BY RICHARD JOHNSON—-
ACTOR Tony ‘Paleface’ Hendricks is currently in rehearsals for a return to Jamaican theatre in Samson & Di Liar.
For Hendricks, whose last appearance in a local production was 2001’s Laugh Jamaica, the return is a homecoming.
“Having been in the UK (United Kingdom) for some time, this is without doubt a homecoming for me, and a return to the Jamaican stage is absolutely something I am looking forward to. I have performed this play throughout the UK but realised it was something that I have to bring back home for a local audience,” he said.
“You can take a Jamaican out of Jamaica but you can’t take Jamaica out his blood. In the same way, I left Jamaica to work in foreign but Jamaica never left me. After all I am a Jamaican Paleface. It has always been my plan to come back home and Samson & Di Liar is the perfect vehicle to get me back and running in my first love: Jamaican theatre,” Hendriks re-iterated.
Samson & Di Liar is set to open at the Little Little Theatre in St Andrew on August 21. It is produced and directed by Scarlett Beharie.
The play follows the lives of two homeless men who, despite different backgrounds, find common ground through their journey on the streets.
Hendricks will play opposite Ricky Rowe, an actor he reunited with in London but could never find the right project to work on until 2013 when they first did Samson & Di Liar.
Hendricks revealed that the script has been adapted for the local stage.
“The Jamaican audience is like no other. When we played in the UK our audiences were mixed, so aspects have had to be adapted to better suit local tastes and customs. We have added scenes and music to make it more enjoyable,” he said.
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