Bitter Cassava makes south debut onstage

THE message of Bitter Cassava, by playwright and director Dr Lester Efebo Wilkinson, is as relevant today as it was when it was first written 40 years ago.

Recreated for the just concluded Carifesta XIV, Bitter Cassava, which explores the tragic relationships of the “village ram” with two women, will make its debut on the southern stage for two shows on the Independence weekend.

The shows, on August 30 and 31 will take place at the Southern Academy for the Performing Arts (SAPA), at 8 pm each night.

Wilkinson and three of the frontline cast, the “sweetman” Samuel William Blondell (Muhammad Muwakil), his love interests Justina (Tishanna Williams) and Betty Lou Blondell (Ruby Parris), went to the San Fernando City Hall on Monday morning to meet with San Fernando mayor Junia Regrello.

In an interview, Wilkinson said the 1979 play, which deals with domestic betrayal and revenge of a lover scorned, “represents (what is happening today) in a way, but it also does not represent.”

He explained, “It is not representative of, but it represents in a way because we all know what man’s like in this town, and man sometimes have two different households that he is dealing with.

"We don’t support it as a concept, but we present it as a reality and comment on it. We not only comment on it, but we also comment on the very disastrous circumstance that can befall a man and his wife and his children if he persists in that kind of behaviour.”

Regrello welcomed Wilkinson and “his very distinguished cast of most cultured persons" to the city and thanked him for choosing San Fernando for this production.

Asked why it took him so long to make its south debut, Wilkinson, who is a former director of culture and head of cultural affairs for Caricom, said, “We did the play in 2016 and there were several loud, very vocal requests for the play to come to san Fernando at the Naparima Bowl.

"For various reasons, we could not bring it. We gave it up as lost, and when we were asked to recreate it for Carifesta we thought, why not see if we can accommodate a run for San Fernando? And here we are.”

Regrello said the production, being staged by the BV Theatre Project, is a great Independence gift to the city.

Saying San Fernando is the "mother of the arts in this country," Regrello commented on the limited opportunities for TT's talented sons and daughters.

“We need to give our young, next generation, hope and understanding of what the arts can do for you. We have a lot of people coming out (from school) with qualifications, skills and natural talent, but they are not seeing an avenue, opportunities to show where they can go.

“I think the world is ready for us, but are we ready for the world with what we have to offer? Our pan and other indigenous art forms as we struggle to make that breakthrough.”

Regrello said he was pleased to be sitting in the mayor’s chair to provide the hope and opportunities and encouragement for young people,to take this art form forward.

Wilkinson said interest is already peaking in the south and he is hoping to have full audiences on both nights. Consideration is also being given to a mini-run in Port of Spain after the south shows, but this will depend on the availability of the actors.

Tickets are available at Atherly’s and SAPA’s box office.