After a very long wait, Malta Amateur Dramatic Club (MADC), the country’s oldest theatre company, is making its comeback with a romantic comedy brought to life by actors Maxine Aquilina, Chris Dingli and Paul Portelli and directed by Chris Gatt.

For well over a year, the pandemic and the resulting restrictions forced theatre lovers to make do with online performances. All that is slowly changing with MADC’s performance of Midsummer, a play with songs, taking place at San Anton Gardens.

The audience will once again be able to enjoy the show as they sit under a canopy of stars, surrounded by trees and greenery. “It is so exciting! We have all been working so hard on this production, and after various cancellations and postponements, we weren’t sure if we would ever be able to tell this story on a stage,” confesses Maxine Aquilina, one of the three actors in Midsummer.

“To finally have dates set and have people booking tickets to an in-person show after months of Zoom events is truly the best feeling. There is a sense of hope that normality can and will return to the arts industry.”

Set during Midsummer’s weekend in Edinburgh, the play introduces us to Bob, a failing car salesman on the fringes of the city’s underworld, and Helena, a high-powered divorce lawyer with a taste for other people’s husbands. They have nothing in common and absolutely should not sleep together. Yet they do.

Maxine Aquilina.

“Although inspired by Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Midsummer is a very modern fairy tale. There are no fairies, just tramps; there are no young happy couples, just two 35-year-olds with what looks like not much of a future ahead of them. ‘Puck’ is played by a parking ticket machine who informs Bob and Helena that ‘Change is Possible’,” says director Chris Gatt.

Midsummer is a very modern fairy tale

“In an act of rebellion, they break their own rules over the course of a night, a day and a second night of glorious misadventures, wrecking marriage ceremonies, spending the proceeds of the sale of a stolen car, and generally doing all the things responsible adults should not do.”

Written by Scottish playwright David Greig and songwriter Gordon McIntyre, Midsummer brings some much-needed levity to a time when everyone feels burnt out from a seemingly never-ending pandemic.

“This play is funny, heart-warming and a great tonic in these somewhat depressing times. It’s a bittersweet romantic comedy that is uplifting without being sentimental, and is a challenge for the actors,” adds Gatt.

“The cast is gloriously multi-talented and fabulous! Paul, Chris and Maxine bring such an exciting energy to the show as they act, sing and accompany each other on piano, accordion, viola and other instruments.”

Chris Dingli, who plays the role of Bob, feels a particular connection to his character. “I’m slightly older than him and I’m not a petty criminal, but there are enough similarities to make me reflect deeply on my own life and the ways in which I interact with the world,” he admits. “Still, I think he should expand his musical tastes to include more than just 80s punk music!”

“Speaking of music, Paul Portelli admits to having been forced to brush up on his skills as a musician.

“I haven’t really played piano or made music in years, so preparing for this play was quite challenging,” he confesses. “Apart from that, it requires some stamina to keep up with Maxine and Chris!”

Maxine Aquilina and Chris Dingli.

If you are still on the fence about attending a live event, properly socially distanced and strictly within COVID rules, Midsummer might be the perfect place to start.

“It will be an evening of laughs, tears and lots of songs,” Gatt says. “If you are up for a comedy that is also a wonderfully written and an insightful commentary on the human condition, this is the play for you. If you are simply looking for a fun night out, this play is also for you.”

Midsummer is rated 16+ and runs from July 24 to 31 at San Anton Gardens, Attard. Tickets cost €22. For bookings and entry guidelines visit www.madc.com.mt.