There were tears and laughter, joy and sorrow, and lots of applause during the performance of the steelband musical Pantopia, written by Rawle Gibbons and inspired by the music of legendary pan arranger Ray Holman. The play was a shining example of how TT’s history can be told through using the country’s own art forms.

The play follows John “Solo” Henry, a steelpan player and arranger caught up in the stormy 70s which saw a change in how steelbands were seen and participated in the country’s culture. Gibbons drew on his encyclopaedic knowledge of Trinidad’s cultural history to write a story which incorporated the courage of steelpan players who were often shunned by their family and society, the connection to Black Power and revolution, the fights between steelbands in the 50s and the 70s, the initial allegiance of the bands to playing the music of calypsonians, the move towards pan songs and the the negative reaction on the part of the calypsonians. The play also looked at the corruption often exhibited by steelband managers, the move towards sponsorship and the changes which came with that, and steelbands beginning to play on cruise ships and at official functions.

[caption id="attachment_1078519" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Actor Kymani Mc Phie as Solo, a young pan player with a dream of making great steelband music, in the musical Pantopia at the Hadco Phase II Pan Groove Panyard, Tragarete Road, Port of Spain, on April 12. - PHOTOS BY ROGER JACOB[/caption]

The story follows Solo as his rejection by the band’s new management causes him to move to south Trinidad where he is taken in by an East Indian family and incorporates their music into his arrangements, coming up with chutney soca and soca tassa. The family is an integral part of the Ramleela celebration, which was reenacted during the play. The play ends with Solo happy with his old and new families, as his steelband comes to seek him out to arrange for them.

The play was built around Holman’s music, either with original lyrics or some composed by Gibbons as he wrote the script. In total, 17 of his songs were used, with others by the Beatles, the Mighty Shadow and the Mighty Sparrow also being incorporated. The incorporation of these melodies and the words into the play provided insight into the breathtaking work produced by Holman.

[caption id="attachment_1078518" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Jendayi Toussaint gives a riveting performance as Chandra in Pantopia, the steelband musical. - ROGER JACOB[/caption]

Some of the songs included First Love, Pan Woman, Pan on the Move, Pan on the Run, Ray’s Saga (composed in 1961), Sapna (The Dream), and Pan Revolution.

There were stellar performances by Syntyche Bishop as Bazo, the beggar woman/music teacher who guides Solo through his entry into music, Kymani Mc Phie as Solo, and Derron Ellies as Captain. All 11 members of the cast are to be commended, as not only did they have to each sing, act, and play pan, but they each embodied multiple characters during the production.

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