Drama education in Malta : from theatre practice to pedagogical ecology in the Mediterranean

Abstract

This chapter traces the development of drama education in Malta as an evolving, hybrid field shaped by the interplay of theatre practice, educational reform, and higher education. It begins with the establishment of formal theatre training through the Manoel Theatre Academy of Dramatic Art (MADC) in the late 1970s and examines the pioneering work of Adrian Rendle and Peter Cox. Their initiatives contributed to the emergence of drama-in-education practices and the formation of the Drama Unit. The chapter then follows the shift from theatre-based training towards the academic and pedagogical development of drama, marked by the introduction of Theatre Studies at the University of Malta in 1988 and subsequent developments in teacher education. These include the Postgraduate Certificate in Drama Education and, later, the MTL in Drama Education, which became the professional route to qualifying as a drama teacher in Malta. Particular attention is given to the distinctive character of Maltese drama education, which developed through an interaction between British drama-in-education traditions, Italian pedagogical influences, notably the work of Loredana Perissinotto and the AGITA network, and local educational and cultural conditions. Drawing on documentary sources, practitioner interviews, and a reflexive practitioner perspective grounded in the author’s professional involvement, the chapter examines how drama education expanded beyond theatre training and developed across schools, teacher education, community settings, and educational policy. It foregrounds the role of collaboration, practitioner networks, and practice-led innovation in shaping a specifically Maltese approach. Situated within the wider cultural and educational context of the Mediterranean, Malta is presented as a case study of how international traditions can be adapted through local practice to produce a responsive and evolving pedagogy with implications for creativity, cultural participation, and educational policy.