An Evening of Storytelling

Activity: Presentation by Francis Quamina Farrier
Host: Moray House Trust
Date: Friday 29th May 2015

The evening saw an appreciative crowd in attendance. Patrons were magically transported to various settings, where they were regaled by the wise, laid-back reflections of theatre personality Francis Quamina Farrier with his engaging and
often hilarious dramatizations.  This event was a part of his designated “777/77 year”. Francis is one of Guyana’s most popular storytellers going back to the 1960s with the popular radio serial “Tides of Susanburg”.

The stories were sprinkled with music and other sounds which enhanced the presentation.The stories were of a mixed variety and included:
–  “The Old Tra-la-la”, a story of a hard-working, multi-racial fisherman, who is victimized by officialdom, because he refuses to play the game of  corruption.
–  “You have Left Something”, which related the experiences of a group of
mostly Guyanese tourists to the Amerindian village of Sand Creek in the South Rupununi.
–  “Escape to Paradise”, related the adventure of a young former slave girl who escapes from her cruel guardians in Barbados in 1850, and travels to British Guiana.
–  “Dark Ancestors”, two men of African heritage become delusional while on a journey on a launch up the Berbice river in 1963 – 200 years after the Berbice Slave revolt.
–  “Ramjohn goes to America”, is the adventure of Uncle Ramjohn who goes to
New York as part of his 80th Birthday gift by this New York-based children and grandchildren.

The night’s moderator was another theatre stalwart Malcolm DeFreitas, one of
Francis’early students.