Paula Lindo – Our histories, stories, present, future.

Trials and Triumphs, the showcase of the Necessary Arts Acting Workshop’s 24^th Cycle, was a celebration and condemnation of the reality of living in T&T. The event displayed the talent of two graduating classes, the three-month Senior Class and the year-long Junior class.

The production featured two original plays, written by Creative Director and veteran thespian Penelope Spencer, as well as a recital of Paul Keenes Douglas’ My Daddy by the Junior class, directed by Spencer.

The first piece, Trials of a Single Mother, told the story of Marilyn (Sarah Da Silva), a single mother trying to bring up her three children Winston (Justin Alexander), Kareem (Nathaniel Williams) and Asha (Jada Jones). Asha is a teenager studying hard for exams, though her song of choice while studying is Gunman in She Hole, which she sings at the top of her lungs despite her mother’s admonitions. Kareem, also a teenager, is being bullied in school, and comes home with a black eye after a fight, which Winston had to break up on his way home after searching for work. Ms. Rosie (Joanna Elias), Marilyn’s best friend, is always trying to cozy up to Winston, who does not see her in that way. Modum (Anton Roberts), the village piper, who is mentally slow, wanders in and out of the house to deliver fruits and talk to Marilyn.

Kareem, fed up of being bullied, buys a gun from a man on the corner and carries it home, where Asha finds it. Marilyn and Rosie come home after doing some shopping and the siblings successfully hide the gun. Winston comes home and Asha snitches on Kareem. Winston leaves to dispose of the gun and is stopped by the police who are patrolling the hotspot the family lives in. When Winston comes home, he explains that while he was talking to the police, rain began to fall and the dye from the fake gun ran on his clothes. Marilyn confronts Kareem who says he bought it from the piper on the corner for $20, along with two bullets for five dollars. Marilyn tells Kareem he doesn’t need a gun, the real power of a man is to fight their battle without a gun. Kareem said he wasn’t thinking of the consequences, but he wanted to kill his bully with kindness. Everything works out well in the end.

Five junior students graduated from the year-long programme, Renyssa Watson, Chelsea Holder, Soleil Hill, Chyna Marcelle, Kymani Wharwood-Garcia, and Jarlon George. The five girls, who recited Paul Keenes Douglas’ My Daddy, charmed the audience with their portrayal of the girls in the poem and their love for their daddies.

The second senior piece, De Trial of A Nation, took the form of a courtroom trial. The case being tried was whether or not T&T should go back to the United Kingdom or remain a free, independent Republic. Judge John Doe (Andrei Pierre), presided over the courtroom, with the assistance of the Bailiff (Marcus Neisha).  The judge said the case had the country divided.

The piece featured Sarah De Silva as Jury Foreman, Anton Roberts as Jury Foreman, Marcus Nesha as Bailiff, Leandra Head as the Defense Lawyer, Kerina Peters as the Prosecuting Lawyer, Kemba Godson-Phillips as the Politician, Justin Alexander as Businessman, Gabrielle Alleyne as Ma,  Anna-Lisa Wickham as Madam Culture, Audrey Holder as Gallery Person 1, Lysanne Chan-Attong as Gallery Person 2, Emily D’Abreau as Gallery Person 3, Jada Jones as Gallery Person 4, and Nathaniel Williams as Gallery Person 5.

The first prosecution witness was a politician who advocated for T&T to return to the monarchy. She said this was because it was easier to be corrupt under the monarchy than the current administration. She had to be physically ejected from the courtroom. Anna-Lisa Wickham gave a spectacular turn as Madame Culture, a red-bele-skirt wearing and dancing catalogue of the cultural aspects of the country. She gave a rundown of the history of T&T from a cultural perspective, and asked why T&T would want to be governed by the people currently in charge of the UK. The Prosecution’s next witness was the businessman, who argued for returning to the monarchy because customers are becoming too discerning and demanding, tariffs and taxes were too high, and making a business work was just too hard. The final defense witness was Ma, an old, half-deaf woman who said she wanted to go back to before Independence because at that time T&T was an island with a bright future where neighbours looked out for each other, crime was nonexistent, there was less racial tension and the elderly were respected. She was applauded by the gallery.

The judge gave the jury their instructions as to how to consider the case, but the Jury Foreman said they did not need time to consider their verdict. He said having grown up in T&T, he took pride in the flag and the country. The verdict was that T&T remain independent. The judge agreed and said those who say T&T has no future don’t know where to look and that T&T has a lot to offer as it enters its 58^th year in 2020.

The 25^th cycle of the Necessary Arts Acting Workshop will begin in February. For more information, call 334-4787 and visit www.necessaryarts.org.