Poking fun for ‘laffs’
by JOHN SEALY
LAFF-IT-OFF PRODUCTIONS INC. has placed Barbadians under the microscope this year again and has revealed enough to make them holler “Lookah Muh Crosses” which is the theme for their 2024 season.
Laff-It-Off is one of the more looked-for annual local theatre productions and has built a reputation of skilfully poking fun at politics, the public service, the pulpit, the private sector or even personalities.
It has a reputation of rising to the challenge to make Barbadians laugh at themselves even when the more things change, the more they stay the same.
Two new faces were showcased in Lookah Muh Crosses in promising acts Kiara Smith and Neil Waithe. They joined the cast of Janine White, Asha Elcock and Vilmore Johnson at the Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre, Two Mile Hill, on Saturday night.
The absence of hilarious actors Kyle Cozier and Ishiaka McNiel was conspicuous. They were, however, lauded for their sterling contributions over the years and wished well by executive producer of the Laff-It-Off Productions Inc. Ian Estwick in his remarks in the brochure.
Director Angelo Lascelles got it right when he said Lookah Muh Crosses highlights aspects of our society that “frustrate, annoy and/or entertain us as we go about our daily lives, whether it be in the inefficiencies in some sectors of the country or the rules held on to dearly that are now obsolete”.
The large crowd in attendance seemed on the same page as Lascelles. They broke out with choruses of laughter and groans as the cast turned the spotlight on the engines which drive Barbados.
Lines such as caught the attention: “At de rate we are going now we gwine got to start importing police from China”; “Women like a man in uniform”. There was even a cheeky reference to “hiding things from people”.
Scrutiny
The surliness of the public servant didn’t escape scrutiny. After catching two buses, a member of the public was told she had to come back to her appointment “tomorrow cause de book ain’t line-up”.
“You know wuh! Um is wunnah civil servants who don’t like to do any work. I would like to speak to the supervisor please.”
“He at lunch” was the retort.
“But it’s after nine in the morning.”
“He got acid reflux.” The incensed member of the public threatened “to call the Prime Minister cause this ain’t good enough”, but was responded to with, “Call she I was hey since Owen days, prime ministers does come and prime ministers does go.”
Thorne’s switch
Other issues included school transfers, online dating and court scenes.
The commentary on the switch of Member of Parliament for Christ Church South Ralph Thorne from the governing Barbados Labour Party to the opposite side in Parliament was hilarious; even speculating as to what he would call his party if he decided to form his own, and who would be its members. This was one of the better sessions.
The patrons from their responses enjoyed the two-hour show, inclusive of intermission and which concluded with a tribute to multiple Tune Of The Crop King Mighty Grynner.
