A court judgement on the controversial banning of the play Stitching is expected to be given before the summer recess.

Judge Joseph Zammit McKeon will be hearing the case of Unifaun Theatre's aborted play on June 19 after the Attorney General's office objected to a request to attend a rehearsal or performance of the production before proceeding with the hearing of evidence.

Unifaun's decision to stage Anthony Neilson's play, which depicts the disturbing and inventive games a couple play in order to connect, has whipped up controversy and rekindled arguments over freedom of expression.

Malta is the first country to ban Stitching, a decision the author had described as "almost comical". The ban had incensed several theatre growers and a Facebook group that opposes the ban has over 1,500 members. The ban of the play - the first in Malta since 1997 - has prompted the producers to seek court action.

On the first hearing on April 7, Unifaun's lawyers - Prof. Ian Refalo, Dr Michael Zammit Maempel and Dr Sarah Grima - requested that the court watches a rehearsal of the play, rather than decide the case merely on the script. The script is freely available to buy from bookshops in Malta.

The AG's office objected to this request, and claimed it was sufficient for the court to merely consider the script for the purposes of deciding on the content.

The court asked the AG to substantiate the reasons for this objection to the producers' request, and his office replied that the play put up for the court would be different to the one performed for the public.

Unifaun's lawyers replied that the law obliged them to reserve seats in the theatre for the classification board members to confirm that the play was being performed as stipulated, so the objection was frivolous and absurd.

Director Chris Gatt has maintained it is impossible to judge the play without first seeing it performed so that 'offensive' lines can be understood in context. The board argues that the script in question not only contains obscene language but in some cases offends religious sentiment.

The producers have maintained they are willing to go to the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg, if the local courts should not decide in their favour.

Unifaun producer Adrian Buckle said: "We will go to Strasbourg if that is what it takes, but we have faith in the Maltese courts to solve the issue in Malta."

When the play's ban first made headlines, Unifaun had promised to put on the play anyway, but after some consideration and legal advice, Mr Buckle and his team decided to fight the ban in court.

Unifaun believed that since the play did not deserve to be banned, it should not have to be staged at the risk of facing arrest or a fine.

The play was originally planned for the state-owned St James Cavalier theatre, whose management is constrained to abide by the decision of the Board of Classification. Unifaun approached a number of alternative venues but the owners feared consequences.

Mr Buckle said the play will be back on track and it will be staged the moment the ban is lifted.