BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – A street presentation centered on the theme ‘Domestic Violence, Poverty and Aids’ and produced by Poinciana Theatre Production will be held today (Dec. 4) on Bank Street at 4:00 p.m.
According to O’loughlin Tatem of Poinciana Theatre Production, the street play is commissioned by Gender Affairs, in collaboration with a non-profit organisation known as Caribbean Alliance.
“People are going to see the link among the three, and it is a very strong and impacting presentation by the cast members,” Tatem said.
He said the cast is a family of six persons and would depict that poverty is the basis of everything that happens in the play. “Poverty is the reason for the violence, and the need to be tested for aids and all those things that will occur in the play,” he said.
Tatem, who also wrote the play, described it as riveting and said they are hoping to take it to various villages around St. Kitts. His drama group has been around for 11 years.
Tatem said that his group first started as a school drama club but has grown to include college students as well as teachers. Tatem, who is also an English Language and English Literature teacher at the Washington Archibald High School said that his group has been dormant for a while, but it is now working on productions including one to be held at the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank auditorium on Sunday (Dec. 13) at 7: 30 p.m.
The play is called ‘When Men Talk About Sex’ and it highlights the perception of human sexuality, according to Tatem.
“Is a woman raped because of how she is dressed? Is she asking for it… in a revealing way? Does she have a right to dress how she wants? What do you do with a homosexual, do you beat him up, do you shoot him? Do you…Boom Bye Bye? These are the kind of issues we dealt with in that play. It’s a two hour presentation, it’s very energetic and real issues. There is some laughter, reasons to cry, reasons to get vex in it,” he said.
Tatem said they are going to take the play to other places including Nevis and that persons in Trinidad have shown interest in having it showcased there. Poinciana Theatre Production is also hoping to host about three productions next year.
