– To perform with cast of “ova mi dead body”
Full Hundred, a group of dramatists who performed at the National Drama Festival Finals from May 30- June 3 at the National Cultural Centre, will be sponsored by Digicel to perform in Jamaica and learn from Stages Production. Stages Production is the company who put on the play “ova mi dead body” at the NCC on June 5.
The announcement was made following the staging of the play and the members of Full Hundred were called on stage and warmly received by the audience. The group includes comedian and actor Michael Ignacious and reigning Miss Guyana Universe Tamika Henry. The performing arts locally has seen some resurgence after years of hardship and the investment of the region’s largest cellular service provider top class actors writers and producers will undoubtedly benefit from the opportunity.
The play “ova mi dead body” though Jamaican in origin touched on issues Caribbean people experience and relate to on a daily basis and as such it did not take long for the crowd to become fully engrossed into the storyline of the production. The main character Melcita Senoirs has an incarcerated boyfriend and leaves him to go to the United States of America in search of a better life. She leaves her daughter Delcits to stay with some senior citizens who physically abuse her.
As the story unfolds issues such as domestic violence, child abuse and women’s empowerment among others are explored in a vivid yet comical manner. Though written for a Jamaican audience the cast skillfully integrated Guyanese activities into the production to add spice for the local audience. References were made to rice fields in Guyana and the One Laptop Per Family project much to the surprise and amazement of the audience.
Members of the cast had an opportunity to witness the final day of the Drama Festival and revealed that the talent of Guyanese in theatrical productions is on par with other countries in the Caribbean with more resources. The opportunity Digicel has afforded the Full Hundred will therefore serve to build on a solid foundation in theatre and assist in the forward movement of the arts locally.
-By Andrew Ross