Jocelyn’s show stops at Leeds

Comedienne and writer Jocelyn, who flooded our screens with BBC comedy series Little Miss Jocelyn and Three Non Blondes, leads an all-black cast in this UK premiere production.

The comedy - depicting a respectable middle-class black family in Philadelphia – poses the question, how hard do we try to hide who we really are?

Jocelyn said: “It is a fantastic part and a great play - it’s very much like Fresh Prince of Bel-Air or The Cosby Show in its delivery and comedy style. It is amazing because even though it was written in the 70s it is still able to talk to the audience and is easily relatable.”

Characters Avery and Myra Harrison and their son Felix, are the most respectable middle class black family in Philadeplhia but unexpected visitor and niece Beverley, from the rural South, turns everything around when she comes to stay – while getting herself involved in the family business.

“The play is jam-packed with all your social issues from a battle of the sexes to race, class and other social themes.

“We always have a great audience participation when we’ve performed the play, we can say certain lines and we know we’ll get some audience feedback, and that just goes to show how good Don’s writing is.

“He allows a natural break for the audience to enjoy those moments, and it is still the same today, sometimes we can’t shut the audience up!

“I think it is a mixture of the writing and cast which makes the audience act like that. The writing itself is spotless.”

The show is directed by Eclipse Theatre artistic director Dawn Walton, who was nominated for best director, TMA Awards for The Hounding of David Oluwale.

“I think Don Evans would love what Dawn’s done with the play, I’d say it is about 90 per cent comedy and ten per cent drama.

“It’s like a Restoration comedy and you never see an all-black cast on stage doing restoration comedy.

“I enjoy doing the TV shows but I prefer to do the live stuff like this, I like to have one crack at it to do it right, rather than in front of a camera that you can have a few takes – that’s what makes you do your best work.”

“I am really excited about performing to audiences in West Yorkshire, there’s something in it for girls and guys and we are also bringing a very unusual mix of American accents to the stage.”

Jocelyn’s character Myra Harrison is portrayed as an eccentric woman with an obsession to be at the top of the social hierarchy.

“I absolutely love my character she is so brazen with what she says, She is like a version of Hyacinth Bucket is a total social climber who often gets words wrong and tries to overdo her status.

“I guess I’m bringing me to the part, she’s written as a very big character so you don’t need to add to much on top of that. At first I thought I was too young to be playing the part but after looking at her age we made it work.”

The national tour of Eclipse Theatre’s raucously funny comedy drama it makes its final stop at West Yorkshire Playhouse on November 1-5. Tickets cost £14-£22, available from www.wyp.org.uk or 0113 213 7700.