Jamaican Plays

Local theatre producers Jambiz international Limited is hoping for lucky 13 this year, as their 13th annual Christmas Production maintains tradition with a Boxing Day opening at 5 p.m.

Writer in residence, Patrick Brown, has crafted yet another creative gem, this time entitled EASY STREET. The now popular and experienced Jambiz crew will again bring the colourful and multi-dimensional characters to life.

The cast will be led by Glen ‘Titus’ Campbell, widely regarded as one of Jamaica’s most talented actors. Campbell gets yet another chance to milk another of Brown’s multi-dimensional characters, and the opportunity to wring every comic moment from the situations encountered. Not too many actors have Campbell’s ability to find humour, even between the lines, on a consistent basis. In EASY STREET, he finds many such moments, yet still skillfully crafts the character he plays so that he effectively brings out the subtle nuances.

The cast also includes the increasingly popular Camille Davis, who has now established herself as one of Jamaica’s leading young thespians. Courtney Wilson and Christopher Hutchinson are also in there, as well as Share McDonald-Russell, who again appears courtesy of the Ashe performing Arts Ensemble.

EASY STREET is set on the edge of an urban dump, a tolerable distance from the unbearable stench, but not far enough to escape the everyday attention of the army of flies. The story revolves around Queenie (Camille Davis), the socialite who fell from grace and landed on Easy Street. Driven to the edge by an unkind surrounding, Queenie finds solace with her new found friends and blends right in, revealing in the process that not withstanding her wide exposure, it was in the squalor of Easy Street that she really learned about true friendship, loyalty and love.

After an uncertain start, Queenie finds herself living among a truly diverse set of friends. There’s Fungus (Glen Campbell), who claims to have lost his wife, house, farm and ambition in “Jamaica’s 9/11” – Hurricane Ivan. He claims to have an educated son in foreign and clings to the hope that his ‘land papers’ will come through one day.

Living next to fungus is the jilted artiste Scab (Courtney Wilson), who sacrificed education and inheritance to pursue his art, and who still awaits his big break as a poet/artist/singer/ dub poet/ sing-jay and whatever else comes to mind … artistic that is.

Not too far away is the house inhabited by Princess (Share McDonald Russell) and Bully (Christopher Hutchinson), the delusional ex-cop, who is always wearing his decade-old “uniform”, always armed to the teeth and is never off duty … although he hasn’t really been a cop for some nine years. Princess is Bully’s long-suffering wife of 15 years, who has a perennial black-eye and claims that “is cold she catch up in it”. She has the voice of an angel but the unmistakable appetite of a horse.

The award winning creative team which has worked with the Jambiz Christmas Productions throughout the years has again committed to the project. Artistic Director, Trevor Nairne has again been entrusted to provide creative leadership to the talented cast. Barbara McDaniel returns as choreographer and Jon Williams will again bring musical genius to our ears.

EASY STREET will have its World premier at the Centrestage Theatre in New Kingston on December 26, 2009, and will then play Tuesdays to Sundays at 8 p.m. On Saturdays and Sundays, there will also be a 5 p.m. (matinee) performance as well.