“Amen Corner" - 'an uplifting spiritual journey'

The combination of a good script, good acting, and soul-stirring music are always key ingredients in a good musical. Amen Corner, Jamaica's first gospel musical, has all those and more.

Adapted from James Baldwin's first dramatic work, The Amen Corner (1955), by writer Patrick Brown and director Trevor Nairne, the gospel musical is a production about faith and family, the love of God and the hypocrisy that lurks underneath.
Amen Corner follows Maggie Alexander (Bertina Macaulay), the controlling pastor of a Pentecostal church in Westmoreland whose own family problems conflict with her work as a religious leader. As a result, her dedication to the "work of the Lord" is put to the test.

What makes Amen Corner work is not just the rich gospel music and Nairne's apt directing but also the strength of Macaulay as the protagonist and the support she receives from her castmates.

Macaulay disappears completely into the role and the audience connects with her deeply emotional struggles, and as such, she delivers an Actor-Boy-worthy performance.
Another plus for the production is the fact that the audience relates well to the whole church experience and the obsession that some church-goers have with God. Hence, Sister Moore (ably portrayed by Faith Gordon) was a hit with the audience as she had the full house in stitches on Wednesday night.

Other notable performances were delivered by Andrew Clarke, as Pastor Maggie's piano-playing son David, who backslides and takes up "Satan music", mainly due to the influence of his estranged father Luke (Earle Brown). Clarke was rather convincing in role and sang his numbers to the delight of the audience. Belinda Reid (Odessa), Kerry-Ann Parker (sister Boxer) and Courtney Sappleton (Brother Boxer) also gave satisfactory performances.

The small set changed easily between the church and the pastor's house as the scenes required. Costuming and lighting were appropriate with each scene and so too was the dialect (rich with rural vernacular).However, the pre-recorded music took away some of the oomph that live musical theatre usually provides.

Nevertheless, those who have not yet seen the show will be inspired by the moving story that Amen Corner presents. The lesson of perseverance through challenges, the respinsibilities that come with authority, as well as everyday issues, are all neatly combined to treat the audience with an entertaining experience.