LTM rides waves of economic down turn with Pantomime 70!

Marcia Rowe, Gleaner Writer

Unable to lure wholesale sponsorship from corporate Jamaica, Jamaica's theatre industry faces an uphill battle especially in a shrinking economy.

Most theatre producers have opted for small casts and at times double settings.

But one theatre company, the Little Theatre Movement (LTM), in its flagship production - the annual national pantomime - can ill-afford to do so. Bearing proudly its tradition of several settings with grand sets, at least three changes of costumes for a cast of 22-25 and lights for special effects, pantomime 2010, Blinga Linga, is faced with the challenges of expectations.

But a weak economy will not turn a blind eye to tradition. Can the LTM continue down this path of grandeur?

Testing times

Last Wednesday, The Gleaner visited the Little Theatre, where preparation for the 70th pantomime, was on in earnest, to talk with three of the principal players: costume designer, Anya Gloudon-Nelson; set designer, Michael Lorde; and scriptwriter, chairperson of the board of management and production co-ordinator Barbara Gloudon, to get some answers.

"The inflationary cost of things has made it very, very testing," said Gloudon.

"Our cost rises as things in society, there is fabric for costumes, there is lumber for set, and there is cost of electricity. The cost for running a theatre nowadays is almost prohibitive because the cost of the electric bill is terrible," she continued.

And while this year's LTM has got little support from advertising firms, Gloudon noted that "sponsors will give millions to a pop show with the understanding that they will draw a huge crowd, but that is only for one night. The Pantomime will run for 120-130 nights and it is a consistent attendance of people over a period of time; but the advertising and marketing people do not see it that way, they will put millions into a splash, not looking at the fact that we do a lot of teaching as the people who are recruited each year get the benefit of three months of voice training."

But lack of the desired support does not minimise the requirements of the designers if they are to produce the expected excellence. With its long run, the material used for all the technical areas must be durable. For example, the fabric used for costumes must withstand a number of washes. However, as a result, in part of the financial constraint, the designers have no choice but to recycle items.

"We recycle material, even backdrops; we paint them white every year to create a new canvas, but sometimes the drop becomes so heavy that it takes five persons to lift it. And with additional paint every year, after a while when a drop is folded it just cracks and we have to get a new one." (It is worth noting at this juncture, that a backdrop is about 36 feet wide and 12 feet high; thus, using several yards of duck fabric.)

Gloudon-Nelson also admitted to recycling costumes. Some are cut to become an entirely different piece of costume, like a pair of pants in one production is altered into skirt for another. "But there are some things that I will not touch," these included a jacket worn by the late actor Ranny Williams. So alteration is reduced to using Velcro around the sleeves.

Pricing challenge

Another challenge cited by Barbara Gloudon in staging the 70th pantomime is the pricing of tickets. "While other theatre companies have priced their tickets at $1,200-$1,500, LTM cannot do so. Our major audience is the students ... . The schools have to rent buses and the parents have to give pocket money ... and there are schools who continue to regard the pantomime as a way of the children learning."

This target group puts a cap on the pricing of LTM tickets, and like all productions, cast and crew are paid from box office receipts. So, while acknowledging the sacrifices of the cast in giving up their time for three months of intense rehearsals, Barbara Gloudon stated "Remember we are a voluntary organisation." Cast and crew are not paid at market rates, "but are given travel concession, and so on as this is how the Little Theatre started out."

But for Gloudon-Nelson and Lorde "It is a labour of love". You do it because you enjoy it, and to keep tradition going," Gloudon-Nelson added.

Not only does the LTM production team have to find creative ways to cut back on the cost of sets and costumes but also on some directorial decisions, like, instead of using several persons to achieve a visual objective, they have opted to rely on technology (with the help of friends and relatives) that will engage the use of one person.

And despite the challenges, LTM strives to get by with this year's labour of love, Blinga Linga. The pantomime promises to be just as spectacular as previous ones. The production team has set its standards and its objective is not just to overcome the low economic waves but must "beat their last wow".

Students should expect the usual quaint names for the characters such as Don Dada, Washie and, of course, Blinga Linga and her fashionable dog called Sparkle, along with some creative setting like in a mall.