SUNDAY

Strum, strum, strum. An old woman spreads out in a chair, in de gallery for everyone to hear. It is Gladys on de cordless phone, tellin’ she friend Mavis what goin’ on: “Do not sit down; yuh have bad hemorrhoids. My advice to you is take Epsom salts—at least that’s what mih gyul Betsy said. By the way, ah have de bananas Mr. John send to help wid de problem.” She clicks over to the other line: “Mornin’ pastor, what’s happening?” Under her breath: “Look Janet dry-up husband wobblin’ and Mabel daughter chile facially challenge.” To the pastor: “No, I didn’t know gossiping was a sin. Sannimannitae.” While Nikki Crosby “don’t talk people business,” she does excel at depicting the vibrancy of Caribbean people through humor. She and the six other comedians taking part in this year’s Caribbean Comedy Festival are masters of a lively oral tradition: At last year’s festival, Sprang-A-Lang blended satirical political commentary with the latest news from Trinidad and Tobago, Ken Corsbie made fun of the “proper” attitude tourists have when they go to Guyana, and John Agitation told the story of an old man on the bus who offered his lap to a young woman who was standing. Tonight, producer Von Martin brings them together again, adding comedians Amina Blackwood-Meeks, Tommy Joseph, and Trevor Eastman and extempo-singing calypsonians Relator and Gypsy to the bill to help celebrate the dynamic spirit of Caribbean culture with laughter. At 7 p.m. Sunday, June 27, at Howard University’s Cramton Auditorium, 2645 6th St. NW. $25. (202) 806-7199. (Ayesha Morris)