Comedy comes to the Bermuda National Gallery next week in the form of racial satire when the Black Box Performance Workshops presents Colored Museum.

Director Patricia Pogson says that the play, which is unsuitable for children, actually consists of 11 separate "exhibits''. It shows the reality of what it was like to be a black in the America of the 1980's.

"I think there's a feeling that it's time to lighten up a bit. So, although Colored Museum deals with some of the hardships that black Americans have gone through as a race, it's dealt with in a humourous way. It explores the old and new stereotypes of black people, rather in the style of Richard Pryor.'' One of the exhibits, for instance, is called Celebrity Slaveship, where the "passengers'' are entertained with tales of the lovely hot weather they can expect when they reach Savannah to work in the cotton fields.

The play, described as "a seriously funny satire'' is by George C. Wolfe and was first performed at New York's Joseph Papp Theatre in 1987. Wolfe, who is the artistic director of the Papp Theatre, is also author of the hit musical now playing on Broadway -- Jelly's Last Jam.

The cast includes art student Ginea Edwards, who appeared in Patricia Pogson's production of Strictly Matrimony at the Belmont Hotel dinner theatre programme, and in Colored Girls. Danjou Anderson, who scored such a hit in Six Degrees of Separation, also appeared in Ain't Misbehavin'. Kevin Bean, who has extensive stage experience through his work with Gina Spence Productions, appeared in Strictly Matrimony. Shernette Peniston, a librarian who is well-known for her story-telling sessions around the Island, has not appeared onstage since 1986. Robert Wilkinson, who is interested in the work of surrealist Salvador Dali, is a newcomer and this will be his first stage performance.

Colored Museum runs at the National Gallery on Monday to Wednesday, July 19 to 21 at 8 p.m. Two shows are being staged on Friday, July 23 and Saturday, July 24 at 7 p.m and 9.15 p.m. There is no Thursday performance.

Tickets are $20 and may be reserved by calling the Gallery at 295-9428 or Patricia Pogson at 295-5943.

COMING TO LIFE -- Robert Wilkinson and Shernette Peniston in a scene from Last Mama on the Couch Play, one of the "exhibits'' in the comedy, Colored Museum.

It opens on Monday at the National Gallery.