The social and economic backdrop of a new play by Labour MP Evarist Bartolo, linking the 16th century and cyberspace entitled "www.guzeppimattewcallus.com" will be discussed at Casa Magazzini in Mdina on Friday at 7 p.m.
The play is based on Mattew Callus, who challenged the high handedness of the Order of St John criticising it for the taxes it was imposing and the way it was ignoring the rights of the Maltese.
During the period on which the play is based -1500 and 1561 - Malta's geo-political position was taking on a new dimension as the Turks were making great inroads in the Mediterranean and Central Europe.
"According to research carried out by Prof. Godfrey Wettinger, Callus, a doctor, was not called Mattew but Giuseppe.
"What happened was that years later, when Dun Filippo Borgia, the first parish priest at Birkirkara, reported the Grand Master to the Vatican for taxing the clergy, he mistakenly referred to Callus as Mattew.
"A lot of people know nothing about Callus let alone that his first name was Giuseppe," Mr Bartolo said.
"What does this say about our national consciousness when we do not even know who stood up to the country's rulers in a bid to improve the lot of their fellow countrymen?"
The play can be seen as a parody of the current social and political situation.
During the discussion in Mdina, Prof. Wettinger will talk about the attitude of the Maltese towards the Knights of St John; Stanley Fiorini who will pose the question: "What do we know about Mattew Callus?"; Carmel Cassar will highlight the dilemmas grand Master La Valette faced on the eve of the Great Siege of 1565 while Yosanne Vella will focus on the role of women at that epoch.
Albert Marshall and Mr Bartolo will also speak at the meeting.
The play in two acts will take the form of a multi-media presentation with an original soundtrack made up of 10 numbers composed by Neville Gatt.
"The play has grown out of a footnote that has refused to go away which I had made when I first heard Prof. Wettinger talk about Callus in my student days about 30 years ago.
"Little is known about Callus, primarily because when the peasants revolted in Mdina they had purposely destroyed a lot of documents particularly those that included details about the ownership of agricultural land.
"Callus was hanged on the order of Grand Master La Valette," Mr Bartolo said.
The play, directed by Albert Marshall and Lino Farrugia, is expected to be put up early next year.
Part of the promotional material advertising the play includes a detail from a 1595 oil painting owned by the Archconfraternity of St Joseph in Rabat showing a funeral conducted by members of the archconfraternity.
Callus's funeral was organised by the archconfraternity of St Joseph.