Tanya Batson-Savage, Freelance Writer
A scene from the Christmas Musical Show, "Into The Woods", which played at the Ward Theatre in December 2004. - WINSTON SILL/FREELANCE/PHOTOGRAPHER
THE YEAR 2005 has ended and with it the first half of the first decade of the 21st century. In the face of new breakable resolutions it becomes a time to look back, to see how far we came, whether we got to where we wanted to go, and especially to evaluate whether this year is the time to venture down the road not taken.
So today, The Gleaner takes a glance over 2005's theatrical offerings. There were over 30 dramatic and dance productions over the course of 2005, yet it may have been a significantly insignificant year in theatre. Indeed with the passing of Boxing Day, which has come to mean much more than reheating leftovers from Christmas dinner excesses, the 2006 season appears off to a reasonable year.
Four new productions opened on Boxing Day: Zuzumacca (the national pantomime) at the Little Theatre, Hot Spot at the Little Little Theatre, Class of '74 at Centrestage Theatre, and True Colours at Pantry Playhouse. This however means that there are two fewer new plays at the start of 2006 than at the start of 2005.
FAILED ATTEMPTS
However, as Jamaica to Rhatid continues to play at The Barn Theatre it means that most of the major theatrical spaces are engaged. It remains significant however that The Ward theatre is not one of those spaces. The Year of the Ward, which attempted to revamp the lady now fallen on very hard times, has essentially failed.
It hasn't been said, but the echoing silence about its future screams it. The continued violence in the country, much of which remains centred in the inner city, continues to secure that lack of a future. The idea that a revamping of the Ward theatre might well help to resuscitate Kingston goes the way of grains on stony ground. But in 2005 there was still some effort to revamp the space with the offering of Steven Sondheim's satirical fairytale Into the Woods.
Alas the production merely confirmed that revamping the Ward itself be a fairytale and there is no pixie dust among the rubble of its great past. The passing of the Ward, when we eventually admit to it, is a sad thing for Jamaican theatre.
At the launch of Class of '74 early last month, Lenford Salmon remarked that theatre remained "the poor cousin of the arts". It was no exaggeration, and that is the crux of the matter.
In 2005 Jamaican theatre continued to attempt to juggle the possibility of earning ground as a real business while still doing the task of theatre - that is to give an artistic representation of life. At the launch, Jambiz announced major sponsorship by Jamaica National, once again signalling that they had done the very hard task of convincing corporate Jamaica that theatre can reap monetary reward.
GUT-BUSTING PERFORMANCES
Theatre's inability to garner commercial support is a part of its being relegated to poor relation status. With Class of '74, written by Patrick Brown and directed by Trevor Nairne, Jambiz sticks with the formula (as far as could be gauged from the launch) that has worked for its Christmas productions for years. It offers up gut busting fun with Oliver Samuels and Glen Campbell once again at the laugh-a-minute helm.
Some would argue that that is what is wrong with Jamaican theatre, too much laughter. Of course, one could just as easily argue the opposite. Furthermore, as many more dramatic pieces have added to the theatrical offerings there is much more than laughter available.
But laughter aside, the space factor, the question of theatrical spaces remains an issue, and it has yet to be dealt with and so it is yet to be seen if director Buddy Pouyatt's call for that at last year's Actor Boy Awards fell on deaf or indifferent ears.
Additionally, summer months are continuing to present what has become a noticeable second season for theatre, presenting a tally of over ten productions which opened between May and August. There were of course the annual productions from The University Singers, The National Dance Theatre Company, and the Jamaica Musical Theatre Company (who this year presented The Wiz). Additionally, there are a growing number of productions which are becoming annual events.
Newer productions have come along to join the more established companies with another cadre of annual productions. Dancefest returned, The University Players continued to stride across the boards of the Phillip Sherlock Centre (this time with The Black That I Am) and the Jamaica Youth Theatre presented their second annul production.
Additionally, Basil Dawkins once again offered a summertime restaging of one of his earlier plays, this time Feminine Justice. Amina Blackwood Meeks with Matters Arising and Aston Cooke with Jamaica to Rhatid brought welcome additions as well. The summer was further filled out by Jambiz' annual summer production, Vibes. As such, though comedy continued to dominate in the Christmas season, the rest of the year presented much more textured offerings.
What was particularly interesting about 2005 however was the number of young and relatively young faces which popped up on the stage. Vibes, coming out of the Jambiz offered up Camille Davis in her first leading role, and Courtney Wilson in a hilarious supporting role. Both are careers worth watching.
INTERESTING WORK PRODUCED
It will also be interesting to see what more comes from Independent Actors Movement, who once again produced interesting work in Tallawah. The return of the Sunday Morning Readings at the Phillip Sherlock Centre may also help to garner additional growth as should the addition of Sunday Mornings produced by the Jamaica Dramatic Artists Association. But in both cases, the real magicians trick, will be sustaining them.
Essentially, the year was by no means a watershed. There was more than enough to laugh about, nothing to really cry about, nothing too controversial but some drama. Additionally, there was enough to suggest that better must, and will come ... The question is 'when?'.
