Mac Farlane rules in Kings, Queens prelims

Veteran masquerader and designer Roland St George in his costume, “Ralliez—Vous A Mon Panache Blanci. PHOTOS: ALVA VIARRUEL

Celebrated mas designer Brian Mac Farlane’s creations dominated the National Carnival Kings and Queens preliminary competition on Thursday night at the Queen’s Park Savannah, Port-of-Spain. In the King category, Malak Yahweh-The Praying Mantis, portrayed by Gerard Weekes, captivated the modest audience as he crossed the stage with choreographed movements mimicking the creature he was portraying. The black and white costume with a huge mantis head had eyes that seemed to glow in the dark of the Savannah stage. Mac Farlane’s Queen, Dr Charisse Bovell, had a successful night, after her dismal performance last year when her costume collapsed in the finals.

Bovell portrayed Mother of Humanity-The Weeping Madonna, which was impressive with its intricate designs which were being tweaked by Mac Farlane’s assistants up to minutes before she crossed the stage. Bovell placed first with 454 points, 20 points more than her closest competitor Kay Mason who portrayed Amethyst Rising. This year’s show was a somewhat scaled-down affair with 74 participants crossing the stage, compared to more than 100 last year

The costumes this year, although notably smaller, featured the artistic details and construction which have become synonymous with Carnival Kings and Queens. Regal colours and themes were also notable during the show with numerous participants using purple and gold in their costume design.

The results are:
QUEENS
1. Mother of Humanity—The Weeping Madonna:  Charisse Bovell—454 pts
2. Amethyst Rising:  Kay Mason—434
3. Queen of the Masquerade Ball: Gloria Dallsingh—430
4. Wachiwi—I Dream of a Bustle Dancer: Rose Marie Jagessar—428
5. Princess of the Mardi Gras: Laura Rampersad—427
6. Last Dance of the Enchanted Witches: Roxanne Omalo—420
7. Exotic Sunset on the Horizon:  Patricia Bailey—416
10. D Quetzel in Flight:  Pamela Gordon—412
11. Shipwreck: Janice Richards—408
12. Goddess of the Arctic: Ladonna Rouse—406
13. Out of the Ash We Shall Rise: Natasha Murray—403
14. Heat Wave—Last of the Phenomenal Havoc: LaToya De Leon— 397
15. The Limbo Dancer:  Cherry-Ann Valere—390
16. Harmony:  Lanie Lexama—390
17. Specimen 2K-12A:   Charmaine Enile—390
18. D’Woman and D’Butterflies: Shari Derek—389
19. Dress for a National Banquet: Ruth Mendez—381
20. Natural Wonder of La Brea:  Tracell Frederick—377

KINGS
1. Malak Yahweh—The Praying Mantis:  Gerard Weekes—424
2. Ralliez—Vous A Mon Panache Blanci: Roland St George—422
3. D Midnight Messenger: Curtis Eustace —411
4. Flight of Conscience:  Wade Madray— 401
5. Papa Nile : Leroy Prieto—399
6. Piankhy, Nubian Conqueror of Egypt: Fernando Marchan—397
7. Alpha: Jhawhan Thomas—387
9. D Carnival Vybz: Marlon Rampersad— 385
10. The Tree of Life:  Shane Phillip— 384
11. Prince Siegfried—The Story of Swan Lake:  Brian Chin—384
12. D Devil and He Wife Fighting:  Clyde Bascombe—379
13. Kwak Waka Wakin—The Scared Totem: Zainool Mohammed—379
14. Enchanted Sea Dragon of the Japense Ice Festival: R Mayers— 376
15. Icarus Ascending: Earl Thompson— 374
16. Sankofa Dingolay:  Glenn Lakhan— 373
17. Dino-Bot-S1-7: Damien Leach —370
18. Inti-Sun God of the Harvest:  Marcius Caballero—366
19. The Crow: Adrian Young—365

