-Creighton quits as Chief Judge of Drama Festival

CHIEF Judge of the National Drama Festival, Al Creighton, has quit the post because of a slew of criticisms that followed the recent conclusion of the event.

In a letter appearing in today’s Guyana Chronicle, Creighton said: “I will therefore not be continuing in that capacity. In addition, I will not endure assaults on my professional ability and integrity. I will not continue as a member of the judging panel.”

The results of the National Drama Festival, announced at the National Cultural Centre two Mondays ago, were viewed as flawed and biased by some who had participated in the festival; and one actor had even called for the removal of Creighton.

Creighton had previously told this newspaper that he was ready to defend the judging of the competition, and that the results were fair. (See letter on page 6)

Ron Robinson’s play, “Miriamy”, won the first place, and was tied with “The Legend of the Silk Cotton Tree”, directed by Sonia Yarde. The second place prize was given to “The Legend of the Silk Cotton Tree”.

Speaking with the Chronicle, actress Sheron Cadogan-Taylor, who entered the competition with “Till ah find a place 1”, which won her third place, said this year’s festival was the worst of all.

“We have had differences of opinion and incidents of bias in the past, but this year it was so blatant and disrespectful it’s beyond anyone’s imagination for a festival, one that should be nationally acclaimed based on standards and credibility,” she said.

Taylor said it has become laughable that the NDF cannot even attract viewers to the National Cultural Centre anymore, despite entry being free of charge. This, she opined, is a result of the populace losing confidence in the festival. “If they get one thing right this year, they get ten things wrong the next; and deliberately so,” she said.

“I have handled every unfair decision meted out against me in the past with dignity and decorum, not even speaking anything negative against the festival or the judges; but I am afraid that it was my mistake, because they seem to have taken me for granted, as clearly depicted in this year’s results. I will, however, continue to write, direct and produce, but I would not be a part of the festival until I can be sure that drastic changes have been made to ensure fairness, credibility, and all other requisite components befitting a national festival are in place,” Taylor said.

Another actress, Leslyn Bobb-Semple, told this newspaper that it was time for the entire NDF committee to have a new set of members. She, too, accused Creighton of micromanaging each play, contending that there are other judges who would be sitting at the same table but not saying a word. “Sometimes you hear people whispering, ‘Did he just watch the same play I did?’…He comes across as biased, and has favourite plays that were worse than some others that made it to the finals. And this is like a slap in the face,” Bobb-Semple said.

Saying she is very hurt that she had put a lot of work into her plays but this has not been acknowledged, Bobb-Semple said it is her belief that the person at the helm of all of this is the Chief Judge. “And I would like to put in a request for his removal, since it seems to me that his professional views on theatre have been compromised,” she said.

Debunked
Creighton has, however, debunked Sheron Cadogan-Taylor’s assertion, deeming it a hasty conclusion. “From the very beginning of the NDF, it has never attracted large multitudes. Houses have always been small, and numbers have certainly not declined. This year, 2016, showed low turnout for the preliminary rounds at the NCC but an increase in numbers over 2014 and 2015 for the finals,” he said.

“What is more important (is that) preliminaries were held at other venues outside of the NCC and out of Georgetown. Some of those showed large numbers turning out, which were unprecedented in places like the Sophia Community Centre, Kuru Kuru and other places,” Creighton said in his letter.

He added that large, very supportive crowds came from the communities to support their plays in the Finals at NCC; e.g. from Sophia, Parika and St. Cuthbert’s Mission. The NDF monitored these, and has evidence, he disclosed.

He also asked whether anyone had done a survey to show that low audience numbers had resulted from confidence being lost in the festival; and wanted to know what evidence had indicated this.

Several other allegations and comments raised by the disgruntled actresses were addressed by Creighton in his letter.

In short supply
Creighton says it needs to be observed, by the way, that despite the generality of the accusations, they arise from the final placings in only one out of the five categories in the NDF – the judging is attacked in the Open Full-Length.

“But the judging panel used a system of evaluation. What system was used by those who question them? What makes their system better? Were they able to see their own plays and objectively compare them with all others in the category? Can they, as the judges are able to do, point out exactly what was comparatively better or worse among all the plays?” he asked.

He contends that persons qualified and available to be judges are in fairly short supply, and noted that not many are ready to put in the sacrifice and time demanded by the thankless task of judging.

“Ron Robinson, for example, was asked to judge when he was not a contestant. He didn’t do it. However, the Critique Judge has been singled out as the culprit, and (has been) singularly attacked. He seems to be able to influence a panel of nine competent, strong, independent judges who come with different interests and can think for themselves; and (the Critique Judge was able to) impose his flawed decisions upon them. My accusers insult a worthy panel of nine persons,” Creighton responded.

Creighton said he was seen by the NDF Committee as something missing from the NDF, because of its vision and concept; and they insisted that he should judge. “It is not simply opinions expressed by members of the judging panel; it is a specialist role filled by a dramaturg – an expert. And in a festival like this, the comments are given as much for the benefit of the audience as for the contestants and performers,” he said.

“But it seems (that) a bit-too-sophisticated a concept is not well understood, and is used to attack me. I will therefore not be continuing in that capacity. In addition, I will not endure assaults on my professional ability and integrity. I will not continue as a member of the judging panel,” Creighton concluded.