Theatre producer Adrian Buckle has high hopes of staging the controversial play Stitching by early next year, after the Bill to amend censorship laws passed through its second reading in Parliament on Tuesday night.

The Bill, which would remove the stage censorship board and introduce self-regulation by theatre producers, will next go before the House Committee before receiving its third reading in the coming weeks.

Mr Buckle said his theatre company Unifaun will be looking to stage Stitching as soon as possible after the President signs the Bill.

“I would hope we can stage it very early next year, but it depends if the actors, director and theatre are available,” Mr Buckle said.

Unifaun attempted to stage Stitching at St James Cavalier in Valletta in 2009 but it was banned by the Film and Classification Board, despite being given a “14” rating when staged in Edinburgh.

Written by Scottish playwright Anthony Nielsen, the play examines a troubled couple’s relationship.

Unifaun contested the ban in 2009 but the Civil Court ruled it was justified, citing vulgar, obscene and blasphemous language, which exalted perversion and undermined the right to life, among other things. After an appeal, a final verdict is expected on November 20.

When Stitching is eventually staged for the Maltese public, it should feature the original 2009 cast of Pia Zammit and Mikhal Basmadjan, directed by Chris Gatt.

Under the amended legislation, theatre-goers would be able to complain to a new Theatre Guidance Board if they did not think a theatre production matched the rating it was given.

This new board would also publish classification guidelines. Mr Buckle had previously said that producers were likely to err on the side of caution when making classifications, and that he would probably give Stitching an “18”.

Films would be rated by a new specialist board, which would be obliged to give reasons for its ratings and could be subject to appeal.

Speaking in Parliament, Culture Minister Mario de Marco said the amendments demonstrated the Government was in favour of artistic freedom of expression.

Mr Buckle said he was “very, very grateful” to Dr de Marco for driving the legislation, but he also thanked Labour MPs Evarist Bartolo and Owen Bonnici, who were the only MPs to attend a private performance of Stitching after it was banned.