Jamaican Plays

With awards season now in full swing, the spotlight is on the upcoming Actor Boy Awards, which are tentatively set for March 31. Below we do a theatre flashback, and highlight those performers who impressed audiences with their fine turns in lead roles in 2008.

Performances by an actor in a lead role:

Rooney Chambers in A Tempest
Chambers is one of the most elusive thesps locally. He offers a fine, sometimes commanding, performance in the enchanting A Tempest, a winning adaptation of the popular Shakespeare classic, using unblinkered strength and sense of self to drive his character.

Chris Daley in Pupalick
The popular actor/comedian and former child star delivers one of his best performances to date in the entertaining Pupalick, displaying his ability to wring laughs from the audience in whatever role he tackles.

Jean-Paul Menou in Which Way Is Out?
Menou can be very unassuming, but watching him get into the skin of a character is a delight. Whether he’s portraying a bedridden husband in Bedroom Farce or a kind-hearted tourist in Which Way Is Out?, he offers viewers something to remember.

Oliver Samuels in Sheep in Wolf’s Clothing
The consummate comedic actor never fails to leave you in stitches. He carries Sheep in Wolf’s Clothing with his signature style, while never missing a beat in delivering the witty one-liners and punchlines.

Munair Zacca in Art
An actor who forces you to while commanding your attention is an apt way to describe Munair Zacca. In Art, his performance is both strong and memorable. You can’t take your eyes off him as he swap lines and verbal jabs with co-stars Alwyn Scott and Paul Issa, reigning in his power for the occasional emotional outburst.

Performances by an actress in a lead role:

Carol Campbell in The Perfect Set-Up
The popular television actress pulls out all the stops to convince as a career-driven vixen, who sashays into the life of another woman’s man in The Perfect Set-Up. Pulling on her work as the convincing Jennifer Chambers of Royal Palm Estate, Campbell breathes full-bodied life into the role, delivering occasional humour and dramatic strength.

Sakina Deer in Which Way Is Out?
An exquisitely complex turn came from fast-rising Sakina Deer, who turns it out in Which Way Is Out?, a fascinating rags-to-riches tale from playwright Basil Dawkins. A past Actor Boy nominee, Deer is a front-runner in this category.

Dahlia Harris in Pupalick
Harris offered audiences an appealing performance marked by superb comedic timing in Aston Cooke’s runaway hit, Pupalick. The splendid character interpretations in her sketches made her work all the more believable.

Nadean Rawlins in Season Rice
Rawlins has always relied on her captivating presence to win over her audience. She clearly had a ball with Season Rice, having fun crafting the roles, Rawlins works overtime with great results. Who can forget the Rasta empress in the beauty pageant? Simply hilarious.

Andrea Wright in Di Driver
Wright proved she is a talented comedian in Stages Productions’ Di Driver, where she entertains as ‘the life of the party’. Working opposite Keith Ramsay and Maxwell Grant, she never misses a beat, making her performance both engaging and delightful.