From the Chronicle Christmas Annual 1966 - A Special for the year of  Guyana's independence.

Theatre in 1966

By Playboy

The year 1966 will go down as the year when the theatre in Guyana became established as a movement with the support of the masses.

Whether the show was a patriotic pageant to mark Guyana's independence, or a serious philosophical work like Jan Carew's "University of Hunger," or a strange-looking and even stranger-sounding opera like Bertolt Brech's "Threepenny Opera," audiences flocked to see them in their thousands.

The Theatre Guild of Guyana Ltd., the group which is an amalgam of nearly all the amateur dramatic companies in Guyana, now confidently advertises in advance two weeks runs for all its shows staged in the "Playhouse." In spite of its almost total involvement in the functions to make the visit of Her Majesty the Queen and Prince Philip, and, later, in many functions celebrating Guyana's attainment of independence, the Guild has been able to maintain its annual average of six presentations during 1966. One presentation, the first for this year, was an evening of three one-act plays, all Guyanese, the three prize winners of the Guild's playwriting competition the year before. The plays were: "Dhanwattie" by John Campbell, a suspenseful recreation of one of Guyana's most sensational ritual murders; "Fo' Bettin' or Worse," by Sheila King - an amusing tale of matrimonial double crossing; and "The Dead Son," the first prize-winner by Victor Ramraj - a well constructed play with some fine characterisation.

There were two other Guyanese plays during the year - "Guyana Legend" by Ricardo Smith, a full length musical play, and Jan Carew's "University of Hunger," a hard-hitting, brittle work about a jail break. Coincidentally, both "Legend" and "University" were based on actual occurrences in Guyana. Smith used the story of the love of a slave owner for his mulatto slave and his eventual marriage to her as a major flashback pointing the play's racial harmony moral. Carew based his play around a real life jail break which occurred here some years ago in which a prison warder was killed.

The year's children's production was "Toad of Toad Hall", a brilliant fantasy well acted and beautifully costumed. The other two adult productions were Bertolt Brecht's "Threepenny Opera," and "Send Me No Flowers," an American comedy, "Threepenny Opera" was a fine mixture of international talents. The opera was written by the satirist, Brecht, and the music by Kurt Weill, both of whom were Germans. The opera was adopted from the English 18th Century "Beggars Opera." The Theatre Guild production changed the setting from London's Soho to Georgetown's own, Tiger Bay district. The adaptation by Frank Pilgrim and Peter Anderson sharpened Brecht's satirical barbs for Guyanese audiences.

Apart from these Theatre Guild productions there was steady activity from the Georgetown Dramatic Club and the Dramatic Core - the latter particularly in the country districts. Perhaps the most ambitious of these productions was Francis Farrier's "Gaylandia," a folk opera which ran for one week at Georgetown's City Hall before touring the countryside.

In the midst of all this amateur dramatic activity much new talent has come to the fore, and some talent has come into full bloom.

Clairmonte Taitt, who has a long career as a supporting actor until 1965 when he emerged as a heroic lead in "The Fantastics" and "A Raisin' in the Sun" has practically dominated the local stage during 1966. He played one of the major singing and acting roles in "Guyana Legend," the lead in "University of Hunger," and again in "Threepenny Opera" took the singing and acting lead as 'Mack the Knife.'

Robert Naraine graduated from the Junior section of the Theatre Guild (although he played Toad in "Toad of Toad Hall"), and appeared as a leading dancer in "Guyana Legend," took the major supporting role in 'University of Hunger' - a sensitive, serious portrayal, sang the theme song in "Threepenny Opera," and took a small part in "Send Me No Flowers."

Beverly Ann Rodrigues was perhaps the major find of the year. She was outstanding in her only appearances opposite Clairmonte Taitt in "University of Hunger." Their scene together, a lengthy, emotional argument, was a show-stopper on the opening night of the play.

Marguerite Lynch was another new find. She played the singing romantic lead in "Guyana Legend," and was "Polly" in "Threepenny Opera." Her quarrel scene with Dhanie Duff, another discovery, in this play was another dramatic highlight of the year.

Evelyn John, long a favorite on the concert stage, came into her own as a character actress in "The Threepenny Opera."

Campton Pooran, who had been absent from the stage for nearly a decade, made a fine singing and acting reappearance as Mr. Peachum, also in "The Threepenny Opera."

"Send Me No Flowers" saw other welcome returns: Yonette (D'Andrade) Thorgenson as the leading lady, and an outstanding character portayal by Guyanese playwright Slade Hopkinson, who has returned home after many years abroad. This same play also helped to reassure many who had thought that the expatriate community was deserting the theatre. Four major parts went to them and they were all excellently done by Collin Cornes, Hal Pattison, Peter Mansell, and Keith Tisshaw - no stranger to Guyanese audiences.

The best element in the drama for the year was the dancing in "Guyana Legend." Trinidadian choreographer Beryl McBurnie, who was in Guyana to assist Patricia Anderson with the dances for the independence celebrations, choreographed the dances for this show. The opening yard-room scene with its yard-room brawl was one of the most exciting dance sequences ever seen in Guyana.

It would be hard to single out the best production. Ricardo Smith and Jan Carew both chose to produce their own plays, and the result was that they were both reluctant to do any cutting. Smith's "Legend" was a far more complicated production, however, and he marshaled his enormous cast, including the Woodside Choir, the Theatre Guild Dance Group, the Pelicans Steel Band, the Symphony Orchestactors and crowds of children exceptionally well.

Eileen McAndrew's "Toad of Toad Hall" production as was easily the most slick of all her Junior Guild presentations.

Graham Jones "Threepenny Opera" was another difficult production as regards cast, singers, orchestra. It was well done.

"Send Me No Flowers" saw the Guyana debut of Frank Barnhart as producer - a highly competent well done job.

Guyana's theatre movement is in a healthy condition, but there is a danger of the movement becoming too self-centered and insular. Guyanese actors, actresses, and producers must be given the opportunity to travel abroad to see how the theatre movements of other countries are developing. Perhaps a Caribbean tour can be arranged with two or three plays being taken to the islands. In turn, theatre groups from Trinidad, Jamaica, and Barbados should be encouraged to come to our country for short seasons.

The Theatre movement in Guyana has gone far during the last four years, but we have a lot further to go.