Rantings of a Lesbian Artist on the Arts

The Arts, in the minds of many, is merged with sexuality not just as a theme explored through the plot but also by the sexual preference of artistes. The Arts seem to attract the homosexual male even in a homophobic country of Jamaica. Without outing any one we can all think of the Dancer, the Actor and the Musician that you know as gay irrespective if the anti gay slur, propelled by the infamous Buju Banton song, that pollutes the air.

Thomas Glave spoke of a fear of being beaten while walking in New Kingston. This fear has projected a defensive exterior of silence amidst passive aggression with a sprinkling of violent responses. And over the years I have watched the voice of Gay Jamaica diminish as there seems to be an increase in asylum and re-closeting an act i propose has occurred after the death of Bryan a Gay Rights Activist with no qualms to speak openly about sexuality.

Silence has become such a major aspect of the community so much so that artist the voice of the nation though deemed to be homosexual spends much time tightening and sealing the doors possibly as a bid to save his own life.

So when the door of the macho theatre space is opened the seats have already been filled and crowd is in anticipation of the play that will begin in 30 minutes. This is one f the theatre houses where the purchase of a ticket has to happen days in advance. Already the marketting team and the front of house manager is pleased that this star choose to join this production house.

Then when the play begins a stereotype of a cas-cas man with many effemenate mannerisms exorcises screams of laughter from those who moments before could not stand his mannerisms and was disgusted by his very presence. And those silent for so long have sat around and watched and joined in the openness that he portrays.

The roots theatre like most popular media seeks to be the voice bearing teh familiar message of its cousin Reggae and dancehall music, spreading the idea that there are things done sexually that are abominations of sorts. The list consisting of cheating, female promiscuity. homosexuality and oral sex while lauding male prowess. The effect of another repression imposed on us by society.

This play can be examined from many perspectives but one of interest is revealed if we pay attention to the characters for example a disguised uptown woman who is using love to control the men who stand between her dead husbands fortune and her life while the other is a woman who has fallen after relinquishing herself to her man. This feminist viewing of the play when juxtaposed with the effeminate male who reveals himself at the end to be the best detective in the force ( an ironically implication as the politicians have been foaming at the mouth because of the presence of gays in the force).

yet the play can be seen as a satire playing whimsically on the position of the upper class women and the way they relate to men either being completely subject-ified or they become so dominant and devious in their demand for what they want. All in all this play opens up more relevant conversation than those being portrayed in theatre that is disregarded.

But I digress

This play with its condescension on diversity hires a gay man to be its star and the audience finds his coarse crass humour to be the most thrilling experience. The employment of slapstick and acrobatics enhance the stinging response that flows from his lips.

As a teacher in high school in St Thomas I had often heard myself ponder about the excessive amount of anger that linger in the mind of the youth. And now this immediate demeaning response sits as the mecca of our comedic experience. But here we are again with the axiom: Take bad thing make laughter. But I hope this laughter will mean something worthwhile and allow this suppression of sexuality find itself to be the peas soup that gives us the freedom to be.

And already I see the silence breaking when on a Monday night the boys have returned flaunting themselves in drag and tight clothes knees knock ready for the bubble that sowed the seeds of discomfort that the actor dismisses with his tool of laughter.

This note is less about the excellent performances of the actors who have transitioned to this unfamiliar style of theatre and shown themselves embedded in this culture and shinning but more so about the idea that the Arts was a tool employed my black leaders as they struggled for civil liberty in the issue of race and the comparison is evident between race and homosexuality.

So maybe this phenomenon of discomfort is in fact a passage a moment for the straight and defensively closed minded to open themselves and subsequently our society to relinquish silence.