Considered by some conservatives as traditional theatre’s poor cousin, roots plays are largely ignored when awards are handed out in Jamaica. Based on response from patrons during Ex-Baby Motha’s recent rural run, Andrea “Delcita” Wright says the genre is alive and kicking.

Wright wrote and directed the comedy which opened last May. In December, Ex-Baby Motha played in St Thomas, Clarendon, Manchester, and St Ann. Last week, Wright and crew were at Jonathan Grant High School in St Catherine for a charity performance.

“Roots theatre is the mainstream and preferred theatre by most Jamaicans. At the end of the show, patrons will ask, ‘what tek oonu suh long to reach?’ Or, ‘when are you coming back?’. For many, theatre is their only social outing,” Wright told the Jamaica Observer.

“Jamaicans can relate to the language, plots and the actors’ colourful vibe. Thanks to the late Ralph Holness who introduced the 14 parishes to a tour of roots theatre. Many years later, all the parishes look forward to their annual dose of laughter.”

Holness, who died in 2013, is the grand master of roots theatre, bawdy productions that took off during the 1980s. The flamboyant Holness produced plays such as Unda mi Nose and Obeah Wedding, which packed the halls throughout Jamaica.

Those productions introduced audiences to colourful characters like Delcita, the uncultured role Wright has played for over 30 years. Her buffoonery still gets laughs.

“I am getting the nod from all age groups. The thunderous screams and frolicking when Delcita enters the stage is a sight to behold. What persons are loving about Ex-Baby Motha and the Delcita character is the social-relevance and authenticity. Just Friday, February 10 in Spanish Town at Jonathan Grant, the audience sent me home with swollen glands. The howls and thunderous laughter gave Delcita extra stage business to deliver her lines but it’s all in the comedy game,” said Wright.

Several of the rural dates were charities that benefited Angel’s Primary, Bethabra Primary, and May Day High schools, as well as the Region 7 Guidance Counselling Department.

“To give back is my pleasure and emotional therapy. I am a guidance counsellor, and have witnessed first-hand the lack of funding for many welfare projects in schools. To help PTAs [Parent-Teachers Associations] and guidance counselling departments certainly gives me an emotional milestone that I envisioned long ago,” said Wright.

Ex-Baby Motha, which also stars Derricka Johnson, Calneth Reid, Kai-Alana O’Connor, and Trudy Campbell, is scheduled for the conference centre in Montego Bay on February 19.

The play is scheduled to end its latest run this month with shows in Portmore, Clarendon, and St Catherine.