I THINK that the time has come when we can say that the National Drama Company of Guyana (NDC) has made enough of an impact in their areas of focus that, at this point in time, there are probably few people of the theatre-going variety who have not at least heard about the NDC’s contributions to Guyanese theatre through the staging of various plays. They have staged Derek Walcott’s “Ti Jean and His Brothers”, Wole Soyinka’s “The Lion and the Jewel” and most recently, just last year, produced for the benefit of our students who are writing CSEC Literature exams, William Shakespeare’s “The Tempest”.

Their version of theatre is vivid, alive, and rooted in both its own Caribbean-ness that romps with abandon without losing the more formal roots of the Western aspect of its own history. The company functions as a group that operates within formerly colonised lands, having been exposed to theatrical training that does retain some of its European qualities, which, somehow, ends up complementing and working in tandem with the West Indian vibrancy with which the company powers through every performance.

The point being made here, through all my rambling, is that the NDC has proven that it can give us impeccable theatre, and while drama will always be a part of their oeuvre, the company has much more up its sleeve, and it is more than ready to showcase everything that it has to offer to the Guyanese public.

On Saturday, February 2nd, at the National Cultural Centre (NCC), the NDC will be hosting a night of poems, entitled: ‘Musings of a Poet.’ The concept is simple – original poetry, written by members of the company, being performed with all the dramatics and virtuoso that one would receive from a full-fledged theatrical production.

This event is important for several reasons. Firstly, poetry performances in Guyana are still rare enough that patrons should take advantage of every single one that exists. Not only are poetry performances one way in which the literature-starved segments of Guyanese society may be appeased, but it is also one of the few ways in which the people of Guyana may show support for the artists in our country – the performers, the writers, the directors, and musicians – all of whom work tirelessly to deliver on performance night.

Furthermore, this particular poetry event is significant because it features works of original poetry, some of which were written by NDC members during their time as students of the National School of Theatre Arts and Drama’s Creative Writing programme or its Theatre programme. Original Guyanese poetry, of the kind that seeks to highlight the experiences of modern Guyanese youth, is the kind of work that will be held at ‘Musings of a Poet’, and if the youths are the future, then the future may very well be foretold and opened up to audience members who turn up to the event on February 2nd.

Also significant, is the way in which the NDC is going to exploit the wide array of talents it possesses within the theatre arts, in order to highlight the members’ poetic skills. It is an intelligent manoeuvre that is meant to emphasise the power of one arm of the NDC (poetry) by masterfully bringing it to the fore using another arm of the NDC (drama). ‘Musings of a Poet’, therefore includes a number of theatrical elements – particularly those found within the Caribbean theatre.

Therefore, prospective audience members can expect musical interludes, as well as music being used to enhance the performances, the use of dance and other choreographed movements complimenting the poetry, singing and other rhythmic forms as mechanisms for helping to build the atmosphere and mood of the poems, and artistic direction, such as the very-Caribbean element that places the performers right in the midst of the audience so the narrative being told feels both personal and sacred. With all of these elements accompanying the poetry, I am certain that the company will be having significant success with ‘Musings of a Poet.’

The show is said to contain five categories of poems to be performed on the night of. These categories are: ‘National Pride’ (poems about Guyana), ‘Dawn of Darkness’ (poems exploring the more serious side of humanity), ‘Warmth and Affection’ (poems about love and joy), ‘Confessions of the Flesh’ (poems about sex and the body), and ‘Life Lesson’ (poems about social issues). The categories are varied and seem to ensure that every section of the country, regardless of one’s personal tastes or interests, will be catered to.
Also of interest, is the way the company plans on using this particular production – their first for the year – as the launching pad, with which to unveil some of the newest company members to the public.

O’Neilka Bacchus and Deandra Daniels are two actresses, trained at the National School of Theatre Arts and Drama who will be making their NDC debuts with ‘Musings of a Poet.’ The full cast for the show consists of around 20 members, including poets such as Mark Luke Edwards, Le Tisha Da Silva, Nicholas Singh, and Akbar Singh. Tickets for the show can be bought from any member of the NDC, or specifically from Tashandra Inniss on 609-5600 or Nirmala Narine on 626-2746.