Producer, Jambiz International, felt it was time to accede, and they feel that they have succeeded in making the revival better than the original mounting. Two members of the original cast – Camille Davis (Dimples) and Courtney Wilson (Chris) – return for the remount. They are joined by veteran actor, Glen ‘Titus’ Campbell, and young & upcoming thespian, Noelle Kerr (as the husband and wife team of ‘Steve’ and ‘Valerie’.

VIBES is set in the household of high-flying couple and career lawyers, Steve and Valerie Hurley. Their busy schedules and Valerie’s affinity for hosting social gatherings for upper St. Andrew socialites make the employment of household help inevitable. Despite some initial shortcomings, Dimples lands the job. Flirtatious, saucy, sexy and ghetto fabulous, she immediately has an impact on the household, including long-standing gardener, Chris, who sees her as easy prey.

Dimples and the “boss”, Steve, pretty quickly find that they are comfortable in each others company. Too comfortable, perhaps, for the liking of Mrs. Hurley and Chris. Comfort quickly morphs into something threatening, and soon Dimples finds herself at the epicenter of storm winds that threaten to blow the thin veneer off what was hitherto considered a successful marriage. This, and some other happenings, forces Chris to warn the “helper gal” that “before I mek you come in yah come mash up dem life, ah tell lie pon yuh mek dem fire yuh.”

Steve finds himself being uncontrollably pulled to qualities in Dimples, qualities he suddenly discovers are not characteristic of his wide, and forces him to tell Valerie, “ah don’t like yuh vibes.” Valerie finds herself in a strange land, totally taken aback at being confronted by a threat which hitherto would be considered innocuous – the possibility of losing her husband to someone she considers “below her”.

The entire Hurley household goes into a tailspin, creating the perfect setting for a dramatic conflict and play/counter play. Where it all ends will evoke some disquiet and mixed emotions amongst audience members, after a funfilled evening of non-stop laughter.

That VIBES is a typical Patrick Brown laugh-a-line comedy fest was already established in the earlier staging. Camille Davis, who has established herself as one of the most promising young talents on the Jamaican stage, announced herself to the Jamaican public with a very compelling performance in the original standing. Today, she feels that she is 5 years wiser and better able to mold a performance which will again blow audiences away.

After tomorrow’s opening, VIBES will embark on a short run, playing Tuesdays to Fridays at 8 p.m., and on Saturdays and Sundays at 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. For more information, please call 473-4485 or 960-3585.

Christopher Hutchinson’s portrayal of the character “the Candyman” in Patrick Brown’s DIANA play comes pretty close to the coveted mark. Candyman is a character that the audience loves to hate. Hutchinson plays the antagonist who causes the life of the main protagonist to go into a tailspin. He does it with so much conviction that members of the audience openly throw verbal tantrums at the actor while he’s on stage. When an actor can move an audience to such an extent then we know that the actor has delivered big time. You know that the actor has his audience eating out of his hands.

The boiling point is reached when the Candyman not only uses his ill-gotten gains to force Doggie to agree to Candyman spending a night with Doggie’s woman Diana, but also has the temerity to insist that Doggie has to watch the act. The audience goes berserk when the Candyman appears to get his way, and Doggie is reduced to a little wimp.

The young, energetic and exciting cast of DIANA is led by Camille Davis in the role of ‘Diana’. She is well supported by Glen ‘Titus’ Campbell as Pops, Courtney Wilson as Doggie, Sakina Deer (alternating with Terrian Dias) as a deaf/mute go-go dancer who goes by the name Cher, and of course, Christopher Hutchinson as the Candyman.

Writer, Patrick Brown, takes the audience on a roller coaster ride of emotions in the laugh-a-line comedy. Award winning director Trevor Nairne has once again crafted a gem of a production, and again shows why he is widely regarded as the doyen of directing in Jamaican theatre. The actors gel together like a well-oiled machine and deliver a consistently high quality, believable performance each night … loaded with laugh-out-loud (LOL) comedy.

DIANA currently plays each week at the Centerstage Theatre in New Kingston – Wed-Fri (8 p.m.) and Sat./Sun. (5 p.m. and 8 p.m.)

Directed by award winning director Trevor Naire, and described as a “romantic comedy”, the story revolves around Diana, an attractive go-go dancer who seemed to have been born to dance. But her insanely jealous boyfriend Doggie hates to see any other man come anywhere near Diana, which is impossible for her to avoid given her job, and especially given how attractive she looks and how she is at her craft.

Popular dancehall star Candyman develops a particular liking for Diana … well Diana’s body really. As luck would have it for the Candyman, Doggie finds himself on the wrong side of the law, and Candyman has evidence which could put him away in jail for a long time. But Candyman is a reasonable man … he offers Doggie a choice – spend jail time, or agree to Candyman spending one night in bed with Diana. Before Doggie could even digest that, the Candyman ups the ante … Doggie has to watch the “act”!

Diana stars Camille Davis (as Diana), Glen ‘Titus’ Campbell, Courtney Wilson, Christopher Hutchinson and Sakina Deer.