By Toussaint Smith, Staff Reporter 
Glen Campbell and Claudette Pious in Balfour Anderson's 'Secret Lover', 1986. - File
THE STORY reads: Life becomes miserable
for the production manager, Mr. Preston (Glen Campbell), once his boss, Ms. Turnbull, decides to turn on her not-too-pleasing charms on him, as can be seen in this scene from Balfour Anderson's Secret Lover, which opens at the Barn Theatre on Thursday.
Sunday Gleaner: Tell me about the play 'Secret Lover'.
Glen Campbell: Secret Lover was back in '85, '86. It was my first production with Balfour Anderson as director and it was basically a story about a young man going into an organisation ambitious young man who
actually has his eyes on another coworker that he likes. But unknown to him, the boss employs him cause she have
intentions fi him (laughs). So, it was a whole big tug-of-war between me trying to keep my job and keep the boss happy while, at the same time, trying to get this other girl that I like in the
company.
SG: What was it like
working with Claudette Pious?
GC: Oh, Claudette is my very good friend. We were friends before we started this production. It was, I think, the second time I was actually performing with her on stage. Before that, we had both done a production with Kathy Levy called Three Little Witches, a children's
production, and so this was the second time that I was working with Claudette.
Different kind of setting, because the subject matter was more adult, but we were both comfortable with each other before, so it was not any
pressure. We had fun working together.
SG: What was your favourite onset moment in the play?
GC: (Laughs) I think is a
section where I ... Claudette is making her intentions known to me quite physically and, if you know, Claudette is not a small girl, so it was a lot of fun, her man-handling me and me trying to get away from her. It was a very comic moment on stage
audiences liked it as well.
SG: Where is 'Mr. Serious Thing'?
GC: 'Serious Thing'... that was not actually from Secret Lover. The last time I saw him, I think I saw him overseas. I was on tour and I bucked him I think in Florida or somewhere. I am not sure if he is living over there now or we just happened to cross paths there. I am not sure if
he is still involved in theatre now.
SG: How did you get involved in the 'Ring Road Jam' video with Fab 5?
GC: I started theatre while still at school at Jamaica College and my very first production was affiliated with Fab 5. It was a musical review called The New Jokers and Fab 5 band provided the music for that show, so that is where the association started.
SG: What do you think about the current theatre industry?
GC: Theatre is alive and well. There was a lull a couple of years ago, but I think we are picking up again and say, for argument sake, December 26, there were six plays that opened in Kingston, which will suggest that there is place for theatre in the landscape of Jamaica as entertainment right now.
SG: In terms of where your career is now, do you think you have reached your potential?
GC: I think there is a lot more that Glen Campbell has to offer. I am grateful and thankful for what I have achieved so far and the acceptance that I have gained from the Jamaican people. I still think there is another side to Glen that people or most
people still do not know.
MORE TO OFFER
A lot of people think I am just a comedian or a comedic actor; not many people know that I sing and dance as well or that I can be serious. So, I think there is a lot more that I can offer. People are used to seeing me on stage and, to some extent, television. There's a lot more television
projects that I would like to work on and I think between this year and next year, we gonna try and get some of them off the ground.
SG: What are you up to now?
GC: Right now I am the dread in Ras Noah and the Hawk, with myself, Oliver Samuels, Dahlia Harris and members of the Jambiz Theatre workshop.
