CAN a child save a troubled marriage?

This is just one of the issues that the play Something Fishy tackles in its run at The Pantry in New Kingston. Conceptualised by Angela Jarrett in 1993, the actress/playwright decided to do an encore of the production with a new five-member cast last October.

“The play was originally written and produced in 1993 and even won the award for the Best First Play at the Actor Boy Awards. I disappeared and came off the scene for about six years. When I returned everybody was like ‘Why don’t you write something?’. I decided to bring this one back because it was well received before and I don’t think as many people got to see it at the time,” Jarrett told Splash yesterday.

The through line of the story sees Pam (Karen Harriott) brings an orphan (Jarrett) into the home of her barren marriage which infuriates her husband, George (Wesley Burger/Paul Skeen). Things get even more intense when neighbour Juliet (played by Deon Silvera) tries to woo George away from his wife. Jarrett is thankful to The Pantry’s proprietor Karl Hart for opening the theatre last year after it closed its door in 2014.

“The play is about love and marriage but there is a little infidelity in it. It also speaks to the whole notion of adoption and questions if love can really conquer all. We also look at forgiveness. Everybody will be interested and waiting to see if this little girl can save the marriage or if Pam will conceive. You just have to watch as it all unfolds,” she said.

The play is directed by Andrew Broder. In its original run, Hyacinth Brown sat in the director’s chair.

Jarrett had migrated to England to focus on her personal development while working at the Blue Mountain Theatre. Despite better financial rewards, she decided to return home more than 14 years ago as she said she “loves Jamaica more than anything”.

“I do this for the love. With this play, I want people to come out and see it, even if they saw it before when it first came out. We have different actors now who interpret the roles differently but it has the same meaning. It’s not just cheap laughs; you walk away with lessons and a good grasp of what the play was about. It’s educational and has cultural values as well. It is quite interesting to watch.”

Something Fishy will run until February 14, but will be available for benefit performances. Play nights are from Friday to Sunday.

With a career spanning 20 years, Jarrett has also written Ma B’s Family, a radio drama for the Jamaica Information Service, and has acted in plays like Higglers and Oliver and Pinocchio.