Anthea McGibbon

There are rules about Green Gables theatre, and there might be rules about love, but when the two are put together, hardly any rules are followed. In fact, when laughter comes into play, no rule can be taken seriously.

Green Gables is definitely a place for rib-tickling, and during the season’s showing of the Dahlia Harris-produced Family Affair, patrons got no less than a good passion-filled anecdote from this JCDC silver award-winning script.
As ‘True Colours’ the script was first exposed in Kingston, then in Montego Bay under its original name Family Affair.

Each scene is strategically longer than the first, as the play progresses, teasing then hooking the audience with melancholy comedy. The stage design and props, if nothing else were superb, and the music used strategically to lead the patrons into the plot, easy to follow with a slight hint of suspense. If brought to a mime, there would be little difficulty in following the scenes.

On the surface, it’s about love, and the Jamaican scene, no doubt hinting at influences of an African heritage exposing the unemployed married man who has it all, but still can’t get enough. He must hunt and have his play with extramarital affairs, as he is in love with “not being satisfied”; but when trouble hits, he must do everything to end his game. In Family Affair, the African descendant hits trouble. He enjoys his game with a woman prepared to give her more than loyal devotion, even despite him being married, apparently, but when crossed in matters of the heart she becomes a stalker, and a living, almost live-in household pest. The play also reports on the phobias of Jamaican society. The stay-in husband is afraid of his wife’s social drinking habits worsening to ‘his’ embarrassment. The other phobia is the fear that a career-driven “metrosexual” son is really a closet gay, as he is not even slightly influenced or disturbed by the Joe Grind neighbour of his own age.

Artist and dealer Danielle Lloyd (Kennise Gordon) is the play's wench turned victim and murder-toting rave. Christopher Gordon photo.

The play kicks off with Danielle Lloyd (played by Kennise Watson) making a successful, exaggerated (a style I find a notch distracting, but reasonable to enjoy), come on to her routine visitor Richard Dixon played by Cleve “Chu Chu” Warren, on her job. This she does to the Jamaican dancehall song “Yuh a wine pon mih (You are really teasing me).” The scene mirrors typical Jamaican office romance scenes, and the pace is set for the other scenes to follow. Danielle is an artist operating a lucrative gallery in downtown Kingston, and affords an affair with the unemployed house-husband Richard Dixon, with whom she’s had an extra marital relationship, on-and-off for years.

Dixon ‘s happy wife, Brooklyn, (played by Suzette Barrett) is too happy too see the reality of her two-timing husband, but joins him in doubting their son’s sexuality although secretly in her heart. She openly denies her own doubts about the son, Vivian (played by Lawrence Woodham), and, is always negating her husband’s accusations. Both parents attempt, on occasion, to get Vivian involved with a normal life, but when he does, it is with the scorned “matey”, Danielle, of his mother. This although easy to envision as a possible outcome from the opening scene, still takes the audience unexpectedly by a rib-tickling surprise.
Mr Dixon is more surprised than anyone, on or off stage, in the revealing scene (4), and he faints, close enough to a heart attack that’s convincing, but still the scene is the best of the play.

Well planned, well executed, this scene is exemplary in offering all the elements of a good scene — drama, definition, while moving the plot and characters properly toward the story’s resolution and conclusion. Summarising the entire play – Family Affair, scene 4 got just reaction from the audience, some of whom were on their feet, while cheers rose high. An encore of that scene with the actors’ brilliant outworking of their characters, would have been welcome, but the break of approximately 15 minutes provided just enough rest for the remaining unforgettable scenes, far better than the first.

Meantime its left to the imagination how far the luck or happiness of happy-go-lucky Vivian will last after the discovery that his “almost-bride-to-be” is the former lover of his father.

The end scenes are the ideal climax of the entire play, offering equal portions of drama, sparks and suspense in arriving at the play’s resolution. Even Days of Our Lives series’ addicts could not have anticipated the notes of the writer and producer. That Danielle, the wench, often so bold and manipulative could be reduced to a suicidal and yet murder-toting rave was clever. On one hand, some would have anticipated revenge, as a just reward, while others would have anticipated a weeping victim, but hardly anyone could foresee the writers mind of having the “victim’ of a player, filled with rage exuberating both a soft and harsh sides all at once. Watson also did well in making Danielle’s role effective in this scene interchanging opposite reactions.

Although Watson is a “commercial role newbie”, the presence of the other three experienced actors along with Dahlia Harris’ strong involvement with the theatre and as a watchdog (I believe being member of the media fraternity sharpens one’s eye for detail and quality) had good flow within scenes. Especially former Passa Passa stars Warren and Barrett, who both performed in other productions, and brings life to this script.
Added to that the musical selections were time worthy, especially when Brooklyn took her son down dancing along memory lane with Beres Hammond tunes of “her day” playing. Nonetheless, she was also current with the tunes and steps of the day, enough to prepare her son for his date.
Then the actors added their own lines here and there flavouring the script. Enough to pull the audience in as their own emotions were literally directed by the director all night long. One would wonder if by the exact performances within the scenes if they themselves had personal experiences similar to the script, especially the way in which they were consistent. Although this is perhaps due to good directing, or just d—- good acting. Brooklyn played her part as a recovering alcoholic consistently well for example.
There was at times continued laughter, although the lines were not as punchy as the plays audiences have grown to expect from writers like Bad Boy Trevor, at the Green Gables. The scenes advanced in quality and by the end, there was no doubt that members of the audience were brought to face reality of a few aspects of family life, thanks to the actors. Sure enough there will be those, although filled with laughter, will be on the lookout as they plan their schemes, should the same happen to them.

The only drawbacks were the times when the actors spent with their backs to the audience, and the occasions when Mr Dixon and at times Vivian failed at projecting their voices.

Dahlia Harris did well to produce this quick anecdote for Jamaicans, and tourists who can understand the Jamaican lingua. Strategically placed at the Jamaica Culture Development Commission(JCDC), she was quick at choosing the script from the JCDC Creative Writing Competition. As tv personality, she them employed her skills in journalism skills in promoting it throughout the media. No doubt, persistent in her efforts to promote the skilled and creative among Jamaicans , as she, as producer, and actor herself sourced director, technical crew and stage management and funding, Taking a break from her role as newsreader television, she multitasked as producer and costume designer, even assisted with props such as furniture, and decor.

Grace Thompson, director must be thanked for holding the energies intact. Also responsible for the convincing production are:
Lighting and Sound – Every Ellington; Stage Manager – Dwayne Brown; Production Manager -Chris Gordon; Writer and Set Designer – Douglas Prout.

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