Tony Busuttil as Dame Roxanne and Snits as Pinokkio in Pinokkio.

The annual pantomime in Maltese is back at the Catholic Institute, Floriana, as Pinokkio kicked off to much laughter and applause last week.

The story is, of course, known to all. Ġappetto, a skilled carpenter who lives on his own, yearns for companionship and decides to carve a mannequin – the famous Pinocchio.

The story in Pinokkio, the Maltese panto version, involves a host of fun characters, such as the good fairy who fulfils Ġappetto’s wish, and the evil witch who engages Pussy and Wolf to kidnap Pinokkio to use the wood he was made of. And here is where the local angle comes in: the aim is to win the power station contract by providing good wood.

In the Maltese version, this wood never burns out, as the puppet was created through the magic of the good fairy.

Toni Busuttil is Dame Roxanne and Snits is Pinokkio. The two head a cast that includes Ina Robinich, Brian Farrugia, Simon Curmi, J. Anvil, Felix Busuttil, Julie Pomorski, Guido Fenech, Franky Borg, Alan Falzon and Bernice Darmanin. The band is directed by Abigail Brown, choreography is by Felix Busuttil of Yada Dance Company, while the production is by Ray Abdilla.

Pinokkio shows today at 2pm and 6.30pm, tomorrow at 7pm, Friday at 7.30pm, Saturday at 7pm, next Sunday at 2 and 6.30pm and January 11 at 7pm. Tickets are available from the Catholic Institute all day.