Chester Francis-Jackson, Gleaner Writer
AND SO, after first debuting as a one-man play at the Edinborough Fringe Festival in Scotland, in 2000, written, produced and starring Phillip Michael Edwards, the play Runt was awarded one of the coveted Edinborough Fringe Festival Awards no mean achievement here, as indeed, the play was competing with some near two-thousand entries.
Runt went on a world tour, the one man show selling out in such places as Sydney, Australia; London, England; Toronto, Canada, and across the United States. The play was adapted for radio by the prestigious BBC, and went on to win the Sony Award for radio drama in 2003; and now, under the instrumentality of Chicago-based real estate baron, Joe English (who saw the play a record seven times in Chicago) Runt, the play has now come full circle and is now Runt, the movie.
And, what a movie too!
My dears, since its debut in 2000, those who saw the play, have all come away from the performance deeply touched by the strength, ethos and rich symbolisms portrayed by the lead character along his journey into self-discovery and manhood.
It is a journey that took the conflicted character across the globe in search of an identity, away from, and out of the shadows of his domineering and philandering Jamaican father, and the stereotypical expectations of a male child, in the Diaspora, with all the baggage of the small-island mind-set. Which, not surprisingly, leads to a psychologically tormented child, haunted by the demons of his childhood; the socialised expectations and tools of control that were key to his early developmental years, when his parents, in search of the American dream, left him in the care and control of relatives.
PRIVATE SCREENING
It is these dark and early influences, plus the 'carryings on' of an alcoholic father, and the crisis of identity and sexuality that is the major stage for the movie Runt. My dears, it makes for arresting viewing and then some.
Luvs, after nearly a year or so, in production, last Tuesday, executive producer of the movie, Joe English, invited a critically hand-picked short-list of leading North-Coast socialites, leading members of the expatriate community, the well-to-do and the chic but fabulous people all to a private screening of the movie. For my word, if anything, the play turned movie, has become more powerful and engrossing than its early days as a play.
Dears, the screening was hosted at the tres chic and oh so fabulous upscale gated resort community of Silver Sands, over there, near Duncans, in Trelawny, at the fabulous Day-Oh Villa, and what a treat!
Daahlings, the invitations that went out advised those, so inclined, to make a mid-week holiday of the screening, by indicating if over-night accommodations would be a requirement. For those who did, they were treated to a stay in one of the more exclusive resort communities, at a villa of choice from a pre-approved list of simply fabulous holiday homes.
My dears, this added bonus added just the right dose of chic to the affaire as guests motored in from Kingston, Ocho Rios, Montego Bay, Negril, Black River and Treasure Beach while others jetted in from stateside, for the event, making it a truly cosmopolitan do, and giving it the required cachet for an event of its nature.
The affair got underway with poolside cocktails, followed by a pre-screening buffet that was quite the fare, my dears, as guests were treated to grilled lobster, broiled tuna, escoveitched snapper, chicken a la Joe, and a mouth-watering array of exotic cakes and liquors to top the meal. And it was a feast!
Dinner taken, guests were invited to join the host in the villa's main hall, for the screening, which got under way promptly after a brief introduction from the host, a few words from the writer/producer/actor.
Showtime, my dears, was another treat. With popcorn and libations adding to the touch of theatre, guests were treated to a near 90-minute long fabulous treatment of father/son conflict; the social and cultural idiosyncrasies and their impact on individual development and the stress visited upon one caught between feuding parents.
Luvs, you could have heard a pin drop throughout the movie, as so riveting was the acting, story line and acting it made for absolutely marvelous boutique cinema.
And if there was any doubting the absolute strength of the movie, there was no mistaking the endorsement of the near 100 guests present for the screening, who all erupted in prolonged applause, as the movie came to its end!
Writer/producer/actor Phillip Michael Edwards took some questions from his buzzing audience, and then it was once again, cocktail hour until way into the night. But what an outing! And, what a movie!
Daahlings, we are talking one moving, film here, treating with everyday subject matters that communities grapple with, in a manner and method accessible to all, with fine acting by Phillip Michael Edwards, Carl Bradshaw and Ronald Gossop; with some fabulous footage of Jamaica; excellent rhythmic dancing by members of the ASHE ensemble; and simply fabulous music by reggae musician Iqula adding to a superb soundtrack. Indeed, Runt, the movie is all that two thumbs up!
And my dears, the screening was quite the social to-do, with among those out the very charming Eva Myers; Dennis Rappaport; hotelier Kevin Levee and his dish of fabulousness of a wife Cecile; Ms. Gorgeousness herself, Antoinette Chen Sayoux; hotelier and bon vivant Peter Fraser; the oh fabulous Sandra Kennedy Lyn; Claude Fletcher; the lovely Elsa Kong; David Keeling; Iqula and his Empress; Annie Paul; Dr. Claude DeCarish and companion, Ingrid Spence; the charming Hillary Rochester; Andrew and Moya Baston; Ellie Grennan; Joe Robinson of the ASHE Ensemble; the lovely Michelle Neita; Nubian Godling Milton Smith, who makes a cameo apperrance in the movie; Lynne Scott-Laing; Lisa Ginzel of Chicago and Treasure Beach; and the lovely Kim Chase.
From Treasure Beach there were Rebecca Wiersma; Stuart Duggan; Dennis Lueke and Fern Falconer-Lueke; Brad Rohrssen; Krisi Siems; and the charming Shirley Genus. From Chicago, there were James and Elouise Ford; Bill and Charlotte Razor; Gwen Sea; Herschel and Eloise Tolson; Kathryn Hairston; and Rita Brown and others. And, dears, the movie is a must see!
