On Sunday, September 22nd, 2024, Kafe Blue was the destination for Curtain Call: Stages of Love – One Short to Broadway, a cabaret concert featuring an eclectic blend of musical theatre classics, both familiar and obscure, all surrounding the central theme of love. Co-produced by Laura and Khadija Moses (no relation), with creative direction by Anya Felice, the production traced the journey of love through three distinct acts: Act One, “Falling in Love,” Act Two, “Love Hurts,” and Act Three, “Love Despite It All.”
Curtain Call is a new collective of seasoned vocalists and performers, conceived from an initial WhatsApp message among friends, and fueled by the ambition to bring a high-calibre production to life. As someone who has long admired the cabaret form a genre where music, song, dance, and drama meld into one this show felt like a necessary indulgence, particularly because of the cast that is filled with talent from esteemed ensembles like The Lydians, The Marionettes Chorale and the BMacnificent Voices. My anticipation however came with a curious question: what level of artistry could these experienced performers offer for their inaugural production, in a contemporary Trinidadian theatre setting?
It is worth mentioning that I observed a delay or oversight in setting up a front-of-house display with a QR code to access the event’s program. This left me and other early arrivals without the necessary map to learn more about this new collective, and its featured performers until mere minutes before start time. This minor oversight was quickly amended by the attentive stage crew and front of house staff, so that by the time the show started promptly at 7PM, I was seated, ready for the ride, with digital program in hand. ”One Short to Broadway drive!”
The venue, a non-traditional theatre space, presented unique challenges for the artists that were overcome with various degrees of success. In the absence of a hidden backstage area, the performers cleverly utilised the connected seating area during, and when transitioning through their diverse set list. The commitment of each artist to maintaining their character as they moved in and out of view of the audience was highly commendable.
The minimalist set design however, left something to be desired. While the musical selections echoed the various dimensions of love, the set itself did little to support the thematic intent. Black boxes and simple props were used at times, but their incorporation often lacked the emotional resonance that may have otherwise deepened my engagement with the core themes of each performance. This created a feeling of disconnectivity between what was being seen and what was being heard.
Along that same route, the costuming also missed an opportunity to reinforce the concept of love. The all-black attire, while practical given the space limitations, had the consequence of taking away the colour from the vibrancy and diversity of the stories being told. Traditional cabaret often reflects its characters through costumes, and here, the use of accessories like hats, oversized glasses and much more felt more functional than artistic, especially in the performance of “Think of Me” from The Phantom of the Opera where a red hooded-cape was used as an accessory, which unfortunately caused my suspension of disbelief to stray from the 1919 stage of the Paris Opéra House, to the fabled story of Little Red and the Big Bad Wolf. Oh Agony! (we’ll get to that).
This is where the importance of lighting comes in. While I felt its application was occasionally misaligned with the tone of some of the performances, there were moments of brilliance, particularly in the second half, when rotating bulbs cast shapes of red roses onto the back wall which technically functioned as a cyclorama. It was these moments that helped to visually manifest the theme of love that had otherwise felt elusive where costume and set design were concerned.
Now with the technicals out of the way, on to the performances.
Most performers exhibited an impressive mastery of their craft. Patrice Inglebirth’s execution of the intricate vocal demands of Candide’s “Glitter and Be Gay”, and the nuanced dynamics within the ensemble’s performance of “Love Changes Everything” from Aspects of Love, takes special mention here. The emotions that were invoked by their vocal performances alone were so palpable that I could have closed my eyes and truly felt every word, and every intention that these selections were meant to convey.
Khadija Moses’ performance of “Goodnight my Someone” from The Music Man also stood out for me, not only because of her vocal delivery but also because The Music Man was the first production I ever performed in, so I have some personal connection to the material. Additionally, Tracy Tuitt’s rendition of “Pretty Funny” from Dogfight made it difficult to take your eyes off of her. She not only delivered the song with heartbreaking passion, but also told the character’s story through the use of her mannerisms. The highlight of the night for me however was the finale, where the entire cast encircled the audience to sing “Sunday” from Sunday in the Park with George, which transported me from Kafe Blue into a paradise beyond words.
There were also some comedic elements that were woven into the staging of some of the numbers. When the performers interacted with the audience to add a playful dynamic to some of the acts, in certain instances, it deviated too far into the absurd and distracted from, rather than enhanced the performance. Furthermore, the pre-recorded tracks occasionally overwhelmed the vocalists, particularly those using body mics, making it difficult to fully appreciate the artists’ vocal prowess—especially when a performer overplayed their character with erratic movements, causing their heads to turn away from the microphones. Conversely, in pieces featuring duets, trios, quartets, and small ensembles, some voices were more prominent than others, hindering the ability to enjoy the nuances of their harmonies. I also found myself questioning the inclusion of “On the Street where you Live” from My Fair Lady, “Mr. Cellophane” from Chicago and “Agony” from Into the Woods in the night’s program as these selections for me, did not mesh well with the rest of the material. The production may have been served better by a little more attention to achieving balance on these fronts.
Having attended different musical events in my lifetime, it is rare to hear a small group of chorale voices combine to fill a space in the manner that was executed by Curtain Call. The finale was in particular truly reminded me of the vocal and emotional depth these seasoned performers could reach when unified and gave the answer to my initial question. While the theme of love was central to the musical selections, the production and some performances lacked the full cohesion of each technical aspect, which could have made this Cabaret truly remarkable. Nevertheless, the sheer vocal talent of the combined cast and the audacity of this collective to break new ground in Trinidad’s theatre scene is worth celebrating. With time, Curtain Call has the potential to grow into a dynamic force, offering local thespians a platform to explore and experiment in ways that will enrich the artistic landscape in Trinidad. It is a promising start, and in theatre, that spark of potential is often all you need.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Joshua Lamy-Ramsden is a dynamic performer with a lifelong passion for the arts, having been on stage since the age of four. Over the years, his love for theatre has only intensified, as he has taken on diverse roles in numerous productions and choral performances. Currently in the final stages of earning a BA in Theater Arts with a minor in Festival Studies at the University of the West Indies, Joshua’s journey in the arts continues to evolve. With a passion for directing, he is driven by a desire to shape stories from behind the scenes. His journey thus far is a testament to his unwavering commitment to the performing arts and its development in Trinidad and Tobago.
The Trinidad and Tobago Performing Arts Network 