Theatre enthusiasts across the Caribbean and beyond are gearing up for a compelling new theatrical experience, as the non-profit Dominica-based arts collective La Cour Des Arts De La Dominique is set to stage the sharp satirical work *Fly On The Wall* later this month. The production will run for two nights only, September 25 and 26, at St. Gerard’s Hall, with each evening’s performance kicking off at 8 p.m.
Penned by celebrated Antiguan playwright Dorbrene O’Marde, *Fly On The Wall* marks the second full-length work from O’Marde, who plans to complete five full stage plays in total. Rooted firmly in Caribbean cultural context, this provocative production pulls back the curtain on the hidden inner workings of political power. Its core imaginative premise asks: what would unfold if everyday citizens could silently and invisibly watch the off-camera dealings of their elected leaders, just like an unobserved fly on the wall?
When politicians speak behind closed doors, convinced no member of the public is listening, they lay bare their true priorities and motivations. This creates a striking, often uncomfortable contrast between the soaring, promise-filled speeches they deliver to voters and the self-serving conversations they hold away from the public eye. Through razor-sharp dialogue, biting, well-timed humor, and a foundation of local idioms and region-specific cultural references, O’Marde delves into the chasm that often separates politicians’ public pledges from their hidden private agendas. The play also interrogates how unaccountable power is able to consolidate itself in opaque spaces, challenging audiences to scrutinize the actions of their leaders and demand greater transparency and accountability from those in office.
Beyond his work as a playwright and author, O’Marde is a towering cultural and political figure across the Caribbean. Born in Antigua, he currently serves as Chairman of the Antigua and Barbuda Reparations Support Commission and Vice-Chair of the CARICOM Reparations Commission, and has spent more than 20 years at the forefront of the global reparatory justice movement. In 2022, he was appointed Ambassador Plenipotentiary for Antigua and Barbuda’s Reparatory Justice Programme, cementing his role as a leading voice for the region’s calls for redress for the transatlantic slave trade. As a cultural creator, his contributions have earned widespread recognition: he is a recipient of the International Sunshine Award as “Friend of the Arts”, the UWI Pelican Award for his outstanding contributions to Caribbean arts, and most recently a Lifetime Achievement Award honoring decades of dedicated service to theatre arts in Antigua and Barbuda.
*Fly On The Wall* is brought to audiences by La Cour des Arts De la Dominique Inc Fwijé Teyát, a registered non-profit theatre collective dedicated to centering local art and preserving Caribbean cultural heritage. The group traces its origins back to 1997, when it launched as the Alliance Française Drama Group before earning official registration as a non-profit in 2003. In 2006, the collective launched a key outreach initiative, establishing the Joint Secondary Schools Drama Group with a vision to nurture “A Generation of Dramatists Through Opportunity”, opening up access to theatrical training for young people across the region.
The collective’s current roster includes members whose theatrical experience ranges from 10 to 50 years, with backgrounds spanning stage productions, film projects, and radio drama. For decades, the group has centered drama as a tool for public education, using performance to spread information about critical public issues spanning health, social justice, and environmental protection. The group earned early widespread recognition for its 1998 domestic violence awareness television series *Wake Up Call*, which was funded by the Women’s Bureau; six of the collective’s members remain well-known today for their roles in the groundbreaking series. Most recently, the group collaborated with the Alwin Bully Foundation in 2023 to stage Alwin Bully’s celebrated thriller *Nite Box*, and followed that production with the dramatic work *STREAK!* in 2025.
