As every clown knows: it's one thing to juggle well, and quite another to drop the same ball in the same place in every show, and make it look like an accident.

Yet, this is the challenge the team faces behind the scenes of MADC's production of The Coarse Acting Show, soon set to take over the stage at Teatru Salesjan and Teatru Manoel.

In this brilliantly disastrous comedy by Michael Green, everything that could go wrong on stage... does. Featuring six short comedies of various theatrical genres, the play highlights and celebrates the delightful chaos of amateur theatre. Through missed cues, lost props and stage effects that go awry, the actors power through the performance, hoping the audience won't notice the mayhem unfolding before them. Of course, the audience does - making for an unforgettable night of non-stop laughter.

While the onstage mishaps may seem spontaneous, a huge effort goes into making them look just right. For costume designer and head of wardrobe Nicole Cuschieri, the play pushed her out of her comfort zone. "The costumes are meant to look amateur and a bit off, so I had to keep reminding myself not to make them look too perfect," she admits.

Equally dedicated to crafting this chaotic aesthetic is Chris Galea from Michael & Guy, who designed the wigs and hair for the show. "Each style of wig must look like it was created with the intention of looking good, but the result should look amateurish and, sometimes, slightly cheap."

With the play performing in two different venues, the team is taking this additional challenge in their stride. "The hairstyles themselves don't vary significantly across different venues, but, since each backstage area is unique, it affects quick changes," Galea explains. "For a show like this, we speak individually with each actor to discuss the logistics of their hairstyle changes to ensure they have assistance and enough time to prepare."

Thankfully, the production features some of Malta's finest and most experienced comedic talent to help smooth backstage their intentionally 'coarse' performances, directed by Stephen Oliver. Alan Paris leads the stellar cast alongside Andrea Pace, Brendon Thearle, Craig Abela, Edward Caruana Galizia, Edward Thorpe, Francesca Briffa, Franco Sciberras, Jacob Falzon, Kate De Cesare, Leah Grech, Kim Dalli, Richard Godden and Shaun Rizzo.

Designing a play full of controlled catastrophe takes trial and error. "Sometimes hairstyles work right away, while for others we need to go back and restyle or redesign them," Galea adds. "It may not be what the director envisioned, or it might not match the overall aesthetic of the show."

Cuschieri agrees: "Any costumes that require technical elements need to be tried and tested in order to get them right, especially during funny moments. We do this through attending rehearsals and by having clear and regular communication with the director, actors and crew."

Joining Galea and Cuschieri in the show's talented creative and technical team is Stephen Oliver, who, as well as directing, also designed the lighting, sound and set, and Rachel Galea, who serves as props mistress for both venues and as stage manager at Teatru Salesjan. Mandy Zammit heads the make-up team, while Marco Mallia leads set construction and Teatru Manoel's stage management, ensuring that the play's 'disasters' unfold in the most entertaining way possible.

"We are hoping for a lot of laughs during this show," Cuschieri grins. "I have tried to add to the comedy value through the costumes, often creating a backstory for the designer who would have made the costumes in the play where everything goes wrong. I haven't found many challenges - hopefully, it will remain that way once we get to production week!"

And while the show is certain to have audiences cracking up from start to finish, the production team has enjoyed the experience just as much, she adds. "The director, crew and actors make a great team and there have been so many giggles backstage!"

MADC's production of Michael Green's The Coarse Acting Show performs at Teatru Salesjan, Sliema, on 14, 15, 16 March and at Teatru Manoel, Valletta, on 21, 22, 23 March, with all performances at 7.30pm. This production is suitable for audiences aged 10 and over. Booking is now open at www.madc.com.mt for performances at Teatru Salesjan and at www.teatrumanoel.mt for performances at Teatru Manoel. This amateur production of The Coarse Acting Show is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals Ltd on behalf of Samuel French Ltd: www.concordtheatricals.co.uk.