Why one Guyanese poet and actor says he is inspired by society

AT 29, Rovindra Persaud is on the brink of what he hopes will be a new chapter, not only for himself but for all Guyanese creatives.

A poet, actor, and spoken word artist, Rovindra’s journey has been anything but simple. From street games in Better Hope to moving stage performances and spontaneous spoken word poetry at public events, he hopes to inspire other young creatives with his passion, improvisation, and deep, unapologetic belief in creative expression.

In an interview with Pepperpot Magazine, Rovindra shared that while his childhood years in Kitty saw him surrounded by family and friends, his later years in Better Hope, although impactful, weren’t always smooth sailing. “Living in Better Hope was a little different, in the fact that I had to go now and make new friends.” He further added, “We would often make new friends by playing sports in the street; playing games in the streets with the other kids and so on.” Being one of the older kids on the block, leadership fell naturally into his lap. “Me and my cousins, some sort of onus of responsibility was on us during that period for playing,” he shared.

Creativity, however, was always part of the equation for Rovindra. From early roles in school plays to being described as “expressive” and having the gift of the gab, it was clear that Persaud had something that drew people in, and made them listen. The pivotal moment came when Ms. Simone Dowding, a scout’s grandmother, cast him in a play.

Though he joined the National Theatre Arts Drama School (NSTAT), he didn’t complete it in the traditional sense. “It was one of their pilot projects. I never actually got my certification or completion.” But for him, that wasn’t the point. “It was more of a networking and capacity-building exercise. I was doing it for the intrinsic value of it,” he stated. That intrinsic value paid off. Rovindra was a favourite in Guyana’s Drama Festival, winning Best Supporting Actor in a short drama for his role as a pastor in Sonia Yard’s play.

More recently, he took on the role of Jules Pereira in A Pleasant Career, an eccentric piece that demanded both narration and presence, both of which Rovindra brought to the stage. “My character would have served as a transition character. That helped to describe what was happening; set the scene and kind of summed it up.” Though he didn’t walk away with awards this time, audience members and even literary critics praised his performance.

Yet, Rovindra’s artistry goes beyond the stage, while his spoken word’s roots run deep. Recounting how he discovered his love for words, Rovindra shared, “It started a long time ago in school. You’d be making jokes with your classmates, telling each other about their mothers or their grandmothers.”  This childhood game is where he learned that he could make an impact with his words. “I had the ability to string these words together in a funny way, or sometimes a poetic way. Or sometimes a delivery punchline way,” he recalled.  But what he delivers isn’t textbook poetry. “It came from intrinsic feelings; it came from wanting to say something about something,” he shared.

That “something” often involves the pulse of society and social topics. At one event, where Rovindra was just a helper—until inspiration struck. “I stood there, and I watched the programme as it was going on. And I wrote a poem, while I was watching it.” And when the mic opened, he stepped forward. “People were very surprised and shocked. They were like, how could I have written this? Describing stuff that was happening in this thing at the time.” Rovindra further shared that his biggest inspiration will always be his opinions and societal views. “To be honest, it all started from me having to describe how I feel about society,  and some of the inequities presented in it. People listen. People listen, when you say poetry or music.”

Rovindra’s preparation before stepping on stage is immersive and deeply reflective. “Before I am even a part of a production, I need to know, first of all, what’s the tone? Who’s the director? What’s the production?” he shared. And while it takes time for him to fully connect to a role, once he does, it’s an incredibly emotive and immersive experience for the audience. “I don’t ever capture the essence of the character until like one week before the performance,” Rovindra shared.

He described it as a layering process; learning lines, movements, motions, until he can feel the character in his bones. When he played the fool in Twelfth Night, the Shakespearean English posed a challenge, until he approached it like a poem. “I started to apply my poetic skill, and look at the literature of how he was delivering each line. A week before that performance, I understood the character,” he said.

Today, Rovindra is also bridging gaps in other sectors through his job as a Quality, Health, Safety, and Environment (QHSE) consultant. Moving forward, Rovindra hopes to see more young creatives venture into Guyana’s many artistic spaces. For Rovindra Persaud, art is not a role to play; it’s a way to exist. Whether in rhyme, rhythm, or roleplay, his work is a mirror held up to society; honest, engaging, and sometimes uncomfortable. But that’s exactly why people listen.