Inhabiting imagined lives from Africa to Jamaica
Every now and again, an actress takes the spotlight on the local scene, and her stage presence is arresting, her delivery so powerful that everyone stops and takes notice.
That’s Bertina Macaulay, an actress currently wowing audiences as a no-nonsense pastor in Jamaica’s first gospel musical
Amen Corner and as the indomitable Mother Jonas in the movie
Glory to Gloriana.
The Sierra Leone-born actress, who has called Jamaica home since 1981, has had a lifelong affair with acting and is now at the height of her career with dreams of taking her craft to the next level.
“I’ve been acting all my life, but it was really during my first year in Jamaica that I realised that this is really important to me,” she told
all woman.
Macaulay put her dreams of becoming a doctor or a lawyer (like her father and stepmother) on hold and enrolled at the Edna Manley School of Drama and quickly landed her first stage role in 1984 as Norma in Hugh King’s Hataclaps.
“Acting fulfils another part of me. I like to explore being other people and completely inhabit those roles,” she said.
To date, Macaulay has appeared in three motion pictures, including the international hit Cool Runnings, several TV shows and commercials (including ones for Malibu rum and Tia Maria), pantomimes and many other stage productions. She was widely praised for her role as Natalee in David Heron’s Love and Marriage and New York City in 1999 and for other productions, which earned her Actor Boy nominations.
“Each role that I do is something that affects my life and allows me to explore different aspects of myself,” she says.
One such role is Pastor Margaret Alexander, who she currently portrays in Amen Corner, a musical adaptation of a James Baldwin play put on by Jambiz Productions.
“It is a challenging role but doing it allows me to examine my relationship with God more,” Macaulay shares.” Amen Corner deals with the power of prayer and intercession, love and family. Because it is a musical, I was worried that performing with real singers in the production would show me up but it has been fun,” she said with a laugh.
She co-stars with Rising Stars winner Christopher Martin (he plays her son) and a host of other talented performers. She can also be seen as Stacey Bennett, an officious lawyer on local soap opera Royal Palm Estate and will star in the film adaptation of Ginger Knight’s play Room for Rent.
“I also want to produce movies because we need more local movies. With today’s digital technology it is easier and cheaper to make movies. Corporate entities need to come on board and help to develop the industry,” she shares.
Macaulay enjoys using the computer and spending time with her three-year-old son, Sekai, and adopted daughter, Christine, 16.
– Amen Corner, directed by Trevor Nairne, is playing at Centrestage Theatre in New Kingston until the second week of June.
