AFTER an absence of more than 20 years, Mt St George made a thrilling return to the Tobago Heritage Festival on July 24 at the Hope Community Centre.
The village’s presentation, We Tambrin Story, highlighted the origins and mystique of the unique instrument, which has been an integral part of Tobago’s cultural landscape for generations.
Written and directed by Miguel Lashley, the tambrin’s tale was woven in a fictional love triangle, which sought to restore pride and kindle a greater appreciation for its contribution, particularly among a younger demographic. It touched on the issues of betrayal, mistrust, acceptance and loyalty.
The 90-minute play, which comprised two acts, was interspersed with dance, drumming, philosophical titbits and brief recordings of songs that related to specific developments in the plot.
It also paid tribute to some of the village elders who played a critical role in the development and preservation of the artform, namely the late Senate vice-president and cultural activist, Rawle "Ax Back" Titus and Milford Caterson, among others.
Scheduled to begin at 7 pm, the show got off to a late start. But the standing-room-only audience, which included Secretary of Tourism, Culture, Antiquities and Transportation Tashia Burris, the division’s assistant secretary Niall George and Goodwood/Mt St George assemblyman Megan Morrison, were not disappointed.
“Mt St George. That is a top three Best Village production. Well researched. Take it down to Trinidad,” a woman posted afterwards on Facebook.
In the opening act, performers, accompanied by members of the tambrin band, danced the brush back through the aisle of the community centre.
This gave way to a conversation between Jomo (Daniel Wilson) and his best friend Dave (Megueil Phillips), two young men in the village.
Jomo, an introvert, is smitten with Ariel, a beautiful but self-absorbed young woman and a member of the village’s tambrin band. Dave, a self-assured ladies’ man, encourages Jomo to tell Ariel of his affection. Jomo later joins the band as a fiddle player to get closer to Ariel, but does not know the first thing about playing the tambrin.
Meanwhile, Merissa (Shaquan Alleyne), Ariel’s friend and fellow band member, also has a crush on Jomo. But he does not immediately show an interest in her. Later in the play, it's revealed that Ariel was in a relationship with Dave, much to Jomo’s chagrin.
[caption id="attachment_1098902" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Jomo chats with his ailing mother, played by Tiye Ware, during Mt St George's heritage presentation We Tambrin Story on July 24 at the Hope Community Centre. - Visual Styles[/caption]
Jomo is eager to take Ariel on a date, but she tells him she is preoccupied with the band’s upcoming production.
Nevertheless, an excited Jomo tells his ailing mother, played by Tiye Ware, about his involvement in the band. She urges him to take more than a superficial interest in the tambrin.
“Make sure your intentions are pure. The tambrin is a powerful instrument,” she advises
