Ten Little Known Facts About Singin’ in the Rain

1. It began as a songbook, not a story
Singin’ in the Rain was built around a catalogue of hugely popular songs written by Nacio Herb Brown and Arthur Freed in the late 1920s. The storyline came later = stitched together to showcase hits audiences already loved.

2. The plot mirrors a real Hollywood crisis
The show is set during the chaotic shift from silent films to “talkies”, a time of technical disasters, shattered careers and overnight stardom. Much of the comedy is rooted in very real industry panic.

3. The title song is older than the film itself
“Singin’ in the Rain” was written in 1929 = more than twenty years before the film premiered in 1952 = giving new life to a tune audiences already recognised.

4. That rain scene was a technical feat
To make the rain visible on camera, filmmakers enhanced the water with additives and careful lighting. Without it, the legendary downpour would barely have shown up on screen.

5. The stage version really does rain
Modern productions famously use live rain on stage, complete with drainage systems, non-slip flooring and specially adapted choreography = making it one of musical theatre’s most complex effects.

6. Dancing in water is no joke
Performers must maintain balance, rhythm and vocal clarity while dancing on a wet stage. It takes meticulous rehearsal to keep every performance safe and consistent.

7. Lina Lamont has real-world roots
Lina’s famously disastrous speaking voice echoes the fate of several silent-era stars whose careers collapsed with the arrival of sound. Exaggerated for comedy = but painfully plausible.

8. “Make ’Em Laugh” is pure physical comedy
Inspired by vaudeville and silent-film slapstick, the number demands extreme stamina, precision and comic timing, making it one of the toughest roles in the show.

9. It wasn’t born a classic
Although now hailed as one of cinema’s greatest musicals, Singin’ in the Rain wasn’t originally marketed as a prestige production. Its legendary status grew over time through critical reassessment and repeat screenings.

10. Joy beats perfection
The choreography blends classical dance with walking, skipping and spontaneous gestures, creating an effortless sense of joy rather than polished spectacle.

Performance details

Singin’ in the Rain will be performed at Teatru Astra on 14, 15, 19, 20, 21 and 22 March 2026.

Directed by Christopher Gatt, with the orchestra under the baton of George Apap, Sylvana Attard as Chorus Mistress, and choreography by Sarah Jane Zrinzo.

Supported by the Ministry for Gozo and Planning, MeDirect, Visit Malta and Malta International Airport.

Bookings are open = tickets available at teatruastra.org.mt