To make masquerade contemporary yet retain its traditional origins was the objective of a theatre workshop held on Friday as part of the Carifesta activities.

University of West Indies (UWI) Creative Arts lecturer Rawle Gibbon who facilitated the session said the workshop was intended to explore whether this can be done and what avenues to use to get it done. Artistic directors, major actors and theatre performers for the various contingents were in attendance.

Gibbons said that based on what has been observed the meaning of masquerade as an art form is being lost to the younger generation therefore some means of keeping the traditions yet making the meanings apparent and meaningful to young people has to developed.

The content of the session included members of the different contingents sharing knowledge on their native masquerade characters so as to provide basic knowledge about them and to decide what steps can be taken to make them “come alive again.”

Some of the characters for which insight was given are the Laba from Suriname, the midnight robber and black devils native to Trinidad and Tobago and the Commedia Del Arte of Europe among others.