20. Out of the Flames: E Beckles— 358

SOURCE: DEREK ACHONG

Carnival Kings and Queens Two queen ‘topplers’ …fail to get past prelims

Tamara Allenye-Gittens is assisted by members of her Spice Route camp after her costume D’Morrocan Fan Dancer tumbled on the Queen’s Park Savannah stage at the preliminaries of the Queen and King of Carnival competition on Thursday. Photo: Angelo Marcelle

High winds at the Queen’s Park Savannah caused two Queen of Carnival competitors to take a tumble on stage thwarting their chances of moving forward to the semifinal round. Among the hapless participants who lost balance in the Preliminaries of the King and Queen of Carnival competition because of the powerful gusts were Queens, Tamara Alleyne-Gittens portraying D’Morrocan Fan Dancer from the band Spice Route and Keisha Steeling with the depiction Spirit of the Drums.

Organised by the National Carnival Bands Association of T&T, the show which attracted a small crowd on Thursday saw 43 Queens and 49 Kings, gracing the stage in their costumes, some of which lacked creativity, originality and at times did not appear in timely fashion. Minutes into the Queen segment, Steeling had to be assisted off-stage after the wind tore into the front of her costume. Then, shortly afterwards Alleyne-Gittens portraying a glittering and glamorous fan dancer suffered the same fate as the breeze coupled with the weight of the costume caused her to buckle.

Showing a fighting spirit, the masquerader got to her feet and started chipping to the music for a few seconds, but buckled under pressure again and collapsed with her $75,000 costume. Writhing in pain, Alleyne-Gittens was placed on a stretcher by members of her camp and taken to a mobile clinic backstage, where she was examined and treated for minor bruises to her right leg. Yesterday Alleyne-Gittens said she knows her fate rests in the hands of the judges. “I can only hope for the best,’”she said in a telephone interview early yesterday morning. By lunch time, Alleyne-Gittens found out that she did not qualify for the semis, which plunged Spice’s camp into gloom. This is Spice’s second year in Carnival. Steeling also did not get beyond the prelims. Twenty Queens and Kings will move on to the semi finals which are expected to take place this week. However, the portrayal that brought local and foreign patrons alike to their feet was Brian Mac Farlane’s Queen Sevel Nicholls portraying Dame Gwo Bunda.

RIGHT: Sevel Nicholls from the band Resurrection The Mas dances her beautiful stilt costume Dame Gwo Bunda, which top the scores in the preliminaries of the Queens competition.

Parading as the traditional Dame Lorraine costume on six foot stilts, Nicholls dressed in a shimmering bronze-coloured dress, which hugged her inflated chestline and extended rear, teased the audience with fancy footwork and energetic spirit. Mac Farlane’s Queen and King both topped their categories. Remarkably, Mac Farlane fabricated both his Queen and King in three weeks. “I had the concept and design in my heads for months, but because I had to work for the Summit and CHOGM I started making the costumes only three weeks ago”, the designer said. Joan Mohammed’s Queen of D Desert Sun was also a favourite, while Sedley Antoine who depicted D’ Beast Master also received lusty applause. Community Development, Culture and Gender Affairs Minister, Marlene Mc Donald, who attended the show heaped praises on Alleyne-Gittens for her bravado and courage. “My heart went out for her.

I am so sorry that she fell. It is really a beautiful costume. To me, you have to expect anything on stage.” Mac Donald said she was impressed with the costumes, insisting that Carnival is in safe hands. “I am beginning to understand the innovativeness of our people. Overall, I think the show was quite good.” Of all the Queens, Mac Donald said Mac Farlane’s was the one to beat. The preliminary round of the King and Queen of Carnival took place at the Queen’s Park Savannah on Thursday night. In all 43 queens and 49 kings graced the stage.

ABOVE: Gerard Weeks depicts Dragon Can’t Dance, a Brain Mac Farlane creation from the band Resurrection The Mas.

                                           Theophilus Simmons depicts Tipu Sultan from the band Masala.

 

Sedley Antoine’s costume D’ Beast Master from the band Tribute was well received by patrons.

 

ABOVE: Chromatic Reflections portrayed by Joan Mohammed was a favourite with the crowd.

SOURCE