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State Drama Festival - 2003 : 

Final round ends with new hope for future

by E. M. G.Edirisinghe

This year the State Drama Festival (32nd since inauguration in 1959) with nine plays on board selected out of 16 plays in the second round, came to an end at the John de Silva Memorial Theatre.

Nominations to the second round were made out of 45 plays shown islandwide. State drama festival is the most enthusiastically watched theatre event in the country. Right here, the young and energetic dramatists gets the much sought after opening to break themselves into national recognition and to reach an enlightened audience. Their works are evaluated and appreciated in a decorous perspective of national theatre.

This year the festival marked two significant trends emerging in the national theatre. The veteran theatre personalities have taken a rest from the stage and their excellence and experience is conspicuously missing. On the other hand, the young dramatists who took over from them, dominated the stage with adaptations and translations. In this context, the veteran dramatists are yet to come into grips with the current social, cultural and political issues which the young dramatists are struggling to touch with strong conviction.

The young dedicated dramatists love to experiment and aren't frightened to use the stage to express themselves on issues touching the inner sensitive and controversial material that has resettled the emotions of present day man. However, the festival had converted itself to a stage to drawn inspiration for adaptations. One reason for this significant change could be the University of Kelaniya which confers degrees in drama and theatre had made no distinction between the original plays and adaptations for purposes of examination.

Another reason for the dearth of originals (only three out of nine) is the absence of a playwrights with penetrative depth and originality displaying analytical skill capable of offering at a higher competitive level. A dramatic presentation must intellectually and aesthetically awaken the audience. Otherwise it fails as an art. Such skill and craft is rare.

Consequently the national theatre is neither growing nor improving, and the genuine theatre audience is moving away from drama despite the tireless, thankless endeavour of the Sinhala Drama Panel. Without resolving to build a theatre culture one wonders where would the efforts of all theatre-lovers end.

The festival itself opened with Oba Amathai (Public Address), an experimental play which could be treated as well, as one in the mould of the absurd theatre tradition.

However, it was an experience that no audience would ever like to undergo. They were squeezed in and out of the hall with scant respect for them not knowing that there is no theatre without an audience whose concentration is essential to enjoy drama. The play itself is supposed to be part two of Samuel Beckett's Waiting for Godot; but it failed to create a similar impact either dramatically or aesthetically. It portrayed the frustration of the people caused by the politicians of various hues and shades since the dawn of independence. A crude disorganised production with hardly any theatre-craft being used.

A good original play Katu Yahana (Thorny Couch) was expected to throw a challenge at the audience and the jury. This is a new concept of drama where plays are produced to challenge the audience. Theatre is for the theatregoer to enjoy and get himself imbibed in its vision and aesthetic beauty.

That apart this play deals with heterosexuality of a married man, and the resultant confusion and conflict at home between husband and wife. The dramatist challenges the validity of the Christian concept of marriage (till death do us part) and invites all to be free to do what they wish. It is a neat production and offer a pleasantly conceived form and content. Police a Polish play adopted and presented in the form of absurd theatre depicting a true picture of what dictatorship imposed on the ruled as well as on the machinery of the state which is the executive arm of the ruler.

With the antagonism to dictatorship totally withering away after ruthless suppression what was left with for the state machinery to use against? Master Harold was one other play adopted from a play written by Athol Fuggard. It took off slowly with load of intermittent dancing and music but gathered momentum towards the end surfacing the human kindness and mutual understanding that broke all racial barriers. However, the traditional racial and class hatred secured deep and dormant in mind revealing themselves at once when provoked.

Another play that had a tremendous appeal and hold was Rashoman a dramatisation of a Japanese short story. The dramatist has successfully met the challenge of bringing a vastly a complex theme on stage. It is aesthetically the best performance at the festival. Interaction of several characters each of whom speaking from their own point of view was emphatically and vividly presented with dramatic excellence. Its structural heaviness has made the paly lucid and easily perceptive. It was most challenging of all the plays.

Henrik Ibsen's well-known play 'Doll House' was on stage as Sellam Gedara. A very disciplined highly articulate production, it could be termed as one of the best realistic plays. It depicts the tragic story of a family whose members find themselves unable to arrest the decline of the family as a unit as well as individuals both economically and socially. It was the collapse of a system within the context of social transformation that was evident with the passage of time. Dramatically a fine production executed with refined stage precision.

Sookarayek Samaga (Life with a Swine) is the other original play with a deeply laden emotional theme involving an award winning artist. He had dedicated his whole life to art only to find himself left alone finally with no more accolades and recognition. All those who had showered praises on him have disappeared leaving him a forgotten man.

