I am usually very well-prepared when I take a trip to the theatre. I may have watched the play’s trailer or read up on it in the press, or even grilled friends as to what to expect. But when it came to Unifaun Theatre’s production of Il-Mitt Fehma tal-Kavallier John Giordimania OSCI, written by Trevor Zahra, I was fresh off a plane from the UK and had no preconceived ideas of what to expect from this – and I am very glad that was the case.

What followed was two-and-a-half hours of refreshing Maltese comedy (well directed by Josette Ciappara) and packed with likeable performances.

In the lead role, Mikhail Basmadjian once again proved his incredible versatility and strength as an actor. It was easy to forget that he was playing much older than his actual age as, in the reasonably large expanse of Sir Temi Zammit Hall, you could look past the drawn-on wrinkles and whitened hair to, instead, take in his dynamic portrayal of this interesting character. I think the whole audience relished the chance to develop a love/hate relationship with the Kavalier. We all know someone like him – the sort of person who fascinates as much as he annoys, and Basmadjian excels.

There were many very entertaining scenes – some with a stronger underlying messages than others but all presented in the form of an animated monologue interspersed with exasperated input from the other characters.

Throughout, Basmadjian moves brilliantly between the funnier and more poignant moments in the narrative, consistently securing the audience’s attention. My favourite would have to be the bar scene in which the Kavallier negated his friend Mario’s (played well by young actor Andre Mangion, who also took on the roles of Dun Salv and Tony) decision to become a vegetarian by aggressively chopping up a carrot and suggesting that it, too, was suffering to be eaten.

Another highlight was his animated chat with the playwright himself, Trevor Zahra. The pair performed a humorous duologue which culminated in the Kavalier begging Zahra to keep his content more ‘family friendly’ in the future; Zahra, of course, refused with glee, much to the audience’s amusement.

In the roles of Lina and her ‘ħabiba’ (friend), Mary Rose Mallia and Christine Francalanza make a fine comic duo. Mallia is, of course, no stranger to the stage and her experience shines through whether as the Kavalier’s slightly nerve-wracked sister or when belting out a song in the on-stage bar.

Francalanza, meanwhile, is more of a newcomer but excellently held her own and proved that she has strong comic timing, especially in the show’s more fraught moments.

Making up the medium-sized cast come Anthony Ellul as the level-headed notary Harry Demajo (one of the Kavalier’s only champions), Graziella Galea as both Lina’s peppy daughter Elaine and the fiery waitress, and Simon Curmi as Lorry Theuma. Curmi doubtlessly gave one of the strongest and most natural performances of the evening in his effortless outbursts of frustration at the Kavalier – something we could all relate to by that point.

This is certainly a Zahra/Unifaun collaboration that’s well-worth watching.