Three enthusiastic actors performing 37 plays in 97 minutes is a sure-fire recipe for theatrical mayhem. But the people behind The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged) get away with murder in an evening that promises unbridled laughter.

The Complete Works is one of the most original scripts ever written and is the longest running comedy in London's West End. It has been played to critical acclaim on both sides of the Atlantic and hits the stage in Malta later this month.

Staged by Mellow Drama, and starring Alan Montanaro, Steve Casaletto and John Montanaro, the production takes the audience on a hectic, almost breathless journey through all of Shakespeare's plays in roughly the same time as a football match. And with approximately the same amount of sweating!

Starting with Romeo and a not a particularly feminine Juliet, the three intrepid thespians move on to cover all the classics and a few of the lesser known plays in ways you will never have seen before.

How about Titus Andronicus as a cookery show? Or maybe Othello performed in rap? Or what about a condensed Julius Caesar brought down from its traditional, if cumbersome, two-hours plus to a more enticing 30 seconds flat? And if you thought that was brave, what about four different versions of Hamlet?

Directed by James Calvert, the play is to be performed at St James Cavalier the coming weekend, May 20 to 22, and then May 27 to 29 and June 10 to 12.

Bookings can be made either in person at St James Cavalier, by phone on 2122 3200 or send an e-mail to boxoffice@sjcav.org.