Maltese theatre has been scrambling to adapt to a particularly devastating side-effect of this horrendous pandemic: the closures and restrictions placed on performance venues and the performing arts in general.

After all, what is art without an audience? It is in this spirit that this year Comedy Knights have wisely chosen to take their shows online and shift their audiences to a completely safe platform. But while some shows have opted to offer a safely-edited, post-production polished recording of an original work, the brave Knights have decided to give themselves and their audiences the thrill of live theatre anyway.

Chris Dingli’s performance highlights this year included a hilariously fast-paced account of Maltese bureaucracy at its worst.

Well, as ‘live’ as an audience-less live performance can be, of course. In his latest opening sketch of Dingland, Chris Dingli did allude to how difficult it is for actors in these types of performances to deliver and engage without any sense of real-time instantaneous audience reaction. Of course, there was a running chat available, but it’s not quite the same thing, is it?

This years’ performance of Comedy Knights came with its set list of much-loved character sketches dealing with a COVID-ridden Malta, while some new pieces really struck a chord with their political mockery – and these were the ones I personally enjoyed the most.

In spite of its technical teething problems,the show has managed to rise above the adversity of this pretty rubbish year

Dingli’s performance highlights this year included a hilariously fast-paced account of Maltese bureaucracy at its worst – which is the daily experience of many trying to gain access to anything from a specific government department. His song routine  was spot on too: with Politikant and its apt lyrics making for some moments of vigorous nodding and snorting.

The Sliema Girls, Pia Zammit and Jo Caruana, were again on top form with Orange is the New Sliema – which saw the two clueless ladies trying to understand why they were arrested to begin with. There were, of course some other sketches that were perhaps rather too mild or repetitive to eke out more than a weak smile, but it was more a matter of writing than performance, as Thomas Camilleri with his impeccable timing and Colin Fitz’s excellent deadpan deliveries, along with the rest of the cast, expressed their lines with as much punch as they could muster.

From left, Jo Caruana, Pia Zammit, Mark Cabourdin and Chris Dingli in one of the sketches.

Owing to a cyberattack on opening night, the show was occasionally glitchy in places and affected the pacing of the back-to-back pieces, but Zammit’s Do the Machanism, dedicated to our Minister for Tourism, and Chantelle Micallef Grimaud’s Hon. Dr Ian Borg were two show stoppers and highlights of the show and certainly worth the wait.

The same can be said of the Micallef Grimaud/Zammit sketch Vaġina/Vaċċin which had me in fits. Their timing here was impeccable. I was also impressed by the number of cameos this year, with Jean Pierre Busuttil joining Zammit and Marc Cabourdin for Malti Biss, tenor Nico Darmanin making a lightening appearance, as well as Malcolm Galea, John Montanaro and Marylù Coppini – the theatre community is just itching to get going again.

With the Bormla Babes trying to Contact Tracy towards the end, the evening was set to be a pleasantly entertaining one – with, according to a casual glance at the viewer count, at a point, around 500 viewers.

Comedy Knights 2020 was a show which, in spite of its technical teething problems, has managed to rise above the adversity of this pretty rubbish year and make the most of the resources that they had at their disposal. ­

The last performance is taking place online tonight at 8.30pm. For tickets, visit www.ticketline.com.mt.