Hayden Forde and his Gemstone Theatre Productions have kept the banner of local theatre flying, despite the increasing difficulties facing all St. Lucian drama producers and directors.
The difficulties include location of suitable venues and equipped stages, rising costs of production, supportive patrons and finding personnel committed to the demanding tasks of theatre production.
But playwright and director Hayden Forde has kept on. (He has also been working on a publication of his plays which will be welcomed when it appears.)
The latest offering of Gemstone Theatre was a tribute to the late poet and playwright (among other things) Gandolph St. Clair, who died in February.
In association with the Cultural Development Foundation (CDF) and at the Civil Service Association (CSA) Centre on August 3rd and 4th, this long-lived drama group presented a selection of readings of Gandolph’s poetry and his one-act play “Guess who came to visit the doctor,” written in 1978 – six months after Gandolph’s departure from this earthly home.
The poets — John Robert Lee, Felicia Montoute, ShaelaMenal and Anthony “Tree-C” Avril — read and recited from Gandolph’s last published collection “The Calabash Tree,” published in 2016.
They represented a variety of reading styles and the poems reflected the wide range of St. Clair’s themes and forms.
The award-winning play, written and performed in New Jersey and Port of Spain in the 1970’s, was generally well presented by an ensemble-tight cast featuring Miranda Austin, Kazia James, Andricia Octave, Anthony Martin, Kristina Daniel and ShanikMayers.
The humour of the drama was balanced by the always current issues of men-women relationships that provided the topics of discussion between the characters waiting to see the doctor.
The final denouement was well and sensitively played out between the receptionist Angie (Kazia James), the unnamed woman (Kristina Daniel) and the doctor (ShanikMayers). Mayers, with no lines, but through expressive gestures that summed up the finale, played an accomplished cameo role.
Among a cast that interacted very well, Miranda Austin as the loud Mrs. Bertram (and sporting a strong Guyanese accent, which gave an added dimension to the play) showed herself a strong and talented actress.
Congrats to Hayden Forde, his committed players and behind-the-scenes management team that made the evening a pleasant success.
Both nights saw a healthy turnout at the CSA Centre.
We understand that discussions are being held with the cast about a re-staging.
It will be worth seeing by new audiences.