No rose is without its thorns.
The aim might have been Beauty with a Purpose, but there were some aspects of the 2014 edition of Miss Barbados World which may not have been as comely as the organisers had hoped for at last Saturday’s night of coronation.
Kudos must go where they are deserved: the choice of Jamaican Samantha Gooden to lighten the wait for the judges’ decision was a great one.
Immensely talented, witty and even a little self-deprecating, Gooden solidly stood on her one good foot to deliver spine-tingling renditions of I Will Survive and I Believe I Can Fly, among others.
She was well received by the moderate audience.
Additionally, franchise holder Leah Marville and team were able to create an aura of grandeur in the Needham’s Ballroom of the Hilton Barbados, complete with an impressive stage. But with a 20-minute late start and a 30-plus minute break for intermission (scheduled to be 15 minutes), the cracks were beginning to show.
Compounding this issue was the sound and technical problems encountered throughout the three-hour show. It was especially challenging since a large part of the coronation relied on video presentations of prejudged segments.
This in itself was a blessing and a curse – the coronation was able to move along relatively swiftly and eventual winner Zoe Trotman was crowned by 10:25 p.m., a rarity in most pageants. But it also meant the eight contestants spent less time on stage, making it hard to have a strong favourite who was not a relative or friend.
Perhaps the reintroduction of the talent segment into the coronation night could boost audience engagement, which at times was lacking.
The evening gown and question and answer sections were the only two main features on the night outside of the introduction.
The former was won by Shakela Bellamy, wearing a stunning avocado green Pauline Bellamy creation. There were “winners” in the question and answer segment too – and perhaps some lessons for one or two contestants who may now learn the value of thinking before they speak, even under pressure. (LW)
