Neaz Subhan receives recognition for his memorable contribution to the arts

JUST recently, Guyana’s Theatre Guild awarded several actors, directors, and members of the arts and theatre fraternities who had made significant contributions to the arts over the years and the century.

The Pepperpot Magazine sat down with one of the recipients of that prestigious award, Neaz Subhan. Apart from his current portfolio as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the National Communications Network (NCN), Subhan has a long, rich career in theatre arts, and his efforts have evidently borne fruit, given his recent recognition.

In an interview with the Pepperpot Magazine, Subhan discussed his life, career, and what he believes is the role of theatre in Guyana.

Early life
Born in Peter’s Hall village on the East Bank Demerara, Subhan then moved to the village of Craig, further up the East Bank in 1976. Though relocated, he continued to attend school in Peter’s Hall.

“I had a passion for cricket. I played a lot of cricket in high school at St. Joseph’s School,” Subhan shared about his hobbies as a young boy. According to him, he was deemed the fastest bowler in the team. “I had a colleague who ended up playing for the West Indians Cricket Team. It was everyone’s feeling that I should have been given a chance at playing at an international level, but like everything else, while playing the game, I sustained an injury to my back, and the doctor stopped me from playing the game for two years,” Subhan told Pepperpot.

A chance encounter with theatre
According to him, he developed a passion for theatre by accident. Subhan explained that he grew up in a modest home with his parents, and it was there he first developed a passion and love for Indian music and movies.

He recalled that while he was at school, a young teacher asked him to participate in a play for Phagwah, and that was the beginning of things to come theatre and drama-wise.

During the interview, Subhan noted that the play was a “disaster” but a landmark moment for the school as an Indian play at a catholic school. The students loved it and it encouraged diversity at the institution.

He continued his ambition by writing a skit for The Bishop’s High School during his time there.

Honing his craft
Subhan told us that after he began his working career, he continued to write Indian plays for the entities in which he worked.

Because of his love for Indian movies and plays, he frequently went to the National Cultural Centre to see an Indian play called Nitra Geet and it was there that he staged his first play.

“When I went to stage my play at the Cultural Centre, I was told that you have to book the Cultural Centre one year in advance to host a play the following year. So, I walked away very dejected and the then administrator, Daphne Rogers, she called me and said, ‘Come, son, I will give you a date to stage your play,’” Subhan said.

He noted that in those days, the Cultural Centre was very structured and required that a stage manager go through the script for approval. Subhan explained that eventually, his play was staged, and that set history in motion.

‘To stay in theatre, you have to have the passion’
“You see, you have to have a passion for the arts,” Subhan explained about his long relationship with theatre. “I had the passion. I may not have [it] today like years ago.

Times have changed, and you cannot give up,” Subhan told the Pepperpot. According to him, the theatre industry has also taken a dip, but he urged those in theatre not to give up. He was quoted as saying that theatre has the power to change people, so those in drama school and the theatre guild must continue to hone their craft.

According to him, Government has a role to play in theatre in the exposure of a number of Guyanese artistes overseas, and to his mind, that is a really good thing.

Subhan is also a cultural activist serving as an executive member of the Indian Action Committee (IAC) since 2004 and was responsible for the promotion of mega Indo-Guyanese cultural events since 2018. He is also a graduate of the University of Guyana and the Thompson Foundation/BBC (Local).

Over the years, apart from his playwriting, Subhan has also acted in several plays, including ‘Brown Sugar Too Bitter for Me.’