From Skin to Story: A Makeup and Wigs Masterclass by Kristina Zammit

Leading up to Mikiel Anton Vassalli College’s annual production, this year’s multidisciplinary triptych L-Aħħar Bastiment: Stories from the Grand Harbour unfolds alongside a series of masterclasses, giving students insight into the creative processes behind professional theatre. Kristina Zammit – who is the makeup and wigs artist for this year’s production – delivered this masterclass on the art of makeup and the use of wigs for the stage.

The Makeup and Wigs masterclass welcomed 22 eager participants into the transformative world of theatrical design, where hair and makeup become vessels of character and story. Through a rich visual presentation at the MAVC, Malta School of Drama and Dance, Kristina Zammit – the production’s makeup artist – invited students to explore the distinctions between film and stage makeup, discovering how exaggeration, light, and distance shape the face for the theatre and bring characters into vivid focus.

A live demonstration revealed the artistry of ageing, where subtle shifts of shadow and placement slowly reshaped the face into something entirely new. Alongside this, the fundamentals of wig work were introduced, completing the illusion of transformation.

Participants then stepped into the role of designers themselves, translating imagination into form through face charts where each choice guided by intention, emotion, and narrative. By the end of the session, they left with a deeper understanding of makeup not merely as technique, but as a powerful language of storytelling on stage.

L-Aħħar Bastiment – Stories from the Grand Harbour will be staged on Saturday 9 May 2026 at St. Agatha Auditorium, Rabat. Admission is free, but tickets must be reserved in advance via: https://www.ticketline.com.mt/bookings/Shows.aspx?ProductionId=1293