Most actors have a pre-show ritual of some kind, but few involve racing out of the theatre a few minutes before curtain up to buy a bucket of take-away chicken.

Half an hour before Monday’s performance of the popular Comedy Knights sketch show at the Salesian Theatre in Sliema, cast members realised that theatre cleaning staff had accidentally thrown away a number of props used in the show.

The missing items included prop biscuits, notes and milk cartons – all presumably mistaken for rubbish – as well as a fake bucket of chicken, prompting director Wesley Ellul to race out in search of a replacement, which arrived three minutes before the start of the sketch in which it appears.

“It was madness backstage,” Mr Ellul said. “Luckily with a bit of improvisation we managed to keep the show moving smoothly.”

At Monday’s show, Opposition leader Simon Busuttil was presented the Second Most Charismatic Maltese Icon Award – losing to a cold qassata

The troupe’s politically minded satire show, Three Times Funnier, wraps up this weekend after a week of playing to packed houses.

Monday’s show also had the distinction of seeing Opposition leader Simon Busuttil presented with an award for the Second Most Charismatic Maltese Icon – losing out to a cold qassata. The sketch, which includes Dr Busuttil winning the award after the qassata is eaten by one of the cast members, is a scripted part of the show performed every night.

Dr Busuttil, who was in the audience on Monday night, had no idea he was about to become part of the show himself, but seeing him in attendance, the cast decided to take things up a notch and invited him to receive his award in person.

“He immediately joined us on stage and took it all in good humour,” Mr Ellul said. “Considering we also have a song in the show called Shut up, Simon, he should have known we weren’t going to give him an easy ride.”

It remains to be seen whether the award, a miniature replica of the controversial new monument in Castille Square, will occupy pride of place in Dr Busuttil’s home.