From rehearsal rooms to the CARIFESTA stage, the NDC captivated audiences with Guyanese theatre

THE     Caribbean recently saw the curtains close on one of the region’s most anticipated events, CARIFESTA, the Caribbean Festival of Arts. Since its birth in Guyana in 1972, the festival has garnered regional participation and international attention. One of the highlights of this year’s CARIFESTA was Guyana’s National Drama Company (NDC). With this year being their fourth time attending the event, Vice President of the NDC spoke to Pepperpot Magazine about the behind-the-scenes work, the diverse team of actors, and how Guyana was received on the international stage.

Vice President of the NDC, Ayanna Waddell, described preparation for CARIFESTA as simply hectic. With just a few weeks’ notice that they had been chosen and would be attending, the team at the NDC collaborated and worked tirelessly on everything from rehearsals to props to make their performances as captivating as they were. “Preparation for CARIFESTA was hectic, and there was a tight timeframe and so much work that we really had to hunker down. In the midst of preparing for the performances, we still had props to build, sets to construct, and costumes to make. This year was extremely hectic and very busy,” she stated.

As Waddell further explained, the team was determined to perform a number of pieces on stage, with the troupe eventually performing several of the NDC’s well-known works. “The lead-up to this year’s CARIFESTA was very hectic. A lot of work needed to be done, especially this CARIFESTA. From the start we knew we had selected a short period, and we had so much we wanted to do in showcasing drama and theatre. It was hectic for us because we did a full-length play, a shorter one-act, and several other numbers, poetry and short pieces. This was the pressure we put on ourselves because we wanted to showcase ourselves, Guyana, and the range of drama that we have to offer.”

Despite the challenges, the National Drama Company was able to send a prolific team to this year’s CARIFESTA. The line-up featured some of Guyana’s most popular theatre veterans alongside several talented newcomers. This, Waddell explained, made for a diverse blend of ideas and creativity. “This time around, the team was very blended. We had people who would have been to several of the other CARIFESTAs, myself included, along with Mark Luke Edwards, Sonia Yard, and Esther Hamer. Then we had younger members and associates joining us. The team was very blended in terms of years in drama and skill set,” she said.

The pieces that graced the stage included the NDC’s first staging of Laugh of the River, a play written and co-directed by Al Creighton and Waddell. CARIFESTA marked the first time the team performed the two-hour play, filled with elements of drama, dance, and music. Despite the challenge, Waddell said the performance was a success. The NDC also performed shorter pieces, such as August Morning, which the company had only staged once before. Other popular works such as Baccoo and Old Higue also featured. Guyanese poetry was well represented, as Waddell added, “As always, poetry within our ranks played a role. For those who know us from Musings of Poetry in March, we wanted to capitalise on what our members can do. We included several poems from this year’s Musings that resonated with CARIFESTA themes.”

Guyanese creativity and the NDC’s diverse line-up of performances were well received on the international stage. As Waddell shared, the energy from the stage was electric, with each performance receiving praise for its creativity, talented acting, and bold presentation. “The energy was very well received. We had immediate feedback from the audience being there. For August Morning, we shared the stage with a shorter Barbados piece and were fortunate to have a packed house. The audience was invested from the start. They followed the story, found the humorous moments, and were with us throughout the piece. When it finished, they were on their feet clapping,” she shared.

The troupe’s Laugh of the River, which has strong Guyanese and Caribbean themes, saw a smaller audience, but they too were equally engaged. As Waddell recounted, the curtain call saw the NDC team introduce themselves, and again they received warm applause. As Waddell added, “They were taken aback at how we tell our stories through dance, drama, and musicality.” She further shared that, “Even for our short pieces, Old Higue and Baccoo, the audiences were with us. One was performed at a beachside event, where audience interaction was part of it. With Baccoo, for example, Mark Luke Edwards did one of his poems, while other actors spread out among the audience. There were moments of chanting, and the audience joined in. They picked it up and ran with it as if they were in rehearsals with us,” she added.

With the end of CARIFESTA, Waddell says the NDC has returned with lessons learned and new energy, with preparation for their next production already underway. For the NDC and the numerous other Guyanese who attended CARIFESTA, the event served to highlight Guyana’s ability to showcase its creativity to the rest of the Caribbean. As Waddell shared, this year’s experience emphasised the importance of preparation. “The learning experience reminded us that preparation is key. It also showed us how strong and powerful we are when we pull together.”

Guyana’s participation also reminded the team, and the rest of the country, that with dedication, Guyanese rise to the occasion. “When it came down to crunch time, building costumes, sets, everything, everyone was on board. All hands were on deck. The key lesson we brought back is that we are strong together, and when push comes to shove, even in a foreign land, we make it happen.”