Watch and see
The local entertainment fraternity is taking a wait-and-see approach regarding events scheduled for this weekend and the possible passage of Hurricane Matthew.
Most event promoters and operators of entertainment companies said it is business as usual, but would continue to monitor the hurricane before making a final decision to postpone.
At yesterday’s special mid-morning schools showing of the musical Moses at the National Arena in St Andrew, Father Richard Ho Lung of the Missionaries of the Poor, which is organising the fund-raising production, announced that his two shows for today at 2:00 pm and 7:30 pm will run as scheduled. So too the Sunday shows for 2:00 pm and 6:30 pm.
There are no immediate plans to close the Phoenix Theatre in New Kingston where the play Mountain Top with Alwyn Scott is playing. Manager of the theatre, David Tulloch, hopes this evening’s show will not be affected.
“Based on the projections and where the hurricane is at now, everybody will go ahead for Saturday, then we watch to see what happens. At Category Four we are definitely concerned but we just have to be patient and hope the Lord has some mercy on us and that the building is still standing after the system passes,” he said.
The management of Palace Amusement Company, which operates cinemas in the Corporate Area and Montego Bay, is also cautious.
“We are watching the system closely. We are putting everything in place to deal with any eventuality. However, it is hard to say at this point in time. We will definitely be open on Saturday (today), but Sunday?… I really don’t know. It really depends on how the system moves. But we are on alert,” said marketing manager Melanie Graham.
Jambiz International, which operates the Centrestage Theatre in New Kingston, has cancelled next Tuesdays showing of Blindspot.
“Based on the projects most of the rains will be on Monday and Tuesday, so we have taken the decision that Tuesday’s show is definitely off. As for the weekend we are watching. Saturday’s (today’s) show is on but we are not sure about Sunday. We will make a decision depending on the rains,” Lenford Salmon told the Jamaica Observer.
