Dominoes & Rum | Nicholas 'Prince' Milverton
The space at the Fringe Festival’s headquarters where Dominoes & Rum was staged, catapulted me back to my past and evoked a keen sense of nostalgia due to the intimacy of the venue. During my teens in Cape Town, South Africa, Aunty Bubbles and Uncle Lenny became the very first people in my neighbourhood to own a television. My friends and I would crowd into their small, intimate living room to watch episodes of ‘Dallas’. Each of us had to pay ten cents and we could pre-book our place.
On the floor.
Fast forward to the present.
After successful runs at two separate venues both of which I (sorely) missed seeing, Dominoes & Rum beckoned yet again. This time as part of the 2022 Fringe Brisbane Festival and I was determined not to miss out a third time!
Touted as a comedy/drama, the production is set on the fictional island of Colibri, an idyllic tropical paradise girt by sea and inhabited by an eclectic mix of locals.
The play opens with Ezra’s return to the island of his youth. He yearns to reconnect with his Caribbean identity after living overseas for several years. but nothing is as Ezra thought it would be. Colibri has suffered a major economic downturn, the tropical weather creates havoc on the very existence of the locals, crime and violence is on the rise, poverty is the new norm, failed marriages have forced a new type of begging, while sex tourism has become rife. In spite of his work experience, Ezra is also reminded by a tactless employment officer that finding a job on the island has its own pitfalls where hierarchy is pretty evident and the social divide seems like a chasm. Visiting family and friends reinforces this new social norm that Ezra wistfully has to grapple with.
Disheartened and disgruntled, Ezra has to reluctantly accept a rude and shocking awakening from his childhood memories of Colibri.
Skillfully portrayed by a cast who embodied the lingo (complete with credible Caribbean/Jamaican accents), as well as their respective onstage characters. The script was witty, entertaining and solicited many laughs from the audience. An upbeat reggae soundtrack and atmospheric soundscape reinforced place and time. Given the size of the tiny stage, the cast did a damn good job and impressed this lover of theatre with their effortless scene changes complete with minimal interruptions. Poignant moments were plentiful throughout the performance. More importantly, brown and black performers featured prominently in this endearing stage production - finally a nod to diversity and inclusion which is sorely lacking in the arts.
Dominoes & Rum deserves to be staged throughout Australia.
The engaging, entertaining and punchy script does lay bare the real truth that migrants grapple with after leaving their country. It is obvious from the plot that reconnecting with one’s roots forms an integral part of identity while belonging to a community of like minded individuals is priceless. It also raises the burning question of cultural assimilation versus acceptance.
Is it unfair to expect migrants to forego their accents, their food choices, their music, their lifestyle - the very core of one’s culture - in order to integrate and be accepted by the dominant society of their chosen surroundings?
In the humble opinion of this migrant, language, rituals, cultural values and beliefs/religion are sacred and should remain intact regardless. It has certainly given me a sense of pride knowing that I’ve managed to remain true to my cultural heritage and to be able to inculcate and uphold these values through my children.
Ultimately Dominoes & Rum has restored this fundamental belief.
Finally, kudos to the team from the Anywhere Festival who have developed the Fringe Festival - a surefire reminder that Brisbane is home to a high calibre of versatile performers who are quite capable of presenting shows of high quality and who need any and all types of exposure to hone their craft. I definitely look forward to more of the same next year!
