Why "St. Joan"
About the article
This is a digitised version of an article from The Cayman Compass's print archive. Occasionally, the digitisation process introduces transcription errors, or other problems.
See the article in its original context from October 1976.
Brought to you by
Actually, the last sentence is closest to the truth, except it should read in the plural, as the whole of the Cayman Drama Society is presently "ga-ga" over St. Joan.
It all began months ago when many members felt the Drama Society should tackle something different - something along classical lines that the actors could "really get their teeth into." You may be tempted to say that the actor's only function is to entertain his audience - in Cayman, meaning a play or a musical lighthearted enough to let one forget the hard chairs and sauna atmosphere of the Town Hall. This, of course, is true. But anyone interested in the preservation of the arts or the expansion of cultural achievement (which happily most of our patrons are) is willing to go beyond that and demand a bit more value for the price of his ticket. In addition, when one stops to realize that each involved individual is donating 212 months of solid, backbreaking work to this play, something worthy of note must be taking place. The governing body of the Cayman Drama Society, the Committee, agreed that George Bernard Shaw's classic play, St. Joan, should be produced in Cayman for the following reasons:
1. Although almost 60 years old, the play is shockingly timely-written by a genius of dialogue and, therefore, easily understood by anyone, except the smallest of children.
2. We feel the religious theme of the play and a young woman's struggle with the Church should interest much of the Churchgoing community.
3. Although considered a drama, we hope to surprise our audiences with the amazing degree of humour, wit and satire in the play.
4. Historically set in the medieval periood, we will present the grandest and most dazzling array of costmes ever seen in Cayman. We hope to amaze you with the wardrobe of brocades, satins, chain mail, and armour.
Finally, as the most lavish and complicated production thus far, we hope you will appreciate the creative talents of our cast and backstage crew, in the knowledge that this group of devoted individuals wants nothing more than to entertain you, the audience, in the finest and most tasteful manner possible. We hopefully look forward to your support during the first two weeks of November when "St. Joan" will be presented in Grand Cayman.
