Strada Stretta was a Maltese

television series A television show – or simply TV show – is any content produced for viewing on a television set which can be broadcast via over-the-air, satellite television, satellite, or cable television, cable, excluding breaking news, television adverti ...

that aired on

Television Malta Television Malta ( mt, Televixin Malta; TVM) is a terrestrial television network in Malta operated by the national broadcaster, Public Broadcasting Services. Alongside the main TVM network, PBS operates a sister channel TVMNews+ (formerly TVM ...

between 2015 and 2017. The first episode was released on September 28, 2015 and from the start it generated a nostalgic feeling among the Maltese. As the name implies the setting of the series took place in Strada Stretta, a historic street in

Valletta Valletta (, mt, il-Belt Valletta, ) is an Local councils of Malta, administrative unit and capital city, capital of Malta. Located on the Malta (island), main island, between Marsamxett Harbour to the west and the Grand Harbour to the east, i ...

, the capital of

Malta Malta ( , , ), officially the Republic of Malta ( mt, Repubblika ta' Malta ), is an island country in the Mediterranean Sea. It consists of an archipelago, between Italy and Libya, and is often considered a part of Southern Europe. It lies ...

. The series takes the viewers to the social and historical realities of 1957, with a plot based on the incidents recorded on a diary that was found in 2015 during refurbishing works on a pub in the eponymous street. The actual setting is based on history books, while the story of this series is based on contextual creativity. Statistics show that approximately 112,000 Maltese people watched the series, which is approximately a quarter of the entire population of Malta.

Plot

Sylvana a young business woman in 2015 is refurbishing an old bar in Strada Stretta ( en, Strait Street, mt, Triq id-Dejqa), a street in

which was formerly infamous for being the city's red light district. During the renovations, a personal diary that belonged to a woman (Lydia) in 1957, is found. Lydia's diary transports the series' viewers back to 1957 when she takes the decision to leave her gilded cage and controlling mother in search of a better life with her lover, leaving a life of luxury behind her for the freedom she yearns for. However, when she finds herself stranded and abandoned in Valletta she befriends Lilly, a bubbly young barmaid who works and lives in the street, who hosts her in return of giving her reading and writing lessons. Strait Street is shown in its former glory when

prostitution Prostitution is the business or practice of engaging in Sex work, sexual activity in exchange for payment. The definition of "sexual activity" varies, and is often defined as an activity requiring physical contact (e.g., sexual intercourse, n ...

and murder were commonly associated with the street making it infamous with conservative values at the time. We meet many other personalities, real or fictitious who take us back to this cultural and musical mecca. The series is mainly set in Strada Stretta and

Casa Rocca Piccola Casa Rocca Piccola is a 16th-century palace in Malta, and home of the noble Maltese family de Piro. It is situated in Valletta, the capital city of Malta. There are daily tours from 10am till 5pm (last admission 4pm). The palace includes a resta ...

in Valletta, and other locations in Malta, such as Villa Blye in Paola.

Cast

Taryn Mamo Cefai as Lydia Ben Camille as Mario Jane Marshall as Marie Daniel Azzopardi as Guido Deandra Agius as Lilly Doriana Portelli as Angela John Grech as Oscar Pauline Fenech as Polly Frank Vella as Reno Stephanie Agius as Stella Andrei Grech as Alvio Louise Doneo as Lucia John Peel as Wigi Naomi Said as Victoria Rene Pace as Guzeppi Rachel Lynn as Carmen Aiken Buhagiar as Victor Lawrence Buontempo as Johnny Loriannd D'Ugo as Violet Jerry Mallia as Gian Marie Josef Mizzi as Carmelo Neville Refalo as Twanny Simon Tabone as Gianni Laura Vella as Sylvana Shelley Spiteri as Julia Steven Dalli as Nenu Zaghzugh Carmelo Gauci as Nenu Anzjan Frederick Testa as Arturo Joseph Farrugia as Dun Rafel

References

{{reflist Maltese television shows 2015 television series debuts