Mel Cooke, Freelance Writer
Joan Belfon, the writer of the play 'Uncross Yuh Legs And Dry Yuh Tears De Moon In De Crossroads'. The play was launched at the Ashanti Vegetarian Oasis, Hope Gardens, Old Hope Road last week. - WINSTON SILL/FREELANCE PHOTOGRAPHER
THERE WAS a ripple of animated chatter before five women, all dressed in white, emerged from the darkness of Hope Gardens into the light of the Ashanti Oasis Restaurant on Wednesday night.
It continued as the quintet mounted the green bridge over the water which makes tiny waves in the middle of the restaurant, then quieted as one expressed how her emotions were restrained under her mother's constant censure.
It picked up again as another asked "what is your most outrageous thought about having sex?" (With a giggle) and at the expose of said thoughts the ripple of laughter came from those gathered for the official launch of Uncross Yuh Legs And Dry Yuh Tears De Moon In De Crossroads, hosted by actor Karl Williams.
SEXY WOMEN
The play, written by Joan Belfon, directed by Alwyn Bully and produced with the assistance of the Earl Warner Trust, runs on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from April 28 to May 21 at the Centre for the Arts, University of Technology, Papine, St. Andrew.
The play excerpt emphasised what Belfon said, "that this play and this evening are about the celebration of sexy women in the Caribbean ... It is also about the men smart enough to hook up with these women."
Belfon said in writing the play she was informed by older women, such as one of 77 years, as well as conversations she heard in the hairdressing salons as a young girl. She would watch them dress up on a Friday, talking about "who meeting new man, whose husband giving them trouble".
"On Friday evening they were like birds, getting ready to live this life," she said.
A TRUE CARIBBEAN PROJECT
There was also the influence of the Diablese, the female to El Diablo, who in French creole tales manifests herself as a lady in white and fascinates her victims with her sensuality.
Belfon, a Trinidadian, noted that Uncross Yuh Legs And Dry Yuh Tears De Moon In De Crossroads is a truly Caribbean project, as director Alwyn Bully is from Dominica and persons from St. Lucia and of course Jamaica are involved. This is in keeping with Earl Warner's habit of keeping in touch with good actors and theatre technicians. "We started going to the Caribbean, working in different islands," Belfon said.
Taynia Nethersole, who chairs the executive committee of the Earl Warner Trust, said "Earl would like this production and the controversy it is going to cause. His plays provoked thought."
Guest speaker Professor Carolyn Cooper noted that Belfon had wanted deejay Lady Saw to be at the event and said she was happy about that as too often there is separation of cultures.
She quoted from Woman 3 in the play, who says at one point "labels don't make no sense. Sometimes is the person you with, not the lifestyle you want" and congratulated Belfon for "creating a celebratory drama of women, loving life and each other".
