by Glenn Tillett
BELIZE CITY, Mon. Oct. 16, 2023
Belize City has seen a mini revival of live theater in recent years by the likes of Jankanu Productions and the Rotary Club, which have staged foreign plays with casts that included foreign known actors, but last week’s staging of a play, an adaptation of Evan X Hyde’s classic short stories “Caroline” and “June and John John” from his 1975 anthology Feelings, wasn’t quite like those.
As best as I can ascertain, theatrical adaptations of “John John”, as it is most familiarly known, have been staged at least twice in the last 3 decades, but this production strays somewhat from that already beaten path.
Titled “John John’s Blue”, the production was the brainchild of Melissa Castellanos-Espat, who found a way to weld the short stories into an adaptation that is reflective of a time almost five decades later when lethal youth violence is unfortunately far, far more commonplace, even if the story of young love that is frustrated by adverse social, political and economic circumstances, and that goes badly, fatally awry, precedes Romeo and Juliet by centuries of human civilization.
“By combining historical insights, contemporary realities, and literary creative,” her handout notes, “… this collaborative effort seeks to ignite positive changes in the southside community”.
It is intended to bring into focus the decades-long plague of lethal youth violence, and before and after the curtains opened and closed, Jesuit priests offered their perspectives in sermon-like lectures. A video pictorial of the many young men from the community slain by the street violence was also shown on the auditorium’s big screen during an intermission.
The play is entertaining, the dialogue and the action onstage by the ensemble cast eliciting several very audible vocal exclamations from the audience. The cast of characters includes several well-known media personalities, a couple young social media influencers and two Belizean music performers.
It opens with a prologue, an introduction soliloquy from “Caroline”, a narration by June’s mother, which is followed by Act 1 (3 Scenes) “Weh John John Deh”, a 25-minute intermission, and Act 2 (4 Scenes) “A gat yo!!”.
The 2-night (Thursday & Friday) run last week is a fundraiser for the St. Martin De Porres Jesuit Parish in Lake Independence, Belize City, and full houses both nights attested to its success. Mrs. Espat is also the producer and director, and she insists that the “presentation explores the dynamic governance of an entire southside constituency and community by two major institutions in Belize City’s Southside”.
Mrs. Espat admitted that she expected the disapprobation of the more conservative congregants of St. Martin’s for the piece’s use of expletives and depictions of violence, sex, adultery, gambling, and other vices, but that the twin ends justified the means.
John John is a young man who is a sports star admired on the streets but who lacks social, political and the economic opportunity to provide for his pregnant young girlfriend, June Blue.
He is enticed by his circumstances into gambling and once ensnared, runs afoul of the law, is entangled in a love triangle, and his encounter with a vengeful, jealous police officer results in a death by violence.
Certainly, its audiences, both in situ at the Bliss Center for the Performing Arts as well as those in the diaspora who tuned in via a livestream, were entertained and thought it well worth the admittance fee.
The script was easy to follow; the costumes, while not evenly adhering to the period, were appropriate; and, while there were a few slips in terms of stage management, the sets were excellent.
The actors were all amateurs but were earnest, enthusiastic emoters who all delivered their lines with gusto.
The lighting and audio were adequately provided, but it was obvious that the day’s record high temps and the capacity crowd was straining the air conditioning’s capacity.
A rarity for Belize, there was a live music score presented by Maestro Carlos Perrotte and 3 other veteran musicians. They opened their evening’s presentation to an incoming and waiting audience with a couple jazz pieces, often provided segues between the two Acts and their scenes, music during the intermission, and accompaniment to the 3 songs performed as part of the play.
It could be argued that the musical pieces were not all from the period, but then again, the script itself and the entire theatrical piece were updated in part. The production wasn’t “professional grade”, but it was immensely entertaining and well worth the price of admission.
“All’s well that ends well,” William Shakespeare wrote 400 years ago in 1623, and that describes this production of “John John’s Blue”, which may not have been quite a tour de force, but will be an icon of Belizean arts, entertainment and creative culture.
The original author Evan X Hyde wisely and generously gave permission for its use, ensuring that the timely message it sent 50 years ago continues to be very applicable, so apropos, and urgently pertinent now.
Cast of characters: “John John” – Avaunt Kelly, “June Blue” – Cristie Jefferies, “Ma June” – Debbie Ordonez, “Beast” – Tremett Perriott, “Salome” (Beauty) – Sharmaine Garcia, “Martha” – Audrey Matura, “Obeahman Harry” – Steven “The Groove” Perriott, “American” – David Morey, “Officer Tom” – Duane Moody, “Rachel” (Beast’s sweetheart) – Indira Craig, “Rachel’s friend” – Mya Williams, “Street Gossips” – Mary Frances Espat & Yas Thalia, “Players” – Brian Burke, Elvis Davis, Travis Flowers, Wayne Frazer, David Maheia, Brendan Martinez, and Jayden Murillo.
Musicians: “Maestro” Carlos Perrotte (keyboard, percussion); Elsworth Castillo (Drums, vocals); Herschel Armstrong (bass guitar); Jasen Carbajal (keyboard); Yas Thalia, Tremett Perriott (vocals).