RHOMA SPENCER UP FOR A DORA AWARD
Rhoma Meet Dora - your time is long overdue
The late Dora Mavor Moore was born in Scotland in 1888 and at the age of 8 came to Toronto. She devoted her long life to creating theatre and theatre companies in her new home. A recipient of many awards and honours, Dora Mavor Moore was truly one of the key founders of professional theatre in Canada and a fitting namesake for Toronto’s professional theatre awards.
It is a very big deal. Winning a prestigious Dora is a huge career accomplishment for those working in the theatre industry.
When the awards are handed out on Saturday September 19th at the downtown Winter Garden Theatre Centre, the eyes of the community will be on Trinidadian Canadian Actor, Play Creator, Director, and Comedian Rhoma Spencer. She is up for the Outstanding Performance by an Individual Prize for her role in the play TheHouse of Bernarda Alba. Also nominated is fellow The House of Bernarda Alba actress Liz DerWritten in Spanish back in 1936 by Federico Garcia Lorca, the play was mounted in English by the Modern Times Stage Company and Aluna Theatre in April of this year.
The play centers on Bernarda Alba, 60-year-old owner of a rich estate in Spain during a dark period in life. Her husband has just died, and she orders her five daughters to follow tradition and go into mourning for the next seven years.
The iron fisted Bernarda imposes a domestic lockdown that cuts her five daughters off from the world outside their home; but her daughters are women, not children, each hunger for her own place in the world and a life beyond the estate. The house domestic Poncia must act as the go-between between mother and the rebellious daughters. Modernity and tradition clash, showing the destructive nature of decaying traditions.
“I played the role of Poncia.” Rhoma Spencer told the Caribbean Camera. “This English version did not get modernized at all. What I think was the major shifts (between the Spanish and English version) were around language and nuances in translation. In an effort of course to keep casting size down, the Director Soheil Parsa made some ingenious choices and I think that was what made this English translation rock!”
Audiences in April were indeed blown away by the play, especially Spencer’s performance. Theatre goers continue to call for the play to be given a second run, Rhoma Spencer cautions them to not hold their breath.
“We ran for three weeks at the Buddies in Bad Times Theatre (in downtown Toronto) and no there is talk about any remount,” she continued. “Remounting a play is not as easy as 1-2-3.”
Sidebar - More Rhoma Spencer Stories
IF the Dora’s had an award for the busiest award, Rhoma Spencer would win hands down. When the Caribbean Camera talked to Rhoma for this article she was performing in Edmonton’s Bellyful Comedy.
Next week, back in Toronto she will be putting on her comedy hat and performing in Heatwave at downtown Toronto’s The Comedy Lab on Brunswick Avenue. “Link me up for your tickets cause it's not a huge room,” said Spencer. “This is the only Black owned comedy club in the city and it fills up fast.
Spencer is a multi-talent artist. This week the Caribbean Tales Film Festival official launch. Next week on September 14th as part of that festival Rhoma Spencer’s short film My Execution Will Be Television will be shown at the Carlton Cinemas downtown.
Rhoma is also, unintentionally, starring on social media this month as the Flaglady. She was one of the hosts of the Trinbago Festival last month. While on stage at the Yonge-Dundas Park she was photographed waving the Trinidad and Tobago flag.
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