Hall Theatre -- March 9 through 11.

An evening of high comedy, performed at a rollicking pace, brings yet another round of applause for director Patricia Pogson. Once again -- and not least for her unerring sense of what appeals to Bermudian audiences -- she has produced another winning piece of theatre.

Unfortunately, as is all too often the case, by the time local audiences get themselves organised to see "It's Showdown Time!'', this particular show will be over. A heartbreakingly small audience turned up on opening night, which again invites the question as to why local black theatre is so poorly supported. This indifference becomes all the more puzzling in the face of Ms Pogson's runaway success with her season of Jabulani Repertory Company theatre at The Princess Hotel.

This particular production was presented under the banner of the Black Box Performance Workshop, a group that lives up to its name in that it provides a rich breeding ground for local talent to be tried and tested.

"It's Showdown Time'' is a high-spirited and updated re-working by American playwright Don Evans of Shakespeare's "The Taming of the Shrew''.

This play, which evolves round an explosive battle of the sexes, has always been a popular piece, gaining even wider exposure with the Taylor/Burton film and the musical version under the title of "Kiss Me Kate''.

The basic theme, that of an enterprising young man who sets out to tame and marry a feisty young lady who veils her disillusionment with the opposite sex under a torrent of foul-mouth invective, remains the same. This time, however, the setting is a black neighbourhood in Philadelphia which positively hums with a collection of ironically humorous characters with a colourful turn of language. This is used to great effect in another device borrowed from Shakespeare -- that of the soliloquy, where a character shares his innermost thoughts with the audience.

In this version, Petruchio becomes Mr. Adam Poindexter, who arrives in town from his native South Carolina to open a barber shop. Nattily turned out in African gear, he invites the grudging admiration of his new neighbours and some highly vocal contempt ("he dressed up like some Arab!'') from Rosa, our modern-day Katherina. Poindexter's attempts to win her over provide the hilarious focus of the play. He even admits to reading "this Shakespeare dude'', observing that "he don't even ask her nothing -- he tells her what to do!'' Nayte Paxter confirms the talent shown in Janulani's "One Mo' Time'' with his comic and highly assured performance in this leading role, where his charm as a determined suitor eventually wins the prize. Not, however, before he has to resort to dressing up as a female cleaner to gain access to his beloved's room in the local "Y''.

He is well matched by a dazzling performance from Tona Douglas as that "evil bitch'' Rosa. The possessor of an unusually resonant voice and a marvellous sense of timing, she is totally in charge of a portrayal that requires some emotional high-jinks, ranging from furious disgust and plain bad temper to a surprisingly soft and wistful streak that makes her character believable.

Their seduction scene, which she afterwards refers to as "high class'' rape, is possibly the steamiest, and certainly the longest seen on a Bermuda stage.

Ginea Edwards takes on the role of the nosy widow Effie -- and almost takes over the show. Her radiant personality and a heaven-sent sense of comedic timing makes her the sort of actress who has the audience transfixed by her every movement, even if (as she is, most of the time) merely pausing for a drag on her cigarette as she sweeps the steps and keeps an intrigued eye on her quarrelling neighbours.

In the original play, the story of Petruchio and Katherina is a play within a play, with a drunken tinker rejoicing in the name of Sly, becoming the audience for whom the piece is performed. In Evans' version, the drunk becomes a wino by the name of Jeremiah, who moves the plot along by his reformation at the hands of Effie and Poindexter. An excellent performance here from Jerome Cooke who makes the very most (visually as well as verbally) of the admittedly hilarious lines fed to him by the author.

The Shakespearean sub-plot is provided by Rosa's sister, Velma, played by Khalilah Smith who, unlike her sister, can't say "yes'', finds it impossible to say "no''. It takes all the efforts of her latest boyfriend, Clarence the preacher to provide another moral in this tale, which is to save her favours for the man she marries (him). This role is played with just the right touch of confusion by promising newcomer, Colin Goodwin.

Delaey Robinson brings a resigned air of reflection to the role of Rosa's long-suffering father, and the cast is completed by Leighsa Darrell-Augustus as the mother and Danjou Anderson in the cameo role of the bartender.

There are, as in so many of Patricia Pogson's productions, some inspired touches that bring performers and audience together in "theatre verite''. One of these is when the reformed wino struggles and complains his way through the darkened seats with two giant tubs of popcorn for his now demanding widow, and the other provides a novel ending to the play as the newly-weds and entourage walk in victorious procession up the aisle of City Hall.

All in all, an evening of much-needed, heartwarming fun. Tonight is your last chance to see some excellent acting and enjoy a good laugh at the same time.

Don't miss it.

PATRICIA CALNAN SWEEPING UP A STORM -- Nayte Paxton (right) as Adam Poindexter, resorts to frocks, wigs and housework in a last-ditch attempt to worm his way into the heart of Rosa, played by Tona Douglas in this hilarious scene from "It's Showdown Time!''