Greed, deception, disloyalty, ingratitude, as well as undying love and forgiveness, were just a few of the emotions portrayed as talented young actors and actresses brought to life the pages of the classic Shakespeare tragedy, King Lear. Led by the multi-talented Deborah Jean Baptiste-Samuel, the play, which ran for four nights from February 19, was put on by the members of the Oratory Foundation and staged before massive crowds at the Naparima Bowl. With many Form Six students who are studying the play for their examinations in attendance, the cast successfully took the audience on an emotional journey through situations just as applicable in today's society as they were then. For three hours, all eyes were fixed attentively stageside as King Lear, once rich and powerful, allowed vanity and flattery to get the better of him and was reduced to despair and poverty by two of his three daughters, Goneril and Regan, who wanted all of his wealth for themselves.
However, the third, Cordelia, who was cut out of her share of the inheritance, genuinely loved her father and returned to his side in his hour of need. Loud applause heralded the cast at the end of each scene and many patrons commented and compared the sisters to people in their immediate lives. "Boy dem girls moving real greedy jus like some people I know," said one male patron to his friend. "The sad thing is that the daughter that really check for him is the one that he dissed," he continued. After the production, patrons were high in their praise of the cast, which they felt delivered a commendable performance. "This play was really good," said one female patron as she walked out of the venue. "Not only was the cast on point, but it is topical because there are people who are presently going through similar situations in their lives."
Speaking afterward, Baptiste-Samuel said that her members performed admirably to deliver a production that the audience enjoyed. "Our young people are extremely gifted and ready to put their creative talents to good work," she said. Noting that the play was a part of the Form Six syllabus, she added that the production could not have been staged at a better time. "I insist on doing what is on the schools syllabus and they are writing it for exams so the students will benefit." "We have moved the play from the page to the stage and I think the students have a proper perspective on Shakespeare's plays now." "The timing is good for revision. It was like a living tutorial."
