Perfect 10 - ‘Pitchy Patchy’ actor gives high marks to hilarious play

Now that the curtain on the groundbreaking satirical comedy Pitchy Patchy has closed, cast member Joylene Alexander-Hall has scored her experience in the hilarious play as a perfect 10.

Alexander-Hall, who has been an actor 16 years, lined up alongside the likes of Christopher 'Johnny' Daley, Juliet 'Julie Mango' Bodley, Tanaania Tracey, Sheldon Sheperd, Keticia 'TC' Chatman, Sanneta Myrie as cast members.

Pitchy Patchy brought together a dynamic cast of popular social media influencers alongside some established theatre and film actors, but Alexander-Hall said she was never nervous to work with her celebrity co-stars.

"I wasn't nervous working with them, but I'd be lying if I said I didn't feel borderline anxiety and excitement when I thought about their audience now being mine," she said.

Pitchy Patchy ran for one month in the summer at the Philip Sherlock Centre for the Creative Arts. Alexander-Hall, who played the role of public figures like Miss Kitty, as well as other Jamaican archetypes, described her involvement as fulfilling.

"My experience in the show would definitely be a 10 out of 10," she said.

"I wouldn't take away anything from my experience in the show. Being able to meet new people; being able to be still in the process; being able to work again with Rayon, who I admire as a director; being able to be there with Johnny, and learning from Johnny and Johnny's energy -- just everything. It was a full 360 experience that was very much satisfying."

The Hillel Academy drama teacher told THE STAR that she has long admired Daley, who she grew up watching on the local TV series Lime Tree Lane.

"I've always been interested in his work, and I think I've always been somewhat compelled by his energy. There's just something about him that you'd wanna watch," Alexander-Hall said.

As for her roles in the satirical comedy, the Edna Manley College of the Visual and Performing Arts alumna said that playing Miss Kitty in one of the skits was no easy feat. According to Alexander-Hall, it took "a lot of work" to properly imitate the popular media personality. She said that the research involved watching a lot of videos in order to "catch the nuances in her voice, her mannerisms and gestures".

In addition to being Miss Kitty, Alexander-Hall also played Polly, who she describes as "the good gyal from round the corner".

"Polly is very different from me, but I think deep down inside, there is some Polly inside me," she laughed.

"Certain people in society wouldn't see her as someone who is just so colourful, just so energetic. She's a leader who loves the dancehall space, but she's also very down-to- earth and says what comes to her mind."

Pitchy Patchy was chiefly written by Rayon McLean, who served as creative director and executive producer. He was supported by Kingsley Morgan and Kasandra Henry.