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| Tuesday, 02 November 2004 |
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Late blooming flowers
Quite a number of writers told me that the news of the award came to them like a shock, and added that they never expected such a thing, and never dreamt as they were constantly engrossed in their own creativity. But surprisingly enough, I met a young dramatist hailing from a remote place like Hingurakgoda, who told me that "It was not at all a surprise for me to get an award for my play script, production, direction and for the best actor, for I was determined to get one somehow or other. I failed last time miserably. But I am successful this time." "Tell me something more about it." I told the recipient of three prestigious awards for the best children's play 'Horu Evilla' (Thieves have come), written, produced and directed by the young theatre man Sumith Amarasinghe. He went on expressing in a soft tone. "I am working as a cultural officer in Hingurakgoda. It's very difficult for me to produce a play there. But I managed to get a group of boys and girls with greatest reluctance from their parents. They joined my theatre workshop. I taught them all what I need about theatre craft, which I learned from National Youth Services Council. Then I wrote a script, which I thought, would be a good children's play. That play named as 'Singithi Sihinaya' was presented in Colombo last year. But I was disappointed that it was a failure. Though we did it under the most difficult circumstances, in Colombo it was regarded as a good for nothing play that has gone into Children's drama festival. That particular festival carried a broad theme, which went as inter cultural understanding. We all thought that we had done our best. But we heard it was not up to standard. The situation became worse, when a well known actor, who was also a member of the board of Judges, asked me a series of questions. In the first instance, he asked me from where I come from. I told him that I am from Hingurakgoda. Then he asked me another question. How did you get this group of children? I said that I serve as a cultural officer, so I managed to round up a group of school boys and girls. Then he laughed and said. Why don't you learn theatrical activities? I kept silent, though I knew the answer. This particular person perhaps sympathetically or cynically told me. 'This is no theatre. You had better go to Hingurakgoda and plant Manioc.' Once again I pursed my lips and kept silent. Believe me there was a grave sense of defeat, and self sympathy sizzling within me. But I determined that, I should write a new children's play. I thought of getting another children's play and update my knowledge with them, learn more about directing. So I triggered off with that determination, and submitted my play to the children's drama festival the following year, that's this year. I knew that I am going to get an award, I was positive of the intrinsic value in my own play. But I was patiently waiting for the release of the results. "So you are a winner. Let me also ask you a question." I said gauging his skills. "Is it just one question?" He asked me solemnly. "Did you not meet that person, who wanted you to plant manioc last year?" "No sir. I haven't met him for sometime. Perhaps I am waiting to meet him one day just to thank him." "For what purpose?" "I am pretty sure that those harsh words kindled a certain degree of determination within me. So I want to tell him that I have finally managed to plant manioc as well as plant good seeds of determination necessary for theatrical creativity." I was reminded of a certain saying by the well known novelist Sydney Sheldon. "Talent is like a frail flower growing under a solid rock. In the end nothing can stop it from bursting that from blooming." |
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"It came like a shock to me," is the usual expression most of
the recipients of National and International awards on literary and other
subjects.
