Jamaican theatre lost a titan last May with the death of Trevor Nairne, who distinguished himself as an actor, director, producer, set designer, and mentor. On April 7, to mark what would have been his 74th birthday, some of his protégés will stage The Curious Case of Time at Johnny’s Place in St Andrew.

The daring comedy stars Quera South, Sashawna Thompson, Floribelle Jones, and Syprian Fuller, members of Workshop For The Creative Arts, a collective Nairne formed eight years ago.

South and Jones are members of the cast alongside Derrick Levy, Regina Squire and Sabrina Thomas.

Having joined the group from in 2018, South said while she and her colleagues stamped their identities on the project, Nairne guided them in spirit.

“He is the inspiration behind our goals to uplift Jamaican theatre by not only entertaining the audience but also striking meaningful, thought-provoking conversations. We stand proudly by continuing his legacy to mentor and hone creatives and their talents,” she said.

Directed by Tayne Robinson and Sharee Ellis, The Curious Case of Time follows a self-styled scientist who accidentally “warps time” and transports an African prince and his fiancée to the 21st century. Adapting to their new surroundings results in a series of complicated events.

Guided by Nairne’s steady hand, Workshop For The Creative Arts has staged plays such as Kass Kass: When The Voices Clash, Theatron and Mies Julie. They not only practice his technique for good theatre, but maintain a commitment to democracy.

“We all played our parts in making this show a success behind the scenes and onstage. Within the workshop, we volunteered to write our own scripts. We then voted on which script was more feasible to stage. Once we all came to an agreement on which script will be used, we rehearsed tirelessly via Zoom and in person,” said South.

Trevor Nairne was Jamaican theatre’s man for all seasons. Mentored by giants such as Trevor Rhone and Bobby Ghisays, he started as an actor in plays like School’s Out, then directed a number of hit productions including Guava Jelly, Ecstasy, Intermission and Against His Will.

He was a set designer for numerous plays. In 2010 Nairne was invested with the Order of Distinction by the Jamaican Government.

The Curious Case of Time is scheduled for a three-week run, Thursdays to Sundays, starting at 7:00 pm.