The Salesian Theatre in Sliema and the Manoel Theatre in Valletta are hosting MADC’s The Coarse Acting Show by Michael Green in March.

The wildly entertaining production features a collection of six brilliant short comedies, where every possible disaster unfolds before the audience’s eyes. From collapsing sets to forgotten lines, misplaced props to mistimed cues, this play-within-a-play format features a troupe of actors desperately trying to maintain their dignity as their performances spiral into unmitigated chaos.

The MADC production boasts a stellar comedy cast directed by Stephen Oliver, including Alan Paris, Andrea Pace, Brendon Thearle, Craig Abela, Edward Caruana Galizia, Edward Thorpe, Francesca Briffa, Franco Sciberras, Jacob Falzon, Kate De Cesare, Leah Grech, Kim Dalli, Richard Godden, and Shaun Rizzo.

The production’s six short plays each hilariously showcase actors at their absolute worst. Streuth is the classic murder mystery that Agatha Christie would never have dared to write, while A Collier’s Tuesday Tea attempts to deliver a serious Northern drama combining kitchen and coal mine, but is completely derailed by dodgy accents.

All’s Well That Ends As You Like It takes Shakespearean performance to new depths of disaster, as does The Cherry Sisters, an ‘undiscovered’ Chekhov piece with so much sincerity it is almost moving – or at least it would be, if not for the fact that someone has to die standing up in order to cope with a faulty prop.

Last Call for Breakfast serves up short avant-garde absurdity, made unfortunately even shorter when one actor gets stuck in a blackout, and Julius and Cleopatra rounds off the evening with a theatrical battle for the ages, complete with a chariot race that must be seen to be believed.

MADC’s production of Michael Green’s The Coarse Acting Show performs at the Salesian Theatre, Sliema, on March 14, 15 and 16 and at the Manoel from March 21 to 23, with all performances at 7.30pm. This production is suitable for audiences aged 10 and over. Booking is now open at www.madc.com.mt and  www.teatrumanoel.mt.

This amateur production of The Coarse Acting Show is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals Ltd on behalf of Samuel French Ltd: www.concordtheatricals.co.uk.