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In search of a cast

Namel

Veteran dramatist Namel Weeramuni is getting ready to produce the English Version of Prof. Ediriweera Sarachchandra's popular Sinhala stage play "Sinhabahu".

Sinhabahu, regarded as Prof. Sarachchandra's best play, is based on the perennial theme of the father and son conflict and the mother who finds her loyalties divided between them.

Now, Namel has undertaken the herculean task of staging this unique play for the English audience. Of course, this will not be a very difficult job for Namel, a veteran in the field.

An ardent student of Prof. Sarachchandra since university days, Namel was the first Sri Lankan to write and produce a full length Sinhala play - Nattukkkari - on the Western stage.

Namel says this will be an ambitious venture. "I am looking for a cast of at least 50 men and women able to sing in English, dance and act. Never mind if they have not acted earlier - I am ready to guide and train them."

He is looking for an enthusiastic and devoted set. "They must be prepared to learn and share each other's views."

In 1997, Namel staged the same English version in Los Angeles, USA for the first time while pursuing higher drama studies. Namel selected actors from the USA for this production, which was highly successful. Sinhabahu not only talks about the contrast between primitive life and civilised life and the clash of generations, but is also a moving exploration of love and its loss.

Namel plans to deviate from the original style and invent a new rhythm to the production on the basis of his English text.

A scene from Sinhabahu

Namel hopes to audition soon for a production that he is planning to stage as soon as possible. He wants to run the show daily as an experiment of creating long run schedules, West End style. "What we require today are good productions of serious texts and then audiences will then get used to the habit of going to the theatre like in the past."

Well-known musician Harsha Makalanda will join in Namel's effort by composing music while Ravibandu will do the choreography. Why not communicate with Namel and make enquiries ?

He, however, wishes to have a CV and a photograph from those who are interested. Get in touch with him by sending him the required information to his address - 1003/4 Park Lane, Rajagiriya. He can be contacted by telephone (864981) and email: [email protected].

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Lankan musical shows in KL

A Sri Lankan music troupe led by the Nightingale of Sri Lanka. Nanda Malini will be in Kuala Lumpur next week to celebrate the Sinhala - Tamil New Year.

The six member troupe will perform at the Brickfiels Buddhist Temple Hall on Friday (11) at 7.30 p.m. and at Asia Europe Institute (AEI) of University of Malaya on Saturday (12) at 8.30 p.m.

The show at the University of Malaya which is being organized with the collaboration of the AEI will mainly feature traditional Sri Lankan music and folk songs.

Nanda Malini together with her counterpart Sunil Edirisinghe and maestro Rohana Weerasinghe will perform several Tamil folk songs during these two events. Sri Lanka High Commission together with SriLankan Airlines organize these events.

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Singapore Film Festival focuses on Lankan cinema

The 16th Singapore International Film Festival scheduled to be held from April 21 to May 3, will have a special focus on Sri Lankan Cinema. "The Dharmasena Pathiraja Retrospective" will be one of the festival highlights.

This will be the first ever international retrospective of Pathiraja films and is sure to draw interested film viewers. This exposure is recognition of his path-breaking work in the Asian region, which has hitherto not received the place it deserves. Ahas Gauva, Bambaru Avith, Paradige, Soldadue Unnehe and Ponmani (Tamil) will be screened in the retrospective.

Asoka Handagama's "Thani Thatuwen Piyambanna" will be screened in the competitive section titled Silver Screen Awards.

Buddhi Keerthisena's "Mille Soya" and Professor Sunil Ariyaratne's" Sudu Sevaneli are included in the Asian Cinema Section.

Dharmasena Pathiraja will serve in the Silver Screen Awards and Ashley Ratnavibhushana will serve in the FIPRESCI/NETPAC joint Jury.

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