It shows the transient nature of all mundane achievements. It is a good script but lacked the stage penetration it demanded. Sarath Kotalawela as the forgotten artist is superb in bringing out the nuances in the senile character direct into viewer focus.

Finally, it was Haina adopted to stage from the foreign play Dutchman. A fastidiously chiselled play, it brings oppression and discrimination on social and racial grounds to light. Chamila Pieris in a fascinating role of a performing artist adds colour and variety to stage appearance which was generally filled with drab morose rough frustrated characters.

The festival as a whole, although failed to draw much crowds as in the previous years, befitting the national standing of the event was a success to the extent youth talent was harnessed and elevated in the emerging theatre horizon. Apart from the experienced young dramatists such as Visakesh Chandrasekaram, Buddhika Damayantha, and Sarath Kotalawela who have already made their mark in theatre, a genre of promising young dramatists such as Ruwini Manamperi, Hemantha Prasad, Chaturani Tillakerathne and Chamila Hathlahawatte have painted themselves a future in theatre.

However, the theatre-goers can never be content with the performance they have been offered at the festival. Their failure to attract a sizeable audience to appreciate, their drama islandwide is demoralising and defalcating. We arn't sure whether they would be able to revitalise and reinvest our intellectual and aesthetic resources in theatre. If they could reach a maximum of 25 shows of their plays, it is great under the present set-up.

Merry An Singers at the Wendt

"Journey through Time in Song"

October 3rd & 4th 7.30 p.m. & October 5th 11 a.m.

This concert over the first weekend in October will be in two distinct parts to cater to the musical tastes of audiences. On the one hand they can savour the depths of extracts from Opera and on the other be moved by the lively rhythms of Gospel music and Spirituals.

To those who normally do not listen to it, Opera often conjures up images of wading through heavy sound, which needs deep perception of music. However hundreds of extracts from Opera which provide 'easy' listening music is often heard or played in everyday life - film background, dance accompaniments, advertisements and even modified to suit modern pop songs. So flit through "The Magic Flute", lilt through "La Traviata" and carouse through "Carmen". These will surely make us appreciate the greatness of composers like Mozart, Verdi and Bizet.

The second part of the programme will be full of new sounds. The choir will go bananas with "Clap your hands" and then switch and ask you to join them in spirit as each dedicate "The wind beneath my wings" to someone special.

There are two special arrangements by Mary Anne of "Beyond the Sunset" and "Amazing Grace" and another "Give thanks" by the accompanist of the group Neranjan de Silva. "The Lord's my Shepherd" sung to the traditional tune will provide thought for comparison as this famous Psalm is also sung to a tune based on an early American Spiritual. Historically the members of the Merry An Singers have felt that audiences empathise and are close to them. As they have often done in the past, they will invite the audience to sing along with them for some of the well-known hymns.

The producer and director have decided to have an 11 a.m. concert on the 5th to make it easier for senior citizens, daylight drivers and the handicapped 'take in a show' and perhaps enthuse families and friends to take them out to lunch thereafter.

Samanthi's dream comes true

It would be a childhood dream comes true for Mathematics and Statistics lecturer Samanthi Gamage who will hold her first solo exhibition of paintings at the Lionel Wendt from October 3 to 5.

Dreams of many of us do not come true! Yet Gamage is lucky enough to bring out her dreams through her maiden solo art exhibition, which comprises 40 eye-catching paintings of, on various subjects.

A lecturer of the Royal Institute conducting the degree programme of the University of London, Gamage has taken time off her hectic academic commitments fulfil her long time dream. "I don't have many dreams in my life, but this has been my childhood dream, to have my own exhibition of paintings. That's why I titled it - My Dream," Gamage said.

Her exhibition of paintings, done using oil canvass, pastel and water colours, will be on various topics. Since childhood Gamage has shown a keen interest to sharpen her natural skills as an artist, though she excelled in her academic career. A BSc graduate from the University of Peradeniya, Gamage had her post graduate studies in Industrial mathematics from the University of Sri Jayewardenepura.

Her love for paintings and natural ability has been given all encouragement by Mrs. Lathifa Ismail. "You have a free hand, so do your own and style", were the encouraging base given by Ismail. Under her able guidance, Gamage has put up 40 paintings for the exhibition. Gamage is a born artist. "I never learned art during my school days. Though my main interests were on paintings and music, I had to continue my higher studies to fulfil my parents' dreams. Now my dream has come true," Gamage said.

She has been a versatile student at the University. Gamage is an accomplished violin player and an actress. She was adjudged the best actress on successive years at the annual drama competition of the University of Peradeniya.

