The seventh annual Nature Island Literary Festival (NILF) is set and ready to go, member of the organizing committee, Kimone Joseph, has said.
The festival which is aimed at increasing the literary levels in Dominica is set to kick off tonight at 7:00 pm at the Arawak House of Culture.
“Everything is ready to go especially for tonight,” Joseph DNO on Friday. “We are very excited about The Ruler coming back and we are really happy that a lot of local talent have said yes and have become part of the project some of them are original cast members from the first showing in 1976.”
The Ruler is adapted and directed by Alwin Bully from GCH Thomas’ novel “Ruler in Hiroona”.
The setting is a fictitious Caribbean island of Hiroona, and tells a tale of the rise and fall of a political leader in the 1950’s.
It has been performed to audiences in several Caribbean islands such as Dominica, St. Vincent, Barbados, Jamaica and Antigua, and was recently selected to be translated in five languages by The French Company L’Autre Souffle.
Patrons can look forward to being wowed by performances from some original cast members such as Dr. Lennox Honychurch, Gairy Didier, Michael Bruney, Severin McKenzie, John Toussaint, Ingrid Angol, Noreen Joseph among others.
“This year the festival is focusing on theatre as a means of Caribbean expression and the aim of promoting literary arts in Dominica,” Joseph explained.
It also celebrates one of the world’s greatest literary figure, William Shakespeare as the world celebrates his 450th birthday this year.
There will also be free workshops on Saturday at the University of the West Indies Open Campus on Elmshall road.
Workshops include; Acting for stage and Screen with Dr. Alwin Bully, Directing for film and theatre with Russell Watson, Reviewing the creative arts with Dr. Shyler Esprit.
They begin from 9:00 am
From 11-1 pm Tony Hall will host the J’ouvert theatre followed by “Issues and ideas” with Nathalie Clarke and Athie Martin.
“After the workshop in the afternoon we are having open mike, we will also have reading and we will have a play in the free afternoon, music, food and we will also have paid plays at Alliance Francaise in the evening,” Joseph noted.
Tickets for The Ruler cost $30 and can be bought at Bulls Eye Pharmacy and at the door.
good stuff. this story won’t get many hits as it speaks about literature and hence reading.