‘Zuri,’ a refreshing change

Zuri, a folktale for the entire family, premiered at the Central Bank Auditorium last week-end. Written by Keitha “Naima” Thompson, who returned to Trinidad from New York in 2001 after an 11-year journey, Zuri was first performed in Manhattan, New York at the Mint Theatre Space.

The local production was presented by the Necessary Arts School, whose directors are Penelope Spencer, Thompson and Lydia Ledgerwood.

Spencer and Thompson who have already mounted eight productions from Necessary Arts, which placed social issues before its audiences, say that “Zuri is quite different in this respect as we enter the realm of the supernatural characters and a folktale premise.”

Zuri, played by Monique Lewis, is set in 1812 Trinidad, during the tail end of slavery. It is a simple story of love and acceptance, greed and intolerance which depicts the life of a mulatto boy Daniel, played by ten-year-old Justin Thomas, trapped in the body of a beast, — Fidel Guerra who is placed in an enchanted rain forest for Daniel’s evil ways toward slave children. This curse set by an obeah woman played by Ledgerwood, can only be broken if the beast were to fall in love with and marry that which he once despised so much, a slave girl.

After sometime in the rain forest where Necessary Arts use of indigenous material for costuming of the trees was excellent, the beast falls in love with Zuri, who must return his love and eventually does. The beast is changed to an adult Daniel, played by Keron Leela.

One of the best performances, however, came from the actor who realistically portrayed the frog in the rain forest.

In spite of a small opening night audience, Zuri, so suited for family and a refreshing change from the many risqu? performances, played to increased audiences on Saturday night and the Sunday matinee.

One of the greatest challenges for Spencer, as she directed these young thespians, was an attempt to break all the contemporary mannerisms and attitudes of our youth in order to depict the youth of 1812 and “what a journey that was” says the director. But this is the business of Necessary Arts as the company strives, cycle after cycle to rehabilitate youth through stimulating artistic experiences, during 12-week sessions divided into after-school, adult and Saturday workshops.