COME March 30, the local theatre production Saving Alligator High stomps its way into to the Actor Boy Awards as the king of the court with the most nominations — one dozen.

The play, penned by Patrick Brown and directed by Trevor Nairne and Brown, has copped nods in all the acting categories — Best Comedy, Best New Jamaican Play (the writer’s award), Best Production among others — and having viewed the production, it is truly deserving of these nominations.

Saving Alligator High is riotous comedy which offers an interesting, humorous insight into the staff room antics and politics.

The production follows five educators: math teacher Jeff Jones (Glen Campbell); PE instructor Fox Bell (Courtney Wilson); history teacher Sonya Lee (Sharee Elise); general science tutor Tami Turnbull (Sakina Deer); and Bev Beckford (Camille Davis), a teacher of language and ‘lickricher’ — her pronunciation of the subject.

The school is not one of the leading education institutions as it is overrun by thugs and sees teachers having to arm and protect themselves when heading to classes, if they do.

Things turn upside down when the new history teacher arrives, and is hell bent on bringing civility to the school and transform her apathetic colleagues.

What ensues is just over two hours of genuine laughter thanks to the sharp-wit and pen of Patrick Brown and the tight direction on Nairne.

The majority of the comedic moments are courtesy of Camille Davis.

This young actress has earned her stripes on the local stage, her comedic timing works well in this production.

Her character Bev Beckford would well be described as Madame Malaprop. She offers some gems — food and nutritious teacher, a brain sergeant (surgeon); the black star lighter (Black Star Liner); unfairedness and mash murder (mass murder) were some of the laughter-illiciting phrases she dropped at random.

The good thing about Saving Alligator High is the strong social statement delivered in the production’s subtext. While there are the laughter and merriment, Brown’s script equally looks into what is not a far-fectched concepts as it relates to the attitude and reality facing educators worldwide.

If there is one downside to Saving Alligator High it comes at the end of the production. After the plot unravels, the pace of the production drags and slows down. This would have left patrons on a buzzing high.

One waits for the Actor Boy Awards to see how many trophies this production will ultimately go home with.

— Richard Johnson