Guyana has advanced considerably on the Caribbean stage, from being a place where everything arrived last after already established in the major countries, to setting trends of its own. While the technology, the international contact, the serious advancements in high-level training are still way ahead in Jamaica, Trinidad and Barbados, Guyana now has a busier schedule and more theatre than all except Jamaica.
Guyana is therefore now favourably placed among this top grouping in the region. However, Guyanese dramatists are not aware of the unique value of some of the trends and practices that they have developed. One of these was a concomitant factor in the development of drama in the country, and something not quite seen in the other territories. It is something that has certainly played a role in the regional ascendancy and general improvement.
This unique factor is the National Drama Festival (NDF). Yet Guyana has allowed this gem to become inactive. It has not been seen over the past two years. The nation’s dramatists seem to have accepted its absence as normal and appear comfortable with it. The last NDF was held in November 2017 and up to now there is no sign of its return.
But during its majestic six-year reign from inauguration in 2011, the NDF made unprecedented achievements. Its value is unquestionable, its achievement without question, but its disappearance has been unquestioned.
Guyana’s NDF, when it existed, was quite outstanding and unique in the Caribbean. The only country with anything comparable is Jamaica, although that country’s competition and awards are quite differently arranged. For Guyana it was an extended period of plays in preliminary performances at various locations and at the National Cultural Centre, culminating in an elaborate formal ceremony.
It is a national event of the Department of Culture run by the National School of Theatre Arts and Drama (NSTAD). It is a very thorough event based on sound concepts. It has a wide range of competition from secondary school students to practicing professionals. There are five categories – the Open Full-length Play; the Open Short or One Act Play; the Junior Category; the Debutantes; and the Secondary Schools. The schools’ category was incorporated from the national Secondary Schools Competition run by the Unit of Allied Arts in the Ministry of Education. The NSTAD and Allied Arts collaborated on the unity of the two competitions.
These groupings allow for the full range of performers and teams to participate and to have opportunities for winning awards. There are several prizes including for the best production in each category – all the prizes are awarded in each category. They cover the best actors and actresses, directing, lighting, costume, set, sound, as well as a prize for the best new Guyanese play. This last award reflects the developmental intentions of the NDF.
This concept of development is extensive and accounts for the structure of the NDF. It begins with the announcement and opening, which would normally take place in June. At that point, groups and the several locations around the country are alerted to the upcoming contest. Through June and July there is outreach during which the festival’s administrative team visits locations around the country to make contact with persons, groups and potential entrants. There are workshops in some places which offer some limited training.
There is more intensive outreach in August and September when assistants, known as mentors, are sent out to work with groups that may be preparing plays for the competition. The mentors are trained – most of them are graduates of NSTAD and members of the National Drama Company. They are assigned to areas as far reaching as Mabaruma, Bartica, Essequibo Coast, Linden, New Amsterdam and various areas outside of Georgetown. Through the Unit of Allied Arts, mentors are usually assigned to some schools.
Over the past few years before it stopped, the achievements of the NDF were remarkable and substantial, and the future potential even greater. The value of the contest far outweighed the winning of trophies and cash prizes, it included contributions to the development of drama across the nation. One can count the several accomplishments.
Important among these was the outreach conducted by the NSTAD. In this, by 2017 several new or dormant groups in faraway, outlying areas of Guyana had their interest in drama ignited by the visits and the workshops, judging from the number of new, unheard-of groups who entered the NDF as debutantes. This means new drama groups were formed and an interest in the stage was created outside of Georgetown, and in addition to the usual corps of persons and localities.
Additionally, in looking at the many new debutante entrants, one found church groups, youth clubs or community groups, many of whom wrote their own plays. It is important that such groups emerge, since they get exposed to theatre and get some help and training, meaning there is a chance of the emergence of new talents. Going beyond that, is the creation of new plays. Few of these have been of outstanding quality, but there is something more important. These groups, especially the religious ones, turned to theatre for the expression of their messages and interests. That can only be a very good thing for theatre in Guyana.
Moreover, many of the groups that entered the festival with their own new plays used them to try to treat, eradicate, or otherwise deal with, difficult, problematic social issues. Likewise, this is very good for local drama, as more persons see theatre as a means of addressing these issues.
The prize for the Best New Guyanese Play had a purpose. It was to encourage more local drama and increase the corpus of Guyanese plays. It caused the increase in a significant trend in Guyanese drama. Several of these new plays were dark. They delved into some of the worst problems and realities facing the society. They treated with violence, rape, domestic violence, child abuse, murder, and conflict. In addition, they were about sex and sexuality, domestic issues, betrayal and the darker sides of human existence. These plays emerged in the NDF and it was very instructive as a mirror of contemporary Guyanese society. This was a contribution to Guyanese drama in need of analysis, but a noted offshoot of the NDF.
Among the most encouraging developments were those arising from the competition’s structure. Because of the large number of plays that were entered in some years, and the desire to have high quality in the plays contesting on stage at the National Cultural Centre (NCC), plus the goal of regionalism, there were first, the Preliminaries followed by the Finals. The Preliminaries were often held out in the communities and far-flung localities.
This encouraged community theatre – plays performed in localities that the local population could see. Mostly, it was the first time that theatre happened on stage in these places, and a new experience for both performers and audience. Some of these plays were performed at unconventional venues and this theatre was unprecedented. These included performances in Bartica, Onderneeming on the Essequibo Coast, a church hall in Den Amstel, St Cuthbert’s Mission and the UG Campus.
The most remarkable examples were in Sophia and Buxton. Two plays were performed in a square in one of the communities in Sophia, attended by many of the community residents. It was the first time many were actually seeing theatre. The result was first, the creation of theatre and an audience in this unprivileged area, and second, two plays from the area making it to the Cultural Centre. Many Sophia residents then went to the NCC to see the plays in the NDF Finals. This marked another new experience for both performers and audience.
In the case of Buxton, it was the historic revival of Tipperary Hall. Performances returned there after generations of vacancy. A Buxton drama group entered, and their Preliminary was judged at the rebuilt Tipperary Hall. In that way, a Buxton audience was able to see a play in the village.
The NDF also contributed to the simple fact of keeping theatre alive in Guyana. At no other time and place were so many plays performed. This activated so many directors, producers, actors and actresses. Truly, the NDF was unprecedented.
This is not to mention the great sense of accomplishment, achievement and triumph among the winners. That is the grand and spectacular part of it, but there are most valuable gains that resound far beyond the stage.
