[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he pulsating feeling of adrenaline whilst performing a theatrical piece that took weeks of perseverance, while the buffering stage lights mask the intimidating audience from my view, danced around my mind on pointe whilst I sat at the National Cultural Centre last week Friday 19 January. I developed a degree of nostalgia since once again I blended into the audience as opposed to enjoying the feeling of accomplishment on the heightened, staple-filled wooden block. But it also offered me the opportunity to envisage what I must have been like as a performing student. The only thing is, I humbly admit, my talent may not have been as refined as the group of students who were performing Derek Walcott’s theatrically witty “Ti Jean and His Brothers.”
I also reminisced on my classroom days of being informally costumed as varying characters from this exact play that many a time is featured on Caribbean schools’ English Literature syllabus. But it was only now that I fully savored Walcott’s original lines, which didn’t appear in my abridged version of the school text. “Ti Jean and His Brothers” uses themes from Saint Lucian folklore, culture, politics, social structures and disparities to produce a plot where the three brothers of a household are challenged by the Devil. Each one, named in order of their birth; Gros Jean, Mi Jean and Ti Jean, are given one chance to evoke emotion in the Devil in return for wealth and peace from the supernatural realm. However, whilst doing so they risk being devoured by the Devil at the slightest sign of anger.
The cast comprised of students from secondary and primary schools and a couple Theatre Arts teachers. According to the play’s director, Miss Kentillia Louis, “For a lot of them it was their first time doing this.” The statement of course surprised the audience because most appreciated it as an exceptional performance from students of that level. Some tourists who were on an expedition to find Walcott-inspired performances on island during Nobel Laureate Festival were pleasantly satisfied to be able to see this play and thought it a first rate production.
Although the original script was used, a minimal prop setting and the inclusion of other theatrical elements made this adaptation a stimulating slant to the classic Caribbean play. In addition to outstanding stage performances of theatre and an exceptionally efficient stage management team, this version of “Ti Jean and His Brothers” incorporated local traditions and art forms. Our local goatskin drums were the only instruments used and popular tunes of folk songs and even one from the Dennery segment were the complete musical element of the play. Papa Djab, the antagonist, made an invitation for other characters from our traditional Masquerade to make an appearance: the cunning goat from the original play was recreated as the Chouval Bois for this version.
Visualization was also given great focus. Although the props were few as mentioned earlier, the element of dance was used to generate the play into imagery. The costume element made an outstanding impression on most of the audience in attendance on Friday. Kentillia Louis later explained that the students had some “creative license” because they all helped to fabricate the costumes. Make-up was another significant element, especially that of the little frog—a small but impactful character in the play.
The “Ti Jean and His Brothers” school’s play was produced by the Nobel Laureate Festival Committee, which hosted a series of workshops and activities leading up to this final production. Casting occurred in September and rehearsals began right away. Director, Kentillia Louis, was happy to explain to parents that although some rehearsals ended late, the students thoroughly enjoyed getting to know each other during and after scheduled practice hours.
