My Heart Leaps Up
(or “The Rainbow”)
My heart leaps up when I behold
A rainbow in the sky:
So was it when my life began;
So is it now I am a man;
So be it when I shall grow old,
Or let me die!
The Child is father of the Man;
And I could wish my days to be
Bound each to each by natural piety.
William Wordsworth
Words from a poem by William Wordsworth – “the child is father of the man” – assumed relevance in the performance of a recent play on the Guyanese stage. Significantly, these words from the nineteenth century come to the fore in the wake of World Poetry Day, celebrated last week on March 21.
The play in question was “Secrets (Father of the Man)” by Paloma Mohamed, produced and directed by Simone Dowding, performed earlier this month (on March 3) in honour of its status as a play that won the Guyana Prize for Drama in 2002. It was staged during the Guyana Prize Literary Festival and was part of the continuing initiative from Minister of Culture Charles Ramson, which ensures that the Guyana Prize winning plays, many of which have been lying on the shelf, get to be seen on stage. The ministry provides all the funding for these productions while the producers and performers get, not only the payment of production costs, but all the income from ticket sales.
Under this scheme, the play had its premiere performance some 20 years after it was written and won the Prize. The playwright Mohamed remarked on this 20-year gap several times in her “Author’s Note” in the printed programme. She was, up to 2009, one of the foremost dramatists in Guyana with several successful productions on stage, but since then has set her focus more seriously on her academic duties; she is now Vice-Chancellor of the University of Guyana. Significantly, she wrote that she doubted her thinking around the issues engaged in the plot remain the same in today’s world 20 years later, and regretted that she could not revisit or revise the play.
Arising from this, the play was given a new title: “Secrets”; it was originally named “Father of the Man”. Also, the ending was changed, and this became significant in the way the play was handled by director Dowding.
The original title comes from Wordsworth in the poem above, “My Heart Leaps Up” (also called “The Rain-bow”) written in 1802 during the rise of Romanticism in poetry. It is indeed a romantic statement expressing nature as a guiding and sustaining spirit acknowledging the forces and the manifestations of “natural piety” as a ruling principle in the life of mankind. The poem recalls childhood reverence and joy at the sight of a rainbow, a consciousness of existence, which is sustained throughout life; the grown man is actually taught this by the child. It is a lifelong lesson which the child did not have to be taught, but which needs to be learnt by the man.
This play takes the audience, then, from Romanticism 200 years ago to the present and existentialism. It addresses the life cycle, set in an old people’s home in Georgetown, and takes on the idea of aged people at a time when they are in need of care and protection, but at a time when they would have covered life experiences and would have untold secrets that they themselves protect. As it happens, some of these secrets arise from the present or recent actions. This is represented in the plot by what is contained in a box hidden under the bed or in the nefarious excursions, stealing out of the home to go on the streets, pretending to be blind beggars to earn money for Samuel (Gregory Eastman) an employee of the home.
These intrigues end in murder, a kind of tragic outcome of actions which were represented by a lurking figure or symbol that could be that of death. This character lurks in the shadows and eventually comes to the fore in the end, as a child.
All of these concepts, however, while discernable, were not clearly brought out by the director. The techniques used did not succeed in making revelations about the meaning of the play, resulting in some degree of vagueness. The production was quite slow, with some scenes dragging a bit.
Among these strategies was the representation of the probable figure of death or the foreshadowing of it. This was played by “The Boy” (Shannon Edwards) who did not work as that symbolic figure, did not have the sinister presence and was not able to make any clear statement, or to be helpful to the audience. In addition, the Matron (Patricia Marks) lacked effectiveness. There were instances of faulty projection and character representation.
The lighting was one of the play’s strategies to reveal mood and meaning. It was always quite colourful with thought given to changes and variation, but it was at times uncertain and often a bit too dark with shadows covering the faces of actors.
This was played on a very good set that was, however, dedicated realism in a play that was significantly symbolic. It was very detailed and well used, taking care to define everything of the structure of the home. There was obviously close attention paid to the theatrical elements. Costuming was well thought out, resulting in believable characters and contributing to a finished production. The same may be said of make-up, as there was the need for character types as well as ageing.
These were supported by some examples of outstanding acting in lead roles like that of Marisa Morgan-Bonie in the part of Mrs Lall, one of the more prominent residents of the home. It was a character role excellently articulated by Morgan-Bonie that brought some life to the stage and defined one of the important roles in this drama. Then there was Frederick Minty as the play’s hero, Mr Grail. Minty brought out every aspect of this character, including his moments of deception as a man with secrets. His gift for the comic side helped to liven the play as well as demarcate plot and character. Paul Budnah provided additional entertainment in his very convincing portrayal of Mr Lall. It was credible and demonstrated one of the successes in the play with a very competent supporting role.
The other supporting roles were Ms Glory played by Sheron Cadogan-Taylor, an actress of proven competence who fitted in quite well here. Other players were Shellon Corlette as Nurse Claire, and Brandon Singh as Mr Ramirez.
Dowding’s production of “Secrets (Father of the Man)” very effectively performed its role of bringing to life a Guyana Prize winning play on stage. It rekindled memories of a 20-year-old drama and that was the very idea. These plays that might not have been heard of for a very long time, now have a chance to be seen.
The playwright remarked, “I hope it makes us all reflect upon the fact that every elderly person was once young, lived a life as best they could with important impacts and consequences”.
