When La Cage Aux Folles first came on to the theatre scene in 1983 on Broadway, it was with a lot of guts and glitter in a very real, tangible sense.

Based on Jean Poiret’s 1973 eponymous play, it heralded a change in visibility and representation for gay performers and made their lives, as much as their loves more accessible and acceptable to a still highly bigoted public.

It reminded its audiences, with much camp and slightly slapstick humour that love is love and that everybody has a right to it and to the respect it should bring.

FM Productions’ performance at the Manoel Theatre, directed by Chris Gatt under the musical direction of Kris Spiteri, did complete justice to Harvey Fierstein’s book and Jerry Herman’s music and lyrics.

What I found very encouraging was that sound balance and audio delivery was clear and intelligible – so that the audience could appreciate the plot development without being hampered by problems with pitching.

Ray Calleja as Albin.

Choreographer Francesco Nicodeme, who also played a fabulously funny Jacob, butler/maid to the central couple was incredibly sharp on his timing and complemented the two showstopping performances by Ray Calleja as Albin and Mikhail Basmadjian as Georges, his husband.

Calleja has outdone himself in a hilarious yet poignant interpretation of the effeminate, out and proud Albin, who is the star of his husband’s cabaret show, La Cage Aux Folles.

He acts like a melodramatic and temperamental diva and this is the source of much of the comedy because of his extreme overreactions to Georges’s much calmer and rational demeanour.

The plot revolves around their impending meeting with the ultra-conservative parents of Anne (Jasmine Farrugia), the new fiancée of Georges’s son Jean Michele (Raphael Pace). Georges acts a mediator between the extremely worried Jean Michele and Albin.

Calleja has outdone himself in a hilarious yet poignant interpretation of the effeminate, out and proud Albin

His position is a difficult one because he feels torn between wanting to support his son in appearing “normal” and going against all the libertarian beliefs of equality and representation which he holds dear with his outspoken husband.

Jean Michele’s shame at having two fathers is a point to ponder, but Pace redeems him at the eleventh hour when he apologises for having insulted Albin and slighting him after all the love that he was shown – with Albin being his main carer and parent.

Myopic mentalities and prejudices were put under scrutiny by Edward Mercieca as M. Renaud and Maria Eleonora Zammit playing his wife, Mme Renaud. Both actors gave a solid performance and added to the mayhem that ensued when restauranteur Jacqueline, played by a joyfully shrewd Krista Paris, who is very good friends with both Georges and Albin, threatens to damage the Renauds’ reputation with the press.

Maria Eleonora Zammit, Mikhail Basmadjian, Ray Calleja, Jonathan Mohnani and Edward Mercieca

With a cameo by Sean Borg as Francis, the cabaret’s stage manager, in a relationship with a cross-dressing German dominatrix, the stage could not have been set up more perfectly.

While the significance of the message is undeniably crucial – that love and acceptance for all is what will make the world a much better place – it is the uncontainable joie de vivre and hilarity in the comedic plot which make this musical and its top-tapping numbers so incredibly memorable and fun to watch.

FM productions have got themselves a winner here – making this theatrical experience relevant and extremely entertaining – and all down to the lead performers incredible stage presence coupled with a slick and discipled chorus of wild Cagelles. Definitely one to watch if you want a fun night out.

La Cage Aux Folles is being staged at the Manoel Theatre today at 7.30pm. For tickets visit teatrumanoel.mt