The stage of the National Cultural Centre will see the unfolding of comedic performances tonight through which actors and actresses will portray the sacrifices of the Indians in colonial times as written in three plays by Guyanese award-wining playwright Sheik Sadeek.
The plays, Black Bush, Goodbye Corentyne, and Namaste are being presented by the Indian Arrival Committee (IAC) which is also set to honour Sadeek.
According to the IAC over the years it has been honouring outstanding Indo-Guyanese in various fields in which they would have contributed to the development of Guyana.
And while the awards are presented during the Melas to celebrate Indian arrival in Guyana, the IAC said it continues to use drama as a tool to foster and develop Indian culture and saw it fit to present to the Guyanese public some of the writer’s works and use the opportunity to recognise the contribution he has made to local drama.
The three plays, the IAC said, “are set in colonial times and reflect in many ways the struggles of people as they try to carve a niche. They capture sacrifices, family relations and the will to make better their situations.”
A release from the committee said that in Namaste a young educated girl is forced to abandon her aspirations to care for her sick mother. Despite having a father, she has no choice since his first love is alcohol. While an opportunity presents itself for her personal advancement, circumstances create many dilemmas.
Black Bush examines the challenges the first settlers to that area faced. These challenges overwhelmed a mother who felt that life could have been easier elsewhere.
“This feeling of an easier life may have been in part due to influence by a friend. Nevertheless, the spirit of the father to provide a better life for his family was never daunted. He endured and took risks in this regard. Today thousands have made Black Bush their home and the area is critical in making Guyana self sufficient in food,” IAC said.
Goodbye Corentyne speaks about the phenomenon of ‘town girl’ marrying ‘country boy’ or ‘educated girl’ marrying ‘uneducated boy’. Such situations place enormous strain on the marriage. While the strains are obvious, maturity and wisdom play important roles. What would it take for such a union to be kept intact? Alcoholism crept into the fray further complicating the fragile situation. There is need to make sacrifices but one must view the play to know if they were made.
“These plays, while giving a glimpse of the colonial past, in many ways examine situations that are prevalent in today’s world. The IAC, while honouring Sadeek, hopes that the many salient messages contained within, will provide opportunities for introspection with the expectation that changes where necessary can be implemented.”
The production has many talented Guyanese actors and actresses. The cast includes Michael Ignatius, Rajan Tiwari, Derek Gomes, Sherry Ann Dyal, Rushella Edmondson, Kerrimaria and Terri Phang, Sonia Yarde, Romel Edmondson, Keisha Narine, Narda Mohamed, Yusuf Ali and Chris Gopaul. The production is directed by Neaz Subhan who in the past directed Tulsidas, Dosti, Kanyadaan and Bhagban all as part of the IAC’s efforts to promote the Indian culture.
