BASSETERRE, St. Kitts - Education and entertainment merged in the dramatic portrayal of Trevor Rhone’s ‘Old Story Time’ by the National Players Theatre Movement (NPTM) at the Sir Cecil Jacobs Auditorium – ECCB over the weekend from Friday 20 – Sunday 22 April, 2012.
This ‘Bouncin Williams’ production was undoubtedly welcomed by CXC students, who are studying this play for upcoming English examinations this year.
But it was also welcomed by a drama-hungry population that has been starved of full length dramatic productions for some time. One must not underestimate, however, the rising popularity of local playwrights who are presently making their name and who must be encouraged with their pertinent themes.
Jamaican playwright Trevor Rhone was one such playwright who rose to fame in Jamaica through the use of folk drama. He helped to educate the folk by mirroring their prejudices and relationships in creative plots and themes and through significant characters that represented beliefs entrenched in society as a result of a racist colonial upbringing.
Thus ‘Old Story Time’ represented “creative expression for education and entertainment” and in selecting it NTPM must be congratulated
The play is set in a traditional story-time setting with the major character/storyteller – Pa Ben - playing a strong role linking scenes that were often dramatised as he told the story.
As a raconteur/storyteller/griot, Schneidman Warner (Pa Ben) did an exceptionally good job. He was totally convincing in his role, and his body language, gestures/gesticulations and voice tone were totally in sync with his character - even when he shuffled off the stage only to return to give some confidential tit bit and commentary as to how things were playing out.
Unoma Allen playing the other major character (Miss Aggie) was also outstanding.
“Nothing black nuh good” was the conclusion reached by this pivotal character, Miss Aggie, who did everything in her power to convince her son and her neighbour that advancement in life was related to education and association with ‘whites’ whom she saw as successful and “all good”.
Allen brought her personal touches to the character and was convincing as a totally strong “black” woman, set in her ways, never giving up even if it meant resorting to “obeah” to have her way.
Even when Pa Ben tried to persuade her, “Suppose you wrong, think ‘bout that!” and when he tried to show her reasons not hate her son for marrying black by saying “the boy marry someone like he own mudder,” she remained unconvinced.
The other characters in the play did well but were not as professionally savvy as the two major characters named above, for instance it took some time to figure out the true personality of Maggie’s son Len due to his passiveness in the earlier part of the play.
Ignorance and innocence were seen to be the underlying causes of tension within the subplots but fortunately it all came right in the end.
The stage was skilfully arranged to show the neighbouring homes of Pa-Ben and Maggie or Pa-Ben and Len and this should have prevented the numerous curtain closings.
This was a major drawback in the play...drawing the curtain suddenly shuts the audience out and with the absence of music or any stimulus between curtain closing and opening, this suddenly left the rapt listeners with a mental void which interrupted the smooth flow and unfolding of the story.
The only other drawback was the length of the play – over two hours – without intermission, but as Director Bouncin’ Williams explained, they didn’t want to omit any section that could appear in an examination question.
But all was forgiven when the play came to a fitting end and when everyone was able to breathe a sigh of relief on seeing that justice was done. The corruption of the banker (Mc Farlane) was uncovered; Miss Aggie was made wise; the obeah was ‘undone’; and they all seemed set to ‘live happily ever after’.
As in ‘normal’ life, the audience always wants to feel that justice is done, hence when the tensions (though often seen as humourous) were resolved and brought to a satisfying “chordal” ending, the audience left with a sense of satisfaction.
Kudos must go to all who participated in some small or large way as well as to the sponsors and those who facilitated the journey to bring this production to a successful finale.
It is never easy to bring people together who have such a common love for drama that they are willing to make sacrifices without any thought of monetary reward.
We are grateful to those who are widening the scope of ‘entertainment’ in the country in which 'entertainment' had become synonymous to having a performance by an overseas artiste.
It is opportune to send Kudos to Nevis who has just built a centre for the performing arts; we can only hope that St. Kitts will soon be encouraging our performing artistes in this way and enhancing our cultural output which will redound to a better St. Kitts.
We look forward to upcoming productions by the National Players Theatre Movement and I think I speak as well for the large audiences in attendance each night.
