THE depth of acting and writing talent in Jamaica is an oft untapped resource.

This was clear at Monday’s staging of Short Plays take Centrestage, at Centrestage Theatre in New Kingston.

The evening saw five short plays — 10 minutes each– in what the management at Centrestage Theatre said was an opportunity for some of the productions from the Tallawah and 8 X 10 Theatre Festivals to be seen by a wider audience.

The five pieces were Bucket List, She’s Fabulous, Head Woman, Final Game The Heist. Each had its strong points and were all well-received by the appreciative audience which filled the popular playhouse.

The strongest were the curtain-raiser, Bucket List and the penultimate, Final Game, which were both written by Patrick Brown.

Kudos to seasoned actress Sakina Deer who showed her acting chops in Bucket List. Her portrayal of the overbearing mother, who has just completed a major entry on her bucket list, was spot on.

The almost schizophrenic manner in which she moved through the phases of the character was commendable, and showed her depth. Deer was equally adept at delivering the strong, dramatic lines as she was at dropping witty one-liners.

Final Game was a great watch. Actor Akeem Mignott, ably assisted by Honica Brown, brought this to life.

The story follows the activities of a young man who picks up an attractive female at his aunt’s funeral and takes her to a motel. What unfolded had the audience at the edge of their seats, thanks to a brilliant script, strong acting and great use of sound and lighting effects.

The Heist, written and directed by Maya Wilkson, proved a strong closing act. It was funny and had the audience fully engaged. So too the drama Head Woman which examined a relationship between a male teacher and his female student. Although risqué in parts, the acting by the female lead, Chantelle Smith, was impressive.

With such a convincing female lead, the production could have benefited from a stronger male presence. Actor Darian Reid’s modest performance enabled Smith to tip the balance too much in her favour at times.

If there was to be a weak link it was She’s Fabulous. It was by no means sub par, but in light of the strong showing by the others it took the lowest place.

This was a great move by Centrestage to expose young actors.