Oliver Samuels Pomedy appearance didn't come easy

Sadeke Brooks,  Staff Reporter

Fusion of comedy and poetry heads to England in October

After several tries, Yasus Afari has secured actor Oliver Samuels for the Pomedy Show, which he says will be an exciting show when it is held in September.

Having started the event in June 2009 at his alma mater, St Elizabeth Technical High School, Afari said he has tried to get Samuels on his show on previous occasions but without success.

Finally, he said, the famed actor will grace the event's stage when it is held at the Alfred Sangster Auditorium, University of Technology (UTech), on September 14, starting at 7 p.m.

"Oliver will be doing something novel and special at our event. I approached him once and he was already booked out for the dates I had in mind," he told The Sunday Gleaner.

"His attitude and enthusiasm was great but his availability was a challenge. He is very reasonable, very supportive and very excited. It says something about him and also something about what we are doing. There is a buzz on the campuses in anticipation of this event."

Other performers at the event will be Yasus Afari, Oral Tracey, Joan Andrea Hutchinson, Dr Michael Abrahams, Rohan Gunter, Richie Innocent and UTech Drummers. There will also be a guest performance from Tan Teddy, a group from England.

Afari says he is also excited about hosting the Pomedy Show at UTech, as he was a student at the school when it was called The College of Arts Science and Technology. He boasted that he was vice-president of the student union and "promoted the first fête at UTech that made money." Afari's first performance was at the school.

Having renewed his relationship with the school, Afari says he is trying do something that he tried to do while he was a student, which is to "marry arts and education".

He added that the event will be held during Pelican Week at the school. Following the show, Afari noted that there are plans to install a real-life chessboard in UTech's Sculpture Park.

For the event that combines poetry and comedy, Afari says the expectations are already high.

"People are looking forward to it and buying tickets. It will do very well. The writing is already on the wall," he said.

And with cash sponsorship from companies like JIIC (Jamaica International Insurance Company) and VMBS (Victoria Mutual Building Society), while Visual Vibe and Mona Graphic Printers gave their sponsorship in kind, Afari says the burden is somewhat lighter.

If the event breaks even, he said he will definitely give something to charity.

laid-back atmosphere

Although he hosted Poetry Festival at the Louise Bennett Garden Theatre, St Andrew, on August 12, Afari says the Pomedy Show is a completely different product.

"Poetry Festival is a little stiffer but this is Pomedy, a kin teeth and laughter. It's a different product, a different event. Even me, it's an entirely different set," Afari said, noting that there are plans to host the event at the University of the West Indies and Edna Manley College of the Visual and Performing Arts in coming years.

The poet says sports, entertainment and education will also be neatly wrapped into the package. In addition, he says some of the performers will be doing tributes to the Jamaican Olympians.

After doing the Pomedy Show, Afari will be trekking to Great Britain for the Pomedy tour, as well as his personal tour.

On October 1, he will do his first show, but by October 19 the Pomedy tour will kick off in Birmingham. This will be followed by shows in places like Nottingham, Wolverhampton, Wales and Bristol. Afari is especially excited about the London show on November 2 that will feature Benjamin Zephaniah, a well-known poet from England.