The Black That I Am continues in Montego Bay
IT’S the last of two weekends of performances of Karl Williams’s The Black That I Am being staged at the Fairfield Theatre in Montego Bay.
The production — which is the first for the western Jamaica-based outfit Raw Talent Management — is in a bid to promote theatre in western Jamaica and by extension bring more awareness to the Fairfield Theatre.
“Our mission is to enhance theatrical performances in western Jamaica by introducing new styles of theatre while maintaining traditional forms. Our aim is not only to showcase fine theatre to the communities of the west, but to present theatrical performances to students in the west who would have to travel into Kingston to review plays for the CSEC (Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate) exam in Theatre Arts,” said Raw Talent’s head Nadean Rawlins.
Rawlin is multi-award-winning actress.
The Black That I Am examines themes such as race, ethnicity, gender, sexuality and religion. It is seen through the lens of individuals from different backgrounds who are confronted with the gaze of their own realities, which, in turn, causes introspection, and a growing awareness of himself/herself as “other”.
“It is an ensemble piece punctuated with monologues that delve deeper into aspects of the different identities. Although it sounds serious, the topics and issues though true and relatable and like true Jamaican entertainment in the The Black That I Am some tings we haffi tek laugh and kin teet kibbah heartbun,” added Rawlins.
The cast includes Philip Clarke, Tabia Nelson, Julene Robinson, David Clarke, Shanique Brown and Marlon Brown. The Black That I Am runs at The Fairfield Theatre, Montego Bay, on weekends on Fridays and Saturdays at 8pm and Sundays at 7pm.
The Black That I Am was first staged at the Philip Sherlock Centre, UWI, in 2005 and that year was nominated for three ActorBoy Awards including Best Production. The play has been staged Off Broadway in New York, in North Carolina at the National Black theatre Festival in Winston-Salem, and DG Arts Festival in Scotland.
