Minshall’s costume making mas in contest

The kings and queens of Entourage Productions and Peter Minshall’s Mas Pieta dominated the preliminaries of the Senior Carnival Kings and Queens competition with both placing first and second respectively in both categories.

They, as part of the top ten finishers, will move to the finals on Sunday which will be a main part of the Dimanche Gras show at the Queen’s Park Savannah, Port of Spain.

In the queen category, Entourage Productions’ Wrath of the Sea Witch, portrayed by Savitre Holassie, placed first with a score of 425. Mas Pieta’s The Power of Love by Sevel Nicholls placed second with 420, and K2K Alliance and Partners’ Le Feu Maman! Le Feu! (The Fire, Mama! The Fire!) by Mary George was third with 412.

For the kings, Entourage Productions’ Zharvakko-the Voudun King of Death, portrayed by last year’s Carnival King, Joseph Lewis, placed first with 400 points. Mas Pieta’s The Love of Power by Earl Thompson was second with 394, and Paparazzi Carnival’s Lords of De Savannah by three-time King of Carnival, Ted Eustace placed third with 389.

Entourage’s other king and queen, Diablo – Lord of Conflict & Terror, and Mother of Dragons – Keeper of Light both placed fifth and will also be in the finals. Entourage designer and bandleader, Varma Leo Lakhan, said it was the third year all four of the band’s kings and queens were in the finals. Still he was ecstatic about the results but said he would not allow it to “swell his head” because results usually changed in the finals. He said he expected Wrath of the Sea Witch to win the prelims but was surprised by the placement of Zharvakko. He said on the night of the preliminaries there were some difficulties with mounting the mas so he did not expect it to come first.

“What was most important was to get into the finals. It’s a victorious time for us right now and we are definitely going with our A-game for the finals in order to maintain the first place spots and to bring the two fifth places up to the top three.”

Minshall said although he was “delighted” for Nicholls and Thompson who portrayed the mas, he was just happy he was able to touch people’s hearts. “It’s not to win but to communicate to the people, to make them more aware of themselves and what they are able to do.” He said while he agreed with renowned opera singer Maria Callas that art is the highest form of human communication and music is the highest form of art, he said mas, at its best, can communicate as highly and powerfully as any other artform.

“I am delighted that the Love of Power and the Power of Love are already communicating in just prelims and a hint here and a glance there, so powerfully and lovingly with the people of these magical islands, Trinidad and Tobago.”

K2K Alliance and Partners’ bandleaders Kathy and Karen Norman told Newsday their team was very excited about the results. Kathy said it was their second queen since forming the band and they felt blessed to place in the top three of the prelims.

“This is Mary George’s first time debuting a queen costume. She did an excellent job, and we are so very proud that she rose to the challenge of portraying, Le Feu Maman! Le Feu! without wheels.”

Karen added that they were also excited to be part of the Dimanche Gras show. “Growing up, we frequently attended the Dimanche Gras with our mum to look at the kings and queens. So the opportunity to move from a spectator to be one of the costumes at the Dimanche Gras, is surreal. We feel truly honoured.”

In order of placement, the following will appear in the finals:

Kings

Joseph Lewis, Zharvakko – The Voudun King Of Death

Earl Thompson, The Love Of Power

Ted Eustace, Lords Of De Savannah

Raymond Mark, Lust – The Beast That Consumes

Ravi Lakhan, Diablo — Lord of Conflict and Terror

Adrian Young, Daddy Jumbie/Papa Jumbie: Protector Of The Folklore And Walker Of The Sleeping Spirit Of Mas

Marlon Rampersad, Cyrus The Great

Patrick Roberts Jr, The Red Dragon Lives Again, Thanks Mr Prime Minister

Russell Grant, Montezuma, Deposed Emperor of The Aztecs

Tekel Sylvan, Christopher D’eath, Winder Of The Spider

Queens

Savitre Holassie, Wrath Of The Sea Witch

Sevel Nicholls, The Power of Love

Mary George, Le Feu Maman! Le Feu! (The Fire, Mama! The Fire!)

Kay Mason, Venetian Beauty

Roxanne Omalo, Mother of Dragons – Keeper Of Light

Krystal Thomas, De Mating Dance

Jonell Dick, Aziza The Guardian of Lust

Kerina Badal, Shamaran – Guardian Of The Horned Serpent

Amanda “Bailey” Mc Clean, The Maize Goddes – Goddess Of Corn and Revival Of Life

Peola Marchan, War of Conquest