Rubadiri Victor

THE VILLAGE OF 8 GATES

Rubadiri was the Artistic Director of ‘The Village of 8 Gates’- the closing ceremony for the VIII America’s Competitiveness Forum in November 2014. It was staged in Trinidad and Tobago's historic Woodford Square- the central square in the heart of Trinidad’s capital city, Port of Spain. Commissioned by the Minister of National Diversity and Social Integration the Honourable Rodger Samuels Rubadiri wrote, directed, art-directed, and production managed the production.

 The epic Festival Play involved the creation of a series of giant puppets which combined elements from Trinidad’s innovative Carnival costume tradition, Chinese Dragon and Lion Puppets, and creatures from the Jim Henson Creature Shop. The pageant-play involves the arrival of 6 Kings- their magical Animals and retinues- to the Island at the Centre of the World and the adventures that befall their daughter, a Child of extraordinary imagination and Will. The themes of the drama include: the role of imagination and awe; the indispensability of Nature; the power of collaboration; and the importance of never forgetting your Source. This immersive theatrical experience utilized the entire Square in a multi-sensory experience of epic Caribbean theatre.