Jack is an innocent little boy who is sent to sell his family's cow in order to make some money. But a dodgy market hawker ends up giving him magic pills instead of money. These pills cause some very, very strange things to happen. Add a power-crazy witch, a cannibalistic giant, two zombies and an out of control dame and you've got yourself a truly zany show. This sounds like the plot of a pantomime... but it is certainly not one for children.
In fact, it is the story of the adult panto being produced this summer by performance company AntsinPants - the brainchild of writer director, radio celebrity and stand-up comedian Steve Hili, who is the play's writer and director.
Married to his long-suffering wife, the saintly Kat, Steve is currently based in London doing stand-up comedy all over the UK. Just to give people an idea of what Kat has to put up with, according to Steve, his hobbies include hiding behind doors in order to jump out at Kat and give her a fright... and being hit in the nose by doors which he happens to be hiding behind.
Steve Hili
In London, he is also writing quite a lot of comedy - for himself, as well as for third parties.
"Comedy is a very, very competitive game," he says, "Especially in a place like London which is considered to be one of the comedy capitals of the world. But it is going well. I am getting booked to perform quite regularly and I am doing well in comedy competitions too.
In fact, Steve recently got to the final of the Joker of The Year competition and he is in the semi-finals of this year's Golden Jester competition in September. He is currently working on a few other projects including a movie and a one-man comedy show that he hopes to have done and dusted by the end of the year.
"I do miss Malta though, which is why I am determined to try to keep on doing projects here. They give me an excuse to come over and eat some pastizzi," Steve says with a grin, "Writing this show really was a treat for me. Then I brought it to my team - my producer Michael Fenech, my cast, crew and backstage - and they added their ideas to it and it took on a life of its own."
Steve says that in order for a show like this to work, everyone needs to be happy with the silliness that they are being asked to get involved in.
"And the whole team has thrown themselves into it! I have been laughing my head off during rehearsals. The cast consists of some of the funniest people in Malta and when they start contributing ideas, the show goes up to a completely new level."
In fact, the cast consists of a number of people who are no strangers to hilarity, having starred in a number of pantos and comedies on stage - Maxine Aquilina, Joe Depasquale, Chiara Hyzler, Pia Zammit, Colin Fitz, Naomi Said, Steffi Thake and PJ Xerxen.
"I chose them because they get me, they get my humour, they have got amazing ideas and they seem to have very little regard for their own dignity. Which is a good job given the nature of the show!" smiles Steve. "We are trying to introduce unique elements to the adult panto that give it its own feel. At the same time, we are spoofing the genre, so plenty of the elements that you might associate with the traditional panto will also be part of our show - with a naughty adult twist. Some shows change the world. I doubt this one will! But if you are into silly, naughty un-pc humour, it will be a great night out."
Jack and his Beanstalk will be performed at the air-conditioned Sir Temi Zammit Hall at the University of Malta on 4 and 11 July. Tickets start from €12 and are available from www.ticketline.com.mt