet present an excellent story... it's a big challenge. It's completely original thus a greater satisfaction at the end.

It looks like it's going to be a great experience this production of yours. Did you write, direct, produce? Who else is working (crew & actors)?

I wrote the script and it was quite a different experience, since normally I write comedy, adverts etc. It was a unique experience creating the same TV vibe whilst putting on extra scenes in order to build the story and also have kids participating throughout the act.  I also have two visual effects experts on board who will be in charge of all laser projections, colourful backgrounds and also animating a full monster.

The actors involved are Owen Bonnici – Mustaccione/Papagall, Daniel Chircop starring as Kaptan Xrink, Claire Agius Ordway as Squeezer, Sander Agius as Gawwi/Baruni l-Ahmar and Marju, Ryan as Mustaccinu and Tribe member, Ian Fenech as Monster and Nettuno, Koren Scicluna as Vacuum and also as a tribe member, Noel Mallia as Seqer and Tribe Member.

Looking back, in 2000 you started off as a lemonhead first year. 4 years later you graduated as lemonhead actor. Do you think it has helped you grow as a performer?

Lemonhead was my kick-start. I did not attend the course with a goal in mind but I learnt a lot. I read a lot and what I learnt there still turn up in modern theatre books. Our preparation for these shows is still very loyal to what I learnt at Lemonhead. We still channel ourselves into natural acting, preparation, meditation. I process everything through the lemonhead spirit in my daily life today.

Tickets can be bought from all our usual outlets and through www.biljetti.com

Each ticket costs €12 but if you are a group of 4 it will cost you €38 in all. For more info visit www.xrink.tv