Songs that heal

'Numba Reginak yei sithuna' a collection of songs was released recently to pay tribute to the Sri Lankan garment industry, specially to the girls who toil to make it all happen.

by Prasad Abu Bakr

The Joint Apparel Association Forum (JAAF) initiated a rallying call to pay tribute to the apparel sector by releasing 6 songs, dedicated exclusively to the garment industry and its workforce targeting the public at extending their support towards the industry which is one amongst the few key revenue generating concepts of recent times. Featuring some of the country's leading artists the 6 songs have many unusual features, speaking of the positive factor of the garment factory worker is one of them.

The workers of the apparel industry who contribute in a big way at producing garments for some of the best known labels appearing on international catwalks unfortunately haven't been able to secure the honour and respect they deserve from our general public, probably culminating to a point of the industry itself taking notice of this which has resulted in this exercise.

An upbeat and exciting song aptly titled 'Made in Sri Lanka' is one of the songs included in this collection with a catchy tune written by Ranga Dasanayake performed by Husni and Suresh and sung by Bathiya and Santush. The lyrics written by Nilar N. Kassim place accent upon certain facts that the public is not very aware of, the fact that our country is actually influential on an international scale when it comes to manufacturing of garments.

The fact that so many export rejects are appearing in the local market has given this trade a rather flippant reputation and this song should be able to sway away from that notion. Singer Amarasiri Peiris lends his deep voice to a set of lyrics written by Sunil Sarath Perera referring to the Factory worker as the 'creator of neighbourhoods'. Titled 'Ran Huen' emphasises on the importance of garment factories coming into existence in society, as it creates communities that come into being and support the factory worker at large while serving people around them as a chain reaction. 'Neka Warna Salupiliyen' by singer Nirosha Virajini presents the garment factory working girl as a symbol of the 21st century attending that stage by sheer hard work and her pioneering efforts over the past few years. The song is written by Kapila Kumara Kalinga.

A song titled 'Nil Manel' makes an outstanding appearance besides the rest of the collection, sung by songstress Deepika Priyadarshini Peiris and written by Ratnashri Wijesinghe set to a melody by Rohana Weerasinghe the song brings to the fore the innocent village lass as a bread winner and also a strong character amongst society which harps mostly on male dominance.

The song besides featuring excellent visual video images contains scintillating music. The rest of the 2 songs are sung by Victor Ratnayake (set to music by the singer himself), with lyrics by Professor Ajantha Ranasinghe. Singer Rukantha Gunatileke is featured in a song titled 'Nageniye' written by Bandula Nanayakkarawasam set to music by Nawaratne Gamage.

The collection which is very listenable, both in way of lyrics and melodies the compositions are set against, should go down well with the general listener, specially for their novel themes in comparison to regular compositions that we hear mostly based on tragic love themes.

Based on whatever context that made it appear on the local music scene it is worth having it included in ones collection of CD's, if not for all its good points, plainly for the reason that it is a tribute to the second highest domestic foreign currency earning industry and the most important people behind it - the garment industry employees.

'Upwards'

An exhibition of paintings at The artists Gallery by Janath Sanjeewa Perera.

Artist Janath Sanjeewa Perera has been proving his ability to excel in creative art since his childhood, a student of Prince of Wales College Moratuwa he was able to win a few awards for his work while attending school. In 2001 he was able to secure first place in the art competition held in collaboration with the international peace festival organised by Japan International Corporation Agency.

In 1992 after he completed his preliminary examinations at school level Sanjeewa gained entry to the Institute of Aesthetic Studies, of the University of Kelaniya, where he received a first class degree in 1997. As a result he was able to secure a position of commercial artist at a leading advertising firm in Colombo. After a 2 year stint in that position Sanjeewa managed to find employment as an art teacher at a public school bringing him to the fold of the government service as most other graduates passing through the Institute of Aesthetic Studies.

Through his exercise of painting Artist Sanjeewa has managed to bring into focus the many facets of the human form through a dialogue of abstraction, giving priority to the female form, presenting women as a major symbol of society, accentuating on their beauty, courage and motherhood. Featuring the women in many daily situations and highlighting various exploitations she has to undergo in the process, he has also debated the role of women against social, economical and the present political background.

Working in mixed medium on canvas using a selection of bright against subdued colours Sanjeewa has also painted on the theme of war and its affect on society as a whole including the soldier who more than often has to sacrifice his life in the process.

This is Artist Janaka Sanjeewa Perera's first one man exhibition and he has placed a lot of importance to what he wants to speak about through his medium.

The exhibition is due to be opened by Professor Senaka Bandaranayake and Mrs Bandaranayake at The Artists Gallery, operated by another fellow artist S. H. Sarath at 18A, Sarasavi Gardens, Nawala Road, Nugegoda. It will be opened to the public from the 3rd to the 7th of October, 10 am to 7 pm daily.

P.A.B.

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