STEEL - Derek Walcott - Part 9 - VA (2005)
Channel: Visual Art and Production
Date: 2020-04-19

Steel tells the story, in song and dialogue, of the birth of the steelpan in Trinidad. Set in the depressed Port of Spain district of Laventille after World War II, it is both a love story and a social examination of the urban community that, despite its economic conditions and violent social backdrop, was able to invent this extraordinary musical instrument. The story is told in part through the eyes of a once-proud calypso king, who at the end of his career counsels a young pan musician about his own future in a society that has failed him.
In "Steel", Walcott employs verse, song, and the vernacular to narrate the story of the Bandidos, a group of panband musicians in Trinidad, as they struggle among themselves, do battle with the police, and fight against the weight of their colonial history. Set to the rhythm of the steel drum, this is a paean to the people of the West Indies - their hardships, their triumphs, and their sense of community; it is also a moving tribute to the political force and redemptive power of art. Walcott brings to bear the lyric force and dynamic intelligence that have made him one of the major poetic voices of our time.
The stellar cast includes Trinidad-born Hollywood actor Leon Morenzie; Brian Green, the Trinidad-born, Paris-based baritone celebrated for his opera roles around the world; the Caribbean’s “Queen of Soul”, Mavis John, Albert Laveau, Nigel Scott, Conrad Parris, Maurice Brash and supporting actors from the Trinidad Theatre Workshop. Set and costumes are designed by artist Jackie Hinkson, and the musical arrangement is by Gene Lawrence.
Directors - Derek Walcott & Timmy Mora