From the mouths of babes
-Dramatic poetry competition encourages young to perform
By Kim Lucas
Stabroek News
November 24, 2003
Martin Carter would have been proud of her, the petite child who enthralled a small audience recently, during the third annual Dramatic Poetry and Reading competition at the Diamond Community Centre on the East Bank Demerara.
Nine-year-old Ashley Jaisingh's performance up-staged all the other participants and would have been the envy of veteran adult performers had they seen her in action. Her masterful delivery of Carter's 'Looking At Your Hands' showed a strong comprehension of the poem and she aptly reflected the poet's mood.
Unlike many of the other contestants, Jaisingh's costumes lent credence to her performance, especially during the recital of Rooplall Monar's 'Wash Pot' when she transformed herself from a peasant housewife to the recipient of a much sought after US visa.
The event, staged by multi award-winning actress Mignon Lowe, Director of the Creative Theatre Move-ment (CTM), was aimed at improving the literacy level of children in the Diamond/ Grove community.
Lowe, for some years now, has digressed from Guyana's struggling theatre circles, to cultivate an appreciation for the arts among the younger generation. Her background in dance and film comes to the fore in 'Children's Story time', aired on NTN Channel 69. And the small audience at the Diamond Community Centre got a glimpse of the home grown talent from the fledging rural community.
The children were invited to participate in two categories - dramatic poetry and reading. In the former, they were requested to perform three poems, chosen from 40 pieces all written by Guyanese. In that category, they were judged on the use of stage, speech (voice projection and enunciation), gesticulation and facial expression, mood, creativity and the appropriateness of costumes.
According to Lowe, the participants were encouraged to study and understand the pieces they chose and to create, by themselves, appropriate attire for each dramatisation. Carter's 'Looking at your hands', Monar's 'Wash Pot', Paloma Mohamed's 'Come Fiah' and Lowe's 'Generation X' and 'Frustra-tion' were among the popular pieces recited that night. All the performers of 'Generation X', no doubt understood the mood of the poem to which they clearly related. But it was, literally, frustration for the five judges when the corresponding piece was performed. The young artistes seemed to think that frustration only took the form of madness. So with hair in disarray, faces painted and wearing odd shoes, the children converted seriousness into hilarity.
However, there was a consistency in performance for Ashley, as well as second placed Stacy Williams, who also showed tremendous potential. Stacy had won the crown at a previous competition, but did not place at the second staging.
But her competitive spirit was revealed once more that Saturday night to earn her the much-deserved second place and, with a little work on her elocution skills, Stacy Williams would definitely be a strong competitor, once more, for the top spot.
Other winners in that category were Nathalie Ramkarran and Bibi Khan, who placed third and fourth, respectively. The quartet received trophies and books, compliments of sponsors Demerara Distillers Limited (DDL) and Austin's and New Era Book Stores.
Regrettably, the reading competition failed to attract as many participants and consequently, only four young ladies were brave enough to stand before the audience. Ten-year-old Bibi Khan and Nathalie Ramkarran placed first and second, respectively. Lowe said that aspect of the competition was aimed at putting reading back on top, since there seemed to be a problem in that area.
"Right now we have a problem...there is a down surge in reading. As soon as they get home, they rush to the TV," the director stated. Very soon she hopes to push a writer's workshop and phonics classes to further enhance the children's literacy levels, but she emphasised the need for parents to work with their children, too.
Lowe said she would continue to encourage reading and social etiquette among the community's children as her group supports the War on Bad Manners. Other activities undertaken by CTM are dance, drama, storytelling and modelling. At present she continues to seek sponsorship for the television programme.
On November 16, the club will host a workshop on 'The Role of Men in the Home and in the Community'. It follows on the heels of 'The Role of Women in the Home and in the Community', which was held at the Diamond Community Centre on July 27. That workshop, sponsored by the Carter Center, attracted resource persons such as Omar Khan, a Justice of the Peace and Chairman of the Diamond/Grove Neighbourhood Democratic Council; Olive Barry, as main speaker; and Claudette Phoenix, of Women Across Differences.
Women at that workshop ranged from age 18 to 78 and they were entertained by the children of CTM, who danced and recited poetry and dramatised skits under the theme 'Doing Something Productive for the Community'. The workshop allowed participants to discuss the way in which women see themselves in the home and after discussions, each group presented their findings.
A subsequent symposium and exhibition was held under the theme 'Women United to work for a Better Guyana'. On October 30, the CTM, together with the Diamond/Grove NDC presented 'Salute to the Elderly', which again featured dance, drama, poetry and songs performed by the children.
Lowe said each child was paired with an elderly person "so that they can do something for [the old people], for example, go to the shop, fetch water". She said such activities encourage young people to appreciate older folk.
Her contributions to community development has earned Lowe an award from the Ministry of Local Government, and on September 28, Philomena Sahoye-Shury presented her with a certificate of appreciation for united communities across Guyana.