There’s an undercurrent of excitement in Ian Estwick’s voice when he talks about Laff-It-Off’s milestone 40th anniversary. He’s stoked about the celebration and can’t wait to welcome everyone to this year’s series of the show starting on January 25.
In an era when people can stream movies any time of the day or night, entertain themselves via various social media channels, watch numerous YouTube videos on various topics on their smartphones, the executive producer of Barbados’ longest consecutive running theatrical production knows they have been fortunate to remain a favourite.
There’s a sense of pride knowing he’s part of an entertainment institution, as it were, which has spanned decades and that it remains a must-attend event for generations of families.
“ Laff-It-Off is a 100 per cent Bajan show. We don’t apologise for that,” he said in an interview with Weekend Buzz, noting they’ve performed locally, regionally and internationally.
A smile tugs at the corner of the executive producer’s lips as he recounted their growth and changes such as a revamped website, the way tickets are purchased and the addition of preferred seating.
“This year’s show titled Nuh Name! Nuh Blame! Nuh Lock-up!
will have audiences laughing like all our other shows. We’re playing Saturday nights at the Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre. Cecily Spencer-Cross is our creative director. Our cast, comprising Janine White, Asha Elcock, Vilmore Johnson, Ishikia McNeil and Angello Lascelles, who is directing again this year, has been hard at work for a while now and we honestly can’t wait to welcome everyone to the Nook & Cranny Bar where they will serve straight up shots of humour that Laff-It-Off is synonymous with.
“We couldn’t put on the shows without our stage manager Shakera Williams, musical director Lowrey Leon Worrell, and other individuals in the backstage crew, the entire front of house team, Jefferson Inniss of IGM Stage Lighting as well as David Leslie from Sound Wave Audio.
“The Barbados Public Workers’ Cooperative Credit Union Limited is again our title sponsor and platinum sponsor, returning for a ninth year, and we thank them for affirming their commitment to this production and to the arts.
“We also thank our other sponsors for contributing to this show, particularly in this milestone year,” he said.
The former banker agreed that “40 years ain’t 40 days”. And as he reflected on their journey, he said that when he got involved in the early days, he knew nothing about theatre except what he’d seen on stage from the audience.
His involvement started with a phone call from then Director of Culture Elombe Mottley, inviting him to a meeting with Thom Cross, Tony Thompson and the late Guy Goring one September night in 1985. Out of that meeting Community Theatre Productions was created to promote popular theatre in Barbados.
Estwick has been the producer from then until now, starting with the shows at Queen’s Park Steel Shed. As audiences grew it moved from
the Daphne Joseph-Hackett Theatre to St Gabriel’s Auditorium and its present location, Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre, which allows for a larger audience.
“Our first production was in November that year with Wendell Smith, Tony Thompson, John Walcott, Sade Leon, Winston Farrell and Hal Archer on flute. About eight years later, in March 1993, Laff-It-Off Productions Inc. was established to manage the production and business affairs because we were serious about what we were doing. We were going to extend our reach locally and internationally.
“I am happy with where Laff-It-Off
is. I think it has been able to reach 40 years due mainly to the public’s acceptance and belief in our productions and I think we owe our longevity to the fact that we never remained constant. We were never satisfied with the status quo. We’re always changing and looking to try new things – which we did. I really must thank the public for their support over the years.
“We’ve had a great cast through the years who brought the Nook & Cranny Bar alive. Besides Guy and Wendell both of whom are now deceased, our cast included Tony, John, Peta Alleyne, Dr Marcia Burrowes, Carla Springer, Ishiaka, Toni-Ann Johnson, Simon Alleyne, Crispen Hackett, Kyle Cozier, Dario Walrond and others, who may have been in one season,” he told Buzz.
He’s also pleased that they have been able to uphold two of its commitments. One is including young people in the various areas of theatre production and the other is keeping their doors open.
“When I realised that Green Room Players had gone, Stage One Productions had gone, WWB had gone, and Ellerslie Folk Chorale had gone, I suddenly realised that
Laff-It-Off was the only theatre group practising in Barbados.
“We realised that we had a commitment to the cultural industry to continue so that is when we decided to put our heads together to try to make it work. Moving to Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre was one of those reasons,” he said.
Ian added: “I’m encouraging everyone to buy their tickets early to avoid disappointment. There will be a special treat for our regular patrons and the new ones who join us at the Nook & Cranny Bar.” (GBM)
