There were recently two theatre productions on the Guyanese stage on the same weekend, standing in contrast to each other in many ways, and bringing to notice a number of significant features of the present time. Signature Productions returned with “Nothing to Laugh About,” directed by Maria Benschop at the National Cultural Centre (NCC) while Kreative Arts reopened its annual productions with “Greens and Golds 4: In We Feelings”, directed by Jonathan and Esther Hamer and staged at the Critchlow Labour College.
It rarely ever happens that a Georgetown theatre-goer has a choice of two different performances on the same night. To go further, it was a pleasant surprise that one was able to compete with the other. Signature is an established professional company accustomed to huge box office successes and it offered “Nothing to Laugh About” number 13, signifying more than 13 years of one of the most popular comedic productions in Guyana. Kreative Arts is a small developing company, several of whose performers are youths and dance students, offering quite a different brand of theatre. “Greens and Golds 4: In We Feelings” was not popular comedy. Yet, the Critchlow Labour College auditorium was filled to capacity, because the show attracted an audience larger than ever seen in three years it was held at the smaller Theatre Guild Playhouse.