– Nothing to Laugh About goes to Bartica

THE organisers and cast of Nothing to Laugh About (NTLA), the biggest and most loved comedy show in Guyana at the moment, achieved everything they wanted to when they took the show to Bartica recently.

A huge downpour affected the attendance somewhat, but the facility still managed to attract a jam-packed audience that didn’t see the show in Bartica for more than a decade.

Director and producer of the show Lyndon ‘Jumbie’ Jones told the Buzz on Thursday that the team wanted to achieve a ‘Cultural Center’ look and hence made every effort to transport all necessary equipment, though costly, to achieve that look and feel.

The crowd, according to Jones, seemed to be thoroughly satisfied at the performance owing to the feedback that the team received, and even Mayor Gifford Marshall’s request for the team to return before the end of the year.

Because of the enormous expenses involved in pulling off the show outside of Georgetown, the team will not be able to put it on until next year. The organisers aim to take the show to Berbice, Linden, and Essequibo once a year.

Jones expressed that at times he feels as if the team is working too hard for too little. The profit margins, he said, do not compensate adequately for the amount of hard work that goes into organizing the show. But he said they persist because they love their fans and always try to ensure that they give them the best quality of entertainment. In fact, there were about 30 cast and crew members that helped to pull off the Bartica show.

Meanwhile, earlier this year, the twelfth edition of the show was staged at the National Cultural Centre where the crowd was left in “stitches,” a NTLA representative said in a statement to the press.

Signature Productions subsequently decided to select the best skits from the twelve years that they have been in the business and staged the production at the Bartica Community Centre Ground.

The show featured performances from renowned local actors such as ‘Jumbie’ himself, Mark ‘Chinee Man’ Kazim, Michael ‘Credit’ Ignatius, Kirwyn Mars, Clemencio Goddette, Leza ‘Radica’ Singh, Simone Persaud, Zoya Moore, Gerard Gilkes, Mark-Luke Edwards and Jermaine Grimmond.

The show comprised of satirical slapstick skits and stand-up comedy by some of the most seasoned actors in Guyana. “NTLA is dubbed one of the best in theatrical presentations and has only gotten better in the past years. From politics to religion to trending topics, NTLA has it all! No one is spared,” the statement said.

Jones said he is extremely grateful to the sponsors of the show and all who helped to make it a success. These include Banks DIH Limited, Urban Life, Dino’s Enterprise, Pandit Service Station, Auto Spares and Electrical Workshop, Aruwai White H2O Resort, Scott’s Service Station, Ricky, Mayor and Town Councillors, the Regional Chairman, and the Regional Executive Officer, among others.