The Republic of Guyana’s annual National Drama Festival (NDF) will take to the stage of the National Cultural Centre for the fourth time starting this Tuesday and running from October 14-22. As it has proven itself in the past year or two, this is a feast of plays demonstrating variety, with some very high standards, and what can be called national representation, with exhibits from stage professionals to amateur beginners and schools. This, and other characteristics, make it both unique and important among theatre festivals in the Caribbean.
This NDF, established in 2011, is presented by the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport in collaboration with Digicel. It is a performance of dramatic plays of all types and different levels drawn from a range of geographical areas of Guyana, as well as a variety of dramatists. Plays and/or productions are coming from the leading professional companies and groups; other groups of players; individuals, some of whom are leading Guyanese actors and directors; the National School of Drama; various youth groups and secondary schools. It is an innovative stand-out among Caribbean festivals, and historically important.
Guyana can count its achievements in Caribbean theatre. The country tends to lag behind the regional leaders in many areas of theatrical trends and development. One such may be technological proficiency. Besides that, most of the crucial changes, the frontier advancements and Caribbean theatrical types reach Guyana several years after they have taken root elsewhere. Guyana’s theatre remains very conservative. While the world’s post-modernist practices and liberations are