Editorial | It’s a wrap for Leonie!

The worldwide ocean of love that has washed up on our shores since the passing of theatre sensation Leonie Forbes is well deserved for someone who played a major role in developing local theatre and guiding the careers of future broadcasters and actors.

‘Miss Lee’, as she was fondly called, died on October 25 at the University Hospital of the West Indies. She has been remembered in various tributes, social media posts, and messages of condolence, and they all seem to say the same thing: Leonie Forbes captured our hearts with her compelling talent.

Leading the tributes was Prime Minister Andrew Holness, who tweeted: “Leonie Forbes is a name synonymous with Jamaica and with Jamaican theatre and broadcast. She was always elegant and gracious, and her voice commanded both respect and admiration.

“Jamaica has lost an iconic and pioneering figure in media, film and television.”

Multiplied several times over, this outpouring of love speaks volumes about someone who genuinely connected with her audiences, not just for a fleeting moment, but for more than five decades. Her grace and genuine love for people set her apart in the celebrity world, where folk can quickly become self-absorbed.

When the news of her death broke, many who knew her personally broke, too. From all walks of life, persons recalled the defining moments they experienced with this talented woman on stage, on air, in the classroom, and every place where she made an impact.

Without a doubt, she was one of the truly great Jamaican actresses, along the way winning various awards and recognition, including a medal from the Mexican Theatre Centre of the International Theatre Institute for outstanding theatre personalities of Latin America and the Caribbean in 2001, and the Gemini Award in 2003.

The Jamaican Government awarded her the Order of Distinction (Officer Class) in 1980, but before that, she also picked up the Silver and Bronze Musgrave Medals and the Centenary Medal.

PIONEERING WORK

Her pioneering work in broadcast media began in 1955, when she landed a job in radio at the now defunct Jamaica Broadcasting Corporation. Her diction, pitch, and smooth delivery immediately drew audiences to her. In later years, generations of fledgling reporters and broadcasters relied on her mentoring and tutoring to improve their own delivery in radio and television productions.

The much-loved lady of theatre was born in Kingston in 1937, but her international experience included studies and acting in London, and she also lived in Canada and Australia.

Theatregoers will no doubt be debating Leonie’s best performance in the National Pantomime, for it was here that she seemed to have collected legions of fans. As they contemplate her greatest act, they would have more than a dozen pantomimes from which to choose.

Pantomime, an English tradition that was flavoured with Jamaican influences, became an annual staple for fans of the theatre, where they would first flock to the iconic Ward Theatre to enjoy a musical comedy which mimics various aspects of Jamaican life.

The legacy of this warmly admired actress lives on in the many careers of those who she helped to advance by her kind guidance. Grace and compassion were her most recognisable tools. Bravo, Miss Lee.