The curtains are set to be drawn today when the Prisoners in Concert events culminate in New Amsterdam at the prison service facilities in the ‘Ancient County’.
The compact artistic package, according to production manager Rosanna Lackhan showcases the talents and artistic touch of the prisoners from across the country. Lackhan told The Scene that the events so far have showcased not only artistic entertainment but she noted that the presence of theater in the prisons has brought excellent changes to the inmates’ attitudes in terms of occupying their time in confinement.
She said that constructive collaborative efforts have been exposed where the prisoners are concerned and she noted that the prisoners have been showcasing vital messages under various circumstances.
She said that this was evident when she looked at a two and a half hour production put on show by the prisoners recently in Bartica. That show was hosted by Michael Henry and crafted by playwright Terry Adams.
She said it gives one the impression that opportunities exist for the prisoners’ talents to be marketed and job opportunities created for them to sell their talents.
The package so far has been on display at various venues around the country including Bartica and the Essequibo Coast following the launching of the programme of events at the National Cultural Centre earlier this month. The prisoners will be generating renditions of songs of the 1960s, Indian music renditions of yesteryear, poetry, skits on domestic violence, alcoholic behavioral patterns, drumming among a host of other activities. The event today will start at 6 pm.
Lackhan, who was involved in the arts for a number of years and who has been working with the prison population in the field of arts, expressed confidence that the prisoners can “look for new horizons through the arts with the necessary guidelines in place”.
