'River Bottom', laugh-out-loud comedy from start to finish.
Theatre-loving fans in rural Jamaica will, this weekend, find out why there has been a heavy demand for tickets to see Patrick Brown's hilarious musical comedy, River Bottom.
The production kicks off its rural tour this weekend with a performance in May Pen (The Quarry, Bustamante Highway), on Saturday, February 16, and Montego Bay (Montego Bay Community College) on Sunday, February 17.
Since its Boxing Day opening, the production has been enjoying capacity houses, becoming a hit with patrons from all walks of life - inclusive of Jamaicans living here, visiting Jamaicans, as well as non-Jamaicans living here and those visiting from abroad.
The audience spread has been amazing, and has also shown a mix of youngsters and mature persons - all soaking up the fun and laugher, generously dispensed from the stage by an experienced and talented set of theatre practitioners.
One theatre critic aptly summed up the appeal of the production when he said that, "It is really something to say, that Patrick Brown's new Jamaican comedy, River Bottom, is quite possibly his best work within the past five years. With all due respect to Cutie and the Freak, Ras Noah and the Hawk and Class of '73, River Bottom - a hilarious and highly entertaining comedy - bursting with humour, compassion and pain - may be the most deftly-told and important two and a half hours to his credit."
High commendation
The cast members - especially the Young Turks, come in for high commendation by the critic, who said that while Oliver Samuels' (excellent comedic timing) and Glen 'Titus' Campbell (watch out for his Chiney man impersonation) are in high form here, it is the younger cast members who shine most onstage.
The production is a literal laugh-a-minute comedy. The Caribbean 'King of Comedy' Oliver Samuels once again leads the talented Jambiz Krew - this time as 'Cappo', the spiritual leader, MP and storm whisperer of River Bottom, a poverty-stricken Jamaican district where residents try to make life without running water and electricity. Cappo, with his power, influence and wealth, abuses his 'authority' as his uneducated, gullible followers turn to him for everything and hang on to his every word.
Cappo also has his eyes on Pearle (Camille Davis), the community's young sweetheart, whose mother Miss Cherry (Belinda Reid) is a very progressive-minded woman who wants only the best for her daughter.
Though Cappo reigns supreme in the district, times are changing in River Bottom, especially with the return of Quatty (Chris Hutchinson), a young man who returns to the district after going abroad to seek an education - returning with a fresher take on life and ready to pass on his new-found wisdom to the residents of his childhood district.
Tender feelings for Pearle
A scene from 'River Bottom' . - photos by Nathaniel Stewart/Freelance Photographer
Of course, Cappo hates opposition and sees Quatty as a threat to his leadership. Worst of all, they both share tender feelings for Pearle. With the coming of Hurricane Dawn, residents have to decide whether they trust Cappo's spiritual powers or Quatty's more educated judgement.
Packed with trials and conflicts, a heavy serving of social commentary, wit and laugh-out-loud comedy from start to finish, River Bottom has established itself as the must-see comedy for 2008.
After the opening salvo in May Pen and MoBay, River Bottom will then take the laughter into Sav-la-Mar (February 23), Old Harbour (February 24), Malvern (March 1), Ocho Rios (March 2), Morant Bay (March 8) and Mandeville (March 9). It will then return to Kingston (Centerstage Theatre) over the Easter holidays before jetting off for overseas engagements.
