Alwyn Allen is masterful in his three roles in Pot O' Gold.

With the proclamation "a mystical, comical, dramatical, satirical musical", director, scriptwriter and workshop leader, Shelia Graham and her team created the ideal prism to critique their play Pot O' Gold. Or would Leonie Forbes' cameo appearance be the talking point? Last Saturday was opening night, crunch time.

But alas, there are no front curtains at The Theatre Place, the venue for the mystical drama. And so, instead of Forbes' anticipated performance, the first nugget to give an insight to the mystical drama was the Mbala designed set.

The large stage was divided into four main acting areas, all elevated. The space between the three lower levels later functioned as underground tunnels. Additionally, there was a large dome-shaped symbol of a church flanked on either side by an office with a white web-shaped background and Angelina's Aesthetic Salon with its white spidery-looking roped roof. A white hammock attached to a screen suspended on the top level completed the set. The mystique existed, to some extent.

Goals were established

Next, the onus was on the actors and the director to take the production to the comical and dramatical stage; likewise the script must be satirical. And when the first scene started with a news bulletin in the dark followed by three of the characters all complaining about their bills and culminating in a song and dance, the satirical and musical goals were established.

The simple-plotted story goes like this. After listening to the cry of the people, Anancy voiced his desire to get some money. Immediately he is visited by Akosua (played by the veteran, Leonie Forbes), otherwise known as Nanny of the Maroons, via a projected image on the screen. She tells him about a pot of gold and gives him a clue - it is the gathering place of women. But too lazy to go and search for the treasure, Anancy, after a dialogue with his negative conscience (another projected image on the screen) spreads a rumour that gold is to be found at the beauty salon. Soon, Pastor Jeremiah and Natasha Barrett, a politician using the pseudonym Pepper, are all plotting and scheming to get Angelina to give them the money. As the story progresses they end up in an underground area. Irate by Anancy's trickery, Akosua reappears to give Anancy a lesson in Jamaica's history. The play ends with an anticlimax as the playwright saw it important to show Pepper's sidekick, Ken, getting his desire "to buss" into the music industry.

Stage effectively used

Directorially there were some very good moments, such as the stage was effectively used. In spite of the many glitches, the use of the projected images was refreshing. But some entrances and exits were not clear: by having Rosie and Pastor Jeremiah using the same 'tunnel' to enter and exit did not help to create the illusion of being in different areas of the underground.

The young cast gave their all and seemed to grow in confidence as the night wore on. Ainsworth Case (Pastor Jeremiah) and Woleta Francis (Pepper) gave good performances, they were also clear in their delivery. But Lakeisha Ellison, Angelina, and Keisha Masters as Rosie were at times inaudible. Dwyane Hutchinson (Badams the police officer) was comedic in his entire endeavour.

Leonie Forbes makes a cameo appearance in Pot O' Gold. - File photos

Forbes was brilliant in her role as Nanny, and looked ever graceful when she joined the cast in the curtain call. But it was the fantastic performance of Alwyn Allen that will be the talking point. Allen played three roles, Anancy, Son-Son and Old Man and he executed all three roles well, especially as the deformed Son-Son.

It was obvious that costume was not at the top of the spectacle pyramid. Except for Pastor Jeremiah, most of the characters wore the same clothes for the better part of the play.

Despite its shortcomings, Pot O' Gold is definitely worth seeing. This mystical, comical, dramatical, satirical musical is one for the entire family with enough to laugh and learn about.