BRUNSWICK — On the eve of his return voyage to Scotland, Sir William Topaz McGonagall recites his outrageously bad poetry at a saloon in New York. Is he a fool? A joke? Or is the joke on anyone who has ever secretly yearned for artistic self-expression, but not dared go public?

“The Real McGonagall,” a humorous account of the true-life story of the world’s worst poet and his dubious (but lovable) place in history, will be presented by The Theater Project on June 23-26.

The unique and at times hardly credible story of The Real McGonagall is based on the autobiography and writings of a real man, William McGonagall, who lived from 1825 to 1902. He is widely regarded by literary critics as the worst published poet in the history of the English language.

British scholar Nicholas Parsons went so far in his 1988 book, “The Joy of Bad Verse,” to say of McGonagall: “His depth of ungiftedness is sufficient to deny even the intellectual’s desire to create respectable justifications to enjoy him.”

“The Real McGonagall” showcases a good deal of truly awful verse, but also seeks to understand McGonagall himself and perhaps make the case that despite his poetic shortcomings, there are many justifications for enjoying his story.

Mark Honan will reprise his role as Sir William Topaz McGonagall. Honan was born in Salisbury, Wiltshire, England, and worked as a “walk on” at the local repertory theater before training at the Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art in London. On the British stage, he played Romeo in “Romeo and Juliet,” Macduff in “Macbeth” and parts in adaptations of Dickens and Thomas Hardy. He toured America playing Touchstone in “As You Like It” and then stayed in New York to work Off-Broadway with The Riverside Shakespeare Co. He is now an affiliate artist with Portland Stage.

“The Real McGonagall” will be performed at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, June 23; 8 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, June 24-25; and 5 p.m. on Sunday, June 26. Tickets, $18, are available at theaterproject.com or by calling 729-8584. The Theater Project is 14 School St.

Mark Honan portrays Sir William Topaz McGonagall in “The Real McGonagall,” opening June 23 at The Theater Project in Brunswick.