The Strolling Players — 2

There was a mild protest from a drama group that The Strolling Players — was not really an organisation in the true sense but the main organiser of the contest, Mr George Rene, paid no heed to the protestors because he felt they were poor losers.

In 1961, a colleague of mine at Barataria Boys’ RC School, the first school I was posted to after graduating from the Government Teachers’ Training College, talked me into starting a semi-professional drama group. I decided to resurrect The Strolling Players after almost four years.

There were several meetings, drafting of a constitution with numerous laws and bye-laws and a whole host of rules and regulations. More than 25 persons had attended those meetings from time to time. Then the hour of decision came — June 5 1961, the day to pay $10.00 to become a member of the company.

Thirteen persons registered and paid the sum. They were Mills Olivier, Gerald Rodney, Joyce Forte, Sydney Best, Frank Thompson, Peter O’Neil, Joan Telemaque, Claude Reid, Richardson Henry, Anthony Rocke, Rita Ashby-Kerr, Joel St Helene and of course yours truly.

Shortly after, at a general meeting, all the members with one voice agreed that I should be the leader but as I mentioned previously, I was terribly afraid of leadership and declined. I nominated Mills Olivier and he was appointed chairman of the Strolling Players.

Olivier was an excellent actor and we were both members of White Hall Players. We had acted together in The Miser, The Story of the Passion, Drums and Colours and Bourgeois Gentilhomme.

At another meeting, it was decided to stage three one-act plays. Two by me — Zingay and Mamaguy and Refund by Fritz Karinthy (adapted to local conditions). Our first performance was in September 1961 for the inmates of the St Ann’s Mental Hospital followed by a performance organised by the Rev (now Canon) Knolly Clarke in October at the Princes Town Community Centre.

The cast was as follows:- Mamaguy — "Lennox" was played by Claude Reid; "Virgie" — Jean Turner; "Rupert" — Arnold Rampersad; "Uncle Gavin" — Vincent Waithe. Zingay featured "Doris" — Joyce Forte; "Millie" — Joan Telemaque; "Sonny"; — Michael Best; "Paul" — Peter O’Neil; "Man-Man" — Freddie Kissoon. The players in Refund were "Headmaster" — Claude Reid; "Waterhead" — Ralph Campbell; "Maths Master" — Richardson Henry; "History Master" — Henry Johnson; "Geography Master" — Peter O’Neil and "Secretary" — Rita Ashby-Kerr. The three plays were under my direction. For the October performance, "Rupert" did not turn up because his home was flooded.

To save the show, I had to play the part. It was then I realised how uncomfortable the character feels when for a short time, he has to put on a dress and a bra. It takes guts.

The St Ann’s performance was a free show and for the Princes Town show, Canon Knolly Clarke worked really hard but refused to take his 50 percent of the gate receipts and gave The Strolling Players all the money — 35 dollars. The big problem was how to divide that among so many players. We stuck to the constitution and some persons received only a few cents.

After that, things just fell apart for The Strolling Players. Once again we took a nose dive. This time for about three years. The saga will continue.

When Orson Wells gave his one-man show of Shakespearean readings in a town in Arizona, only five people turned up. He said, "I am an actor, a writer, a director, an architect, a painter, a stage designer, a cook, a conjurer, a connoisseur and an authority on modern art.

How come there are so many of me, and so few of you?" Then he walked off the stage.