Rhoma Spencer Explores Carnival’s Hidden Roots

Toronto’s Caribbean arts community gathered on Saturday, May 30, for the cocktail launch and reception of Danse Macabre, a bold new theatrical production by acclaimed Trinidad-born playwright and performer Rhoma Spencer. Hosted by the Canadian Caribbean Arts Network (CCAN), the evening offered guests an intimate look into a production already generating excitement ahead of its July run at Toronto’s Fringe Festival.

The launch event was more than a fundraiser. It became a passionate conversation about carnival, identity, resistance, and the importance of preserving Caribbean history through the arts. Speakers throughout the evening emphasized that Danse Macabre is not simply entertainment, but a reflection of the struggles, creativity, and resilience embedded within carnival culture itself.

Audience members heard that the production explores the deeper political and historical roots of mas’, challenging the perception of carnival as only spectacle and celebration. One speaker described the work as “a ritual being performed on stage,” reminding attendees that carnival traditions emerged from resistance, survival, and expressions of freedom among formerly enslaved Black communities.

An excerpt from the play introduced audiences to Cisco, a queer Trinbagonian-Canadian mas’ designer whose creation of a spiritually charged costume sparks conflict inside a mas’ camp. Through emotionally charged dialogue, the script examines race, ownership, politics, ancestry, and the commercialization of carnival traditions.

The reading featured performances by Henry Gomez, Thomas Fournier, Uche Ama, Teresa Gomes, Kierra Marie Ford, and Spencer herself. The scenes moved between contemporary Toronto carnival culture and the historic Canboulay Riots of Trinidad in 1881, drawing direct links between present-day debates and the origins of Caribbean resistance movements.

Spencer explained that the inspiration for Danse Macabre emerged during the COVID-19 pandemic and the global protests following the murder of George Floyd. Watching demonstrations around the world, she began reflecting on the meaning behind the phrase “Black Lives Matter” and whether people fully understood the historical experiences behind it.

“I wanted to write a play to justify the ideology behind why Black Lives Matter,” Spencer told the audience.

The award-winning playwright revealed that the work evolved over several years through residencies with Aluna Theatre and BCurrent Performing Arts, with support from dramaturgs in both Jamaica and Canada. She also spoke candidly about the financial realities faced by Black and Caribbean artists, noting that despite the cultural importance of the work, raising production funds has been a difficult process.

Spencer said she personally sent out more than 150 fundraising letters and has so far secured support from over 100 donors, alongside assistance from the Toronto Arts Council and other community partners.

The production recently gained a major boost after winning the Toronto Fringe New Play Contest, a recognition Spencer described as both unexpected and deeply affirming after years of trying to get the work staged.

Guests at the reception were encouraged to continue supporting the production through ticket purchases, donations, and community promotion ahead of its July 3 to 12 performances at Toronto’s Tarragon Theatre as part of the Fringe Festival.

Throughout the evening, one message remained clear: Danse Macabre is more than a play about carnival. It is a call to remember the history, politics, artistry, and cultural sacrifices that continue to shape Caribbean identity today.

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