Mi Nah Laugh entertains and expands

Tennesia Malcolm, Gleaner Writer

Mi nah laugh. That must have been the sentiment of One Third's Miguel as he sat solemnly in the front row listening to comedian Dufton Shepherd cast aspersions on the sexuality of one of his group members.

With the tag line 'one third of One Third', Shepherd milked the joke for the little it was worth as the singer and, soon, members of the audience sat uneasily.

But it was a comedy event and, as they say, the show must go on. In a court setting, with even a jail cell to the left of the stage, this year's first staging in the series, which started in 2008, brought out humour seekers in great numbers. The Unxpected Projexz production, under the leadership of comedian Rohan Gunter, saw an audience which was literally spilling from the Courtleigh Auditorium, so much so that extra chairs had to be brought in. When most were seated, they could reach out and touch the performers if they so desired. But still, some had to stand.

Gunter was pleased. Dressed to the nines in a black tuxedo suit, red shirt and tie, he seemed overcome with emotion as he reflected on how much his 'baby' had grown.

"Comedy is serious business," he said, as he related how many potential sponsors thought the idea of a comedy show was a joke. Gunter explained that he had little time to prepare a set as production consumed his time. The audience forgave him and brought out the laughs as he introduced an entertainers' cabinet with L.A. Lewis as Minister of Tourism, having travelled 'all over the world'.

But the night's biggest laughs were not summoned by words but action as Hilarious Granny, with her copious buttocks and bosom, caused the audience to erupt with laughter as she demonstrated to young ladies how to move to some of the latest songs. The patrons were on their feet as they clamoured to get a closer look at Granny in action. At the end of her performance, she had relieved herself of half a dozen wigs. But the audience wanted more and she was brought back twice before they reluctantly let her go.

Judge Elva, who presided over the first segment of the show and policeman Johnny who took over in the last half were not to be outdone by the hilarious one as they too showed what their waistlines were made of.

Adult entertainment

Clearly adult entertainment, the show welcomed risqué jokes from 'prisoners' such as Comedy Buss winner Dwight Samuels and British. The latter was prematurely sentenced, perhaps for the excessive sexual content of his offerings.

But it was all in good fun as even One Third's Miguel soon conceded to the jokes, emerging from a long sojourn backstage with a brilliant smile to enjoy the final moments of the production.

Comedian Lemon, fresh from 'foreign', could do no wrong with those in attendance. Explaining that "mi nuh run joke enuh", he had the audience cracking up. "Bad man nuh wash bathroom? You a dutty man," he told those men who have proclaimed what they deem to be woman's work against the law. He had a special treat too, at intervals breaking out in song much to the delight of lucky ladies in the audience.

Pretty Boy Floyd, also fresh from overseas, followed with Leighton Smith to close the show on somewhat of an anticlimax following Lemon's fun-filled set.

Earlier, Dr Michael Abrahams had opened the show with a thrilling year in review set to song. "From govament fertiliser dodo down to the recession, this a
2009 Year in Review
," he sang touching on almost all the topical issues of last year.

Tubeless and Dalton Spence, the Concerned Citizen, also represented well at what was another successful staging of
The Gleaner
-sponsored Mi Nah Laugh.