WITH the Jubilee Theatre Festival behind us, a few vivid observations can be deduced: Guyana is blessed with immense artistic talent; local art enthusiasts have been starved for such wholesome entertainment; and, most of all, such wholesome entertainment, scarce as it may be, is yet to attract the attention it deserves. The Jubilee Theatre Festival ran from May 12-June 12, and featured a healthy mix of short and full-length plays from Guyanese playwrights across the 50-year stretch, including classics like Frank Pilgrim’s ‘Miriamy’ (1962) and John Campbell’s ‘Come back to Melda’ (1957).

With a cornucopia of themes, from, obeah, infidelity, murder, romance, lost dreams and arranged marriages, each play, though staged several times over the years, was instilled with a flare of originality by an enthusiastic group of young thespians.
Despite the rich dose of culture and talent, however, the crowd over the one-month period remained average. Even with Theatre Guild’s modest accommodation of 300, many nights, the attendance left much to be desired.

AVERAGE AUDIENCE
“There was never any sold-out night; we had an average audience of about 60 to 70,” Festival coordinator, Mosa Telford said in an interview. “Of course, it was disappointing because the plays were good. However, we figured it was because so many other events were going on at the time, and also because the festival wasn’t advertised as much as we would have liked,” she added.
But Mosa, who is a playwright herself, admitted that as the Independence activities waned, the attendance somewhat improved.
‘Miriamy’ and Ronald Hollingsworth’s ‘Till Ah Find A Place’ were among those that filled the Theatre Guild, while other plays like ‘Benjie Darling’, ‘Green Card Marriage’ and ‘Sauda’ saw a decent attendance, as did ‘Colour of Race’, which was held in Berbice. Additionally, she mentioned that the attendance at ‘Journey to Freedom’ and ‘House of Pressure’, which were held at the National Cultural Centre was not impressive in comparison to the venue’s capacity of 2,500 persons.
ADVERTISE MORE
Asked what could possibly be done for shows like these to appeal more to a larger group, Mosa pointed to advertising. “I think we can advertise more. Also, it’s the way how you advertise,” she said, adding:
“Many times, I find the ‘ads’ are not very appealing. We have to find creative ways to hook people into wanting to see our plays.”
Moreover, the culture has changed with regards to the type of shows that interest the bigger crowds.
“Serious drama is just not doing it for people anymore,” Mosa said. “A lot of what is represented on stage is what is actually happening in people’s lives, and maybe it makes them feel uncomfortable, seeing it represented on stage. People just want to take an evening out to laugh,” she said.

Referencing popular shows like ‘Nothing to Laugh About’, which sees sold-out attendance at almost every showing, Mosa stated that advertising for that show is well executed.
“Some of those people will never go to see a serious play; you stand a better chance at Theatre Guild putting on drama, which attracts a different audience; older, middle class and also grassroots,” she said.
THE THEATRE INDUSTRY
Then come the issues with the theatre industry as a whole. With inadequate remuneration for their efforts, and insufficient recognition, it has been long the practice for theatre to be but a part-time occupation for the passionate actors.
“A lot of people who would have had plays, you see them and you don’t see them after, because there’s not that kind of support,” Mosa said. “It’s very expensive to stage a play, if you’re going to do it by yourself. And a lot of times, sponsors don’t want to come on board, especially at the National Cultural Centre, with all the taxes you’re required to pay.”
For that reason, she pointed out, there has been a shift from hosting the majority of shows at the National Cultural Centre. Now that the Theatre Guild has reintroduced its Film Festival, she said that more plays are being held there.
“But it’s not really a paying thing, because it’s a place where you come to learn; so you find young people shying away from it. And with the economic times, people can’t really afford to do anything for free; and you can’t be upset with them,” she said.

NOT AT ALL ENCOURAGING
She said that while government support, through the recent Jubilee Theatre Festival, is welcomed, a more encouraging and consistent support system and environment would be a great help.
“A lot of times within theatre, it’s a fight down. We need an environment that will encourage artists to want to do more; make us feel like we are important, and that our work is respected… Culture is a very essential part of a country, and if you don’t support, then what will happen?”
Actor, director and fellow playwright, Clinton Duncan, echoed Mosa’s sentiments, even describing the industry as “an upward battle”.

“It’s not that there hasn’t been any support,” he said. “But there needs to be a bridging of the gap between the creative minds and the logistic minds, because people who are good at logistics may not be good at planning creative events, and vice versa. So we need to get to a place where we respect people for the job they do, and that would fix a whole lot of the issues,” he added.
During his own travels, Clinton recalled seeing many Guyanese who have migrated and are doing well within the theatre industry in other Caribbean countries. “It goes to show, they aren’t incapable, but they aren’t being supported here.
“The fact is, you can’t live on theatre in Guyana, so the people who are doing it here and now, are doing it for the love; and if people are willing to do something just for the love, that should be fostered as much as possible,” he said.
Theatre enthusiasts extend kudos to the government for staging the theatre festival, but said that promises for support for other events tend to be lackluster.
“We need a genuine paradigm shift in how we communicate on a performing and sector level. Once we bridge that gap, we can make progress,” Clinton said.

GOING FORWARD
On a brighter note, those who did attend the Jubilee Theatre Festival are very pleased with the rich dose of culture they have been fed, and have given rave reviews of the plays that have been staged.
UK-based Freelance Journalist, Carinya Sharples, who attended some of the plays, wrote on her blog, Humming of the Bird, that what she saw was not “amateurish work”, stating that she was “astounded by the energy and effort put into the festival by the organisers, and by the quality of some of the writing and performances.”

Mosa said that she has received several inquiries from the public as to when such an event will be staged again. But while there is hope of another festival on the horizon, for now, the organisers and actors definitely need a rest.