Adzil Stuart, master of many faces, singular faith

Walking with the easterly breeze at his back, a pioneer from Pioneer Road tells how a Bush Hall boy would grow up shaping his craft while influencing Barbadian culture. Four years shy of his 70th birthday, Adzil Stuart recalls a childhood grounded in discipline and creativity. His father, a retired policeman turned shopkeeper, and his mother, a housemaker and shopkeeper, provided a nurturing foundation.

Adzil Stuart’s hands have brought stories to life, painting faces for theatre, screen, and stage. But his recent recognition at Kensington Oval, where he received the Silver Trident of Excellence from President Sandra Mason during Barbados’ 58th Independence anniversary and third as a republic, celebrates far more than just his artistic brilliance. His story is one of resilience, creativity, and service.

As a boy attending Wesley Hall Primary School, his childhood was rooted in an island in the final years of being a British colony: “We did little things… school was different. A lot of what we did reflected our connection to the British colony… That is why it was strange when one day, it went from ‘God Save the Queen’ to ‘In Plenty and in Time of Need’.”

In 1966, at just eight years old, he braved heavy rains at the Garrison Savannah on Independence night. “British ships were docked, soldiers marched through the water in their pristine white … boy, did it rain,” he recalls with a nostalgic smile.

A path defined by destiny

Stuart’s path to Combermere School was decided over a spirited conversation at his father’s shop, Stuart Bar and Grocery. Despite excelling in the Common Entrance Examination and being allocated a place at Harrison College, his father insisted he attend Combermere, just a stone’s throw from home. “As my dad, a retired police officer, ran a bar and grocery… I would always state that I was born at a bar but never had to be called to one,” he chuckles.

At Combermere, Stuart flourished under the mentorship of teachers like Pamela Hinkson, who encouraged his theatrical pursuits. He led the school’s drama association, creating costumes and experimenting with stage makeup. “We loved theatre … at school, we experimented a lot,” he said, reminiscing about working with peers like Keith Squires, Dale Neblett, and a future prime minister, David Thompson.

His creative flair extended to designing the school’s new uniform for girls when it went co-educational in 1976. “The uniform had to be simple … not difficult to press, not difficult to get into, and even female students who were not shapely would look good in it,” he explains.

Master of makeup

Stuart’s passion for makeup artistry emerged during his school days. Inspired by theatre icons like Alfred Pragnell and Wendell Smith, he honed his skills and later pursued formal training at the Wilfred Beauty Academy and the Christine Valmy School of Aesthetics and Makeup in New York.

Armed with diplomas, his talents would soon become indispensable to Barbados’ performing arts scene. From working on Sir Hilary Beckles’s Heroes plays to Crop Over productions, his contributions have been immense. He collaborated with designers like Glen Brathwaite and worked with entertainers such as TC, Alison Hinds, and Edwin Yearwood.

A theatrical and spiritual evolution

Stuart also took the stage, dancing for 14 years with the Barbados Dance Theatre and acting in productions like Run Fa Ya Wife. Behind the scenes, he created makeup for award-winning plays such as The Final Truth, earning commendations from Deputy Senate President Elizabeth Thompson.

His journey took a spiritual turn in 2015. A seemingly inexplicable drive to Codrington College led him to pursue a degree in theology. “From small, I wanted answers: What is heaven about? Why do people exist?” Anchored by faith, Stuart transitioned from beautifying the living to offering pastoral counselling and guidance.

Today, Stuart’s service extends beyond artistry. As a Justice of the Peace and a programme field officer in the Prime Minister’s Office, he supports community needs. His philosophy, drawn from the Dalai Lama’s words, underscores his ethos: “You can die without even living; I chose to live.”

From his childhood in Bush Hall to the national stage, Adzil Stuart embodies creativity, resilience, and devotion. As he reflects on his journey, he humbly quotes 1 Peter 4:10: “As every man hath received the gift, even so, minister the same to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.”

(CAP)