Two girls want to trace their roots and decide to go on holiday to Jamaica. The consequences are that one wants to stay and give their return ticket to a Jamaican man who wants to go to England, whilst the other is disillusioned. They come in contact with two men, one married who plays the field and the other appears to be normal. A Jamaican mother tries to get money for the consequence of her liaison with the wayward man. Wrap this up with half English and half patois and you have a play that has a good plot, but is part lost in a foreign language to the West Yorkshire Playhouse audience.

This play by Marcia Layne is directed by Jemi Elufowoju, jr, with a beach set designed by Joanna Parker, with two magnificent palm trees that shed their nuts during the evening. The beach gives way to a hotel room and balcony for drinks with a beach car moving in to give atmosphere. The two girls, Anisha (Maxine Burth) and Sandra (Llewella Gideon) come in contact with Ras Simi, a Raster man, (Seun Shote )and Passion (Johann Myers) whilst Babs (Yvette Rochester Duncan), the wife drifts in and out.

The audience were given a synopsis and glossary of Jamaican patois as they walked into the auditorium and so should have guessed that this was not going to be an ordinary evening at the theatre. The play was enjoyable, but it was a pity that a lot of the punch lines were lost in the language, with only those au fait with patois able to get the full impact of the author’s writing skills. However, the audience showed their appreciation when the cast took their bows for their interpretation of the author’s work. © BA

“Off Camera” is in Leeds from the 27th June until the 12th July, 2003.