Analise Mifsud and Jeremy Grach in Cagliostro & the Pirate Queen: the Secret Story of Malta. Photo: Valletta Waterfront / Facebook.
Dinner-theatre has caught on beautifully in cities like London and Manchester, and I was thrilled to find out that our own Valletta Waterfront is now hosting this type of entertainment with Cagliostro & the Pirate Queen: The Secret Story of Malta. I must confess that, bar for semi-regular lunches at one of my favourite spots, I hadn’t visited this destination in the evening in quite a while. The invitation to view the 20-minute theatre show that takes place along the promenade proved to be an excellent reason.
Cagliostro & the Pirate Queen – what to expect
Here’s how this works: every Tuesday at 7.30 pm the cast gathers along Waterfront Valletta, with free seating and Grand Harbour as the stunning backdrop. When I attended, the show started bang on time, so feel free to make your drink or dinner reservations for 8 pm, which is exactly what I did. The production is 100% entertainment, so if you’re not a habitual theatre-goer there’s no need to be wary. Sure, there’s an element of history involved but diversion, not lecturing, is the focus here. Which is perfect for the environment, with most of us out to relax, chat, and enjoy a drink and some snacks.
Cagliostro & the Pirate Queen has some A-list names from the local theatre pool. It’s produced by Ron Briffa to a script by Sean Buhagiar. The cast is made up of Jeremy Grech in the title role of Cagliostro, Analise Mifsud as the Queen, and Sean Briffa as the hapless knave. Jeremy Grech has made quite the name for himself in this niche, and his tours of Teatru Manoel have become iconic. Ron Briffa certainly needs no introduction and has organised and contributed to numerous Maltese productions. Sean Briffa is known for amazing puppetry work and street theatre, while Analise Mifsud is known equally for acting as she is for her wonderful voice. Sean Buhagiar has more theatre accolades than I can single out, not to mention the fact he’s also Artistic Director at Teatru Malta. In short, the production offers quite the pool of talent.
The plot
All you need to know is that it’s very loosely based on Malta’s chequered history. Loosely being the operative word here, as different eras are used as inspiration for a fictional, funny account of what this island went through and where it’s going. The story is simple enough for the little ones to enjoy, but with enough witty moments that the adults will also get a good chuckle in. In truth, part of the joy was seeing the spellbound look on the faces of the younger spectators.
The stage is the Valletta Waterfront’s gorgeous 18th-century architecture itself, coupled with sweeping harbour views and the dusky evening light. As for the story, I don’t want to give away any spoilers, so I’ll just say that there’s humour served with a dash of drama, games and even participation. I challenge you to leave the scene without a smile on your face.
Cagliostro & the Pirate Queen – when and how
The show runs every Tuesday at 7.30 pm, weather permitting. You don’t need to book tickets, just make sure you show up early as seats are available on a first-come, first-served basis. That said, there’s plenty of spaces and there’s an excellent view even from the sides. The show is suitable for adults and families with kids, and it’s in English. In other words, it makes for excellent entertainment whether you’re local or a tourist.
I closed off the evening with dinner at one of my favourite restaurants at the Valletta Waterfront, which is Browns Kitchen (their roast potatoes are prepared exactly the way I like them, incidentally). They’re always welcoming, dog-friendly (yes, we took our pooch to enjoy dinner and a show, too) and perfect for a chill night out with good food and prices that don’t make too big a hole in my pocket. That said, there are plenty of other options to choose from, but a reservation would be wise given that the Tuesday show attracts a lot of footfall. If you’d like more information, check out the official page here.
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I received no payment for this coverage of Cagliostro & The Pirate Queen: The Secret Story of Malta. The opinions expressed here are purely my own and the producers had no input/control over what I wrote. There are no affiliate links contained within this page. To learn more about my policies, visit my Affiliate/Advertising disclosure page.
