When 11 members of Jamaica’s theatre royalty turn up over one weekend to see the same play don’t be surprised if theatre-goers in the audience seem intrigued and count themselves lucky to have hit the proverbial jackpot.

The A-list actors laughing and cheering on the cast of writer/director Douglas Prout’s latest hit,
Conartist, included Fae Ellington, Ruth Hoshing, Oliver Samuels, Pablo Hoilett, Christopher “Johnny” Daley, Karen Harriott, Dorothy “Miss Zella” Cunningham, David Tulloch, Terry Salmon, Dacoda Mitchell, and Earle Brown.

“There is a view that the theatre community has not fully recovered from the lockdowns of the COVID-19 pandemic and apparently, it’s not only the regular theatre-goers who are starving for good plays,” Prout offers as suggestion for the unusually large turnout of actors at Johnny’s Place, 35 Dunrobin Avenue, St Andrew.

“I flatter myself that they turned out to support one of their own. I am known more as a director and less as a playwright. So that could be a factor. Some of them I had not seen since the pandemic and it felt like a family reunion,” he laughs.

It was noteworthy that Pablo Hoilett, director and actor, was on the same weekend acting as part of the alternate cast of Basil Dawkins’
Once Upon a Watch Night playing at the Little Little Theatre, Tom Redcam Drive. The main actors are Dennis Titus and Deon Silvera.

Freelance journalist Nikki Cunningham’s review of
Conartist, which is on again over this weekend, Friday to Sunday, captures the essence of the play:

“You should probably grab your popcorn and ensure that you empty your bladder before settling in to view
Conartist, playing at Johnny’s Place, because belly laughs are guaranteed from the first scene to the final curtain call in this hilarious take on a serious social issue that has permeated our local landscape.

“Scamming has become an all too real challenge in Jamaica but trust veteran director Douglas Prout to put his pen to paper and ‘tek bad sinting mek laugh’. With
Conartist, we see how faceless victims, both local and overseas, become real life humans who suffer needlessly due to the greed of some individuals.

“Audience members are intrigued by the shenanigans of roommates Socrates and Adobe who are neck deep in the ‘choppa lifestyle’ that has paid huge dividends for them…until they encounter a seemingly simple country girl by the name of Confusha whom Socrates brings back home with the intention to seduce her.

“However, despite pouring all his charm and nefarious substances into her drink, it is she who has the last laugh when she gets the better of the two men and reveals to them who she is and what she is about.

“The cast of three is on fire and are perfect in their respective roles, with David Crossgill playing Socrates, Jomo Tafari breathing life into Adobe and Lakeisha Ellison stealing the show as the naïve yet naughty country girl Confusha who became the cunning chameleon that served up revenge expertly on an ice cold platter.

“Theatre goers will definitely have something to say about
Conartist.”

Johnny’s Place, named after Christopher Daley’s famous pseudonym, also offers comedy on Tuesdays at 8:00 pm.