Under Milk Wood, by Dylan Thomas, described as one of the funniest British comedies of modern times, will be staged at the Valletta Campus Theatre, Valletta, by Moonlight Theatre from south Wales, from October 17 to 20 at 7.30pm.

The comedy is set in a fictional Welsh seaside village, but it could be anywhere: the characters are eccentric, poignant, dreamers or driven, frustrated lovers, schemers, tradesmen, farmers and fishermen, preacher, postman and blind sea captain, schoolteacher, even a would-be, if unlikely, murderer.

The play, performed with live music, is also renowned for its stunning lyrical language, its extraordinary townsfolk and universal themes that have made it an international favourite, and led it to be translated into some 30 languages. But despite its global reputation, the play has surprisingly rarely been staged in Malta, despite the island sharing characteristics with Wales – both small maritime nations with a proud independent culture and strong bilingual tradition. Moonlight Theatre’s cast is drawn from south Wales, where Dylan Thomas – one of the most admired and popular modern British poets and playwrights – grew up and spent most of his short life. It is also where he found the raw material for many of the play’s fascinating and well-observed comic creations. Richard Burton, Elizabeth Taylor, Anthony Hopkins, Michael Sheen and Rhys Ifans have all starred in versions of this play, described by Burton as “a comic masterpiece”.

The play is directed by John Rhys Thomas, a former chair of the Dylan Thomas Society, who has taken his touring productions of Under Milk Wood to New York, Harvard and Canada to great acclaim.

Under Milk Wood will be staged by Moonlight Theatre at the Valletta Campus Theatre (VCT, ex-MITP), Valletta, daily from October 17 to 20 at 7.30pm. For tickets, visit www.ticketline.com.mt.