“IT’S A FAMILY AFFAIR”…PLAYWRIGHT BASIL DAWKINS AND DAUGHTER TK, AIM TO TAKE JAMAICAN THEATER TO THE NEXT LEVEL!

By Richard Johnson —

Dawkins (foreground) poses on set with the cast of Hide Your Husband.

LAST Saturday the comedy Hide Your Husband opened on stage at the Little Little Theatre in St Andrew.

Written and produced by seasoned theatre practitioner Basil Dawkins, this work represents the first production to hit the boards in over two years due to the novel cornavirus pandemic.

Directed by TK Dawkins (daughter of the playwright), Hide Your Husband represents the sixth production from her father’s pen that she is directing. She previously directed Once A Man Twice A Wife in 2020, Dangerous Ambitions in 2018, Four Can’t Play in 2016, Guilt Trip in 2015, while her maiden voyage was Toy Boy in 2013.

She told the Jamaica Observer that, contrary to popular belief, she did not immediately gravitate towards a career in the theatre although she grew up with it all around her and had a real appreciation for the arts.

“It was always around me. Daddy was always writing, we would always come home to see Jamaican stars at our house for meetings and rehearsals so I had an appreciation, but never really considered a career path. Despite a father who was a playwright and producer, my brother and I were always expected to choose the traditional professions… you know doctor, lawyer police etc. I even went as far as to apply for and was accepted into law school as I really did nothing artistic growing up.”

Dawkins admits that the bug must have been in the air as they (she and her brother) were their father’s sounding boards for every new script.

Then in 2013 there was a twist of fate when the director originally contracted to helm the production of Toy Boy had to pull out at the last moment. At that time Basil Dawkins would call on his daughter to make her directorial début.

“Like I said, we had always read the scripts and offered our two cents to make the scripts a little bit more modern. But that is as far as it went. So when the director had to pull out he just came to me ‘TK, you will have to do this one.’ I was like ‘Do what?’ Are you crazy?’ And he just simply said, ‘You have to do it.’ I was terrified, filled with self-doubt and just internalized everything. But when the production was well received is when I realized how much I knew about the business by just being around my father, and watching rehearsals take place in my house, and being at the theatre for all my life,” she shared.

That was nearly a decade ago. Today Dawkins feels a lot more comfortable in the role of director and with the responsibility that comes with it. She shared that she is now confident in insisting on what she wants from actors.

“Can you imagine directing people like Oliver Samuels and Leonie Forbes who have been acting longer than I have been alive? With repetition comes confidence. While I can’t say I know everything, I am much better at communicating my vision. I trust myself more.”

She described her father as a very hands-off writer/producer who allows the director to direct. He is responsible for assembling the team, which includes casting and hiring the technical support, but the director has the responsibility to take his vision from script to stage.

As for her delving deeper into the family business, Dawkins is already working on a script of her own to appeal to a much younger demographic whom she says do not patronize local theatre.

“My dream is to add to what daddy has built; he puts out at least one production each year. The truth is his patrons are of a certain age. I want to tap into to the 25-50 age group and provide them with a story and production they can relate to. So many of my friends never go to the theatre because what is on stage does not appeal to them.

“I have already started working on something… it’s about dating in Jamaica, the challenges that young professionals find in attracting a suitable companion locally,” Dawkins added.

She further noted that she is big on young, fresh talent and will be drawing on the talent pool which exists at the School of Drama at the Edna College of the Visual and Performing Arts, having just enjoyed their latest production.

As for Hide Your Husband, Dawkins said originally her father had a drama in mind for release at this time. However, things changed quickly once the restrictions were lifted a few weeks ago. They decided to go with what she called a compelling comedy about a woman who, based on past experiences and a rough life, has decided to utilize what comes to her naturally to maintain her lifestyle by befriending married men.

This production stars Maylynne Lowe, Donald Anderson, Earl Brown and Michael Forrest, and is shown from Tuesday to Sunday.

“We were ready to go then I thought about it; after COVID I didn’t think people wanted to come see a heavy drama. The past two years has been rough so let’s just have some fun.”

The daddy-daughter team of TK and Basil Dawkins