Opening on Thursday, 16th April, the Drama of Smaller European Languages (DoSEL) Showcase arrives in Malta as an international theatre festival celebrating the power of language on stage.Taking place at the historic Teatru Manoel over a two-week period, the festival will present four distinct productions from across Europe.Hosted by the National Agency for the Performing Arts Malta in collaboration with Teatru Malta, the showcase highlights how smaller European languages continue to carry bold, resonant ideas. Performances will be staged in their original languages with English surtitles, offering audiences a rare opportunity to experience diverse theatrical traditions in their authentic voice.As the culmination of a two-year Creative Europe project, the festival extends beyond performance. It creates a platform for theatre-makers, translators, emerging playwrights and audiences interested in the evolving role of language in contemporary theatre. The programme includes workshops, artist talks and post-show discussions exploring themes such as translingual writing and dramaturgy, contemporary European texts, translation and artificial intelligence.The festival opens with Teatru Malta’s production Ir-Rebħa tal-Ħuta li Ttir (The Victory of the Flying Fish), a powerful historical drama by Carmel S. Aquilina. Performed by a cast of six and set against a striking design by award-winning scenographer Anthony Bonnici, the play brings to life a lesser-known chapter of Malta’s past.Inspired by real events, the drama centres on the 1807 rebellion at Fort Ricasoli, when a regiment of Greek mercenaries rose up against British rule in response to poor conditions and treatment. The revolt was violently suppressed, leaving a lasting mark on the island’s history. Against this turbulent backdrop, the play explores the intersection of empire and identity through the perspective of Constance, a young British woman confronted with the realities of colonial power and resistance.The international programme continues on 18th April with Tekst Telesa (The Text of the Body) by Slovenian playwright Anja Novak. This contemporary work places the human body at the centre of its narrative, examining how physical experience reflects personal and societal histories. Tracing the lives of three generations of women, the play explores themes of gender, trauma and the lasting imprint of social structures on the body.Croatia’s contribution, Always Be Like a Dragon by Espi Tomičić on 20th April, blurs the boundaries between drama and therapy. The piece follows Petar, a trans man revisiting formative moments from his childhood through therapy sessions and fragmented memories. Moving between imagination and reality, the play examines identity, family dynamics and the lingering effects of poverty and displacement, set against the symbolic space of an abandoned apartment.Closing the showcase on 22nd April is MEDIUM, presented by the Von Krahl Theatre Slovenia. Created and performed by Mart Kangro, this solo work combines movement, text and reflection to explore the relationship between the body and the overwhelming flow of modern media. Both humorous and introspective, the performance questions how digital consumption shapes identity in an age of constant information.While the four productions differ in style and origin, they collectively reflect a shared European sensibility in which personal histories, social realities and cultural memory intersect. The showcase underscores the importance of nurturing and sustaining smaller languages within an increasingly globalised landscape.The DoSEL Showcase invites Maltese audiences to engage with stories from across Europe, offering fresh perspectives on language, identity and the enduring power of theatre.For tickets and more information visit the website.Tag someone who needs to know•