Janelaya with medicos

The 1960s saw an immense upsurge in the interest of our theatre so far unprecedented. Practically everybody wanted to do a play! Universities, schools, colleges, recreation clubs, sports clubs - they were all in the clamour to 'get into theatre'. And that is how I met the Medical Students' Arts Circle.

One morning - I think it was a Friday - the Secretary and the Treasurer of the Circle met me at my dusty Record Room in the PWD. The Secretary was one Raja Salgadu.

I remember him particularly because of his long-lashed soulful eyes. Also for his extremely courteous manner. The other was a bearded young man by the name of Parakrama Silva. If I am not mistaken he was a son of Mr. S. F. de Silva, the then Director of Education.

Like the Science Faculty students, these Medics also wanted to 'do a play'! They wanted to know if I had any new play script with me. In fact I had just finished polishing 'Janelaya' and I had even got a few copies roneoed (Photo copies were unheard of in 1961) in readiness for production.

But before telling them about Janelaya, I told them about the debacle I had with 'Pavukarayo' with the science students of the Colombo Campus. Yes, they had heard about it, Raja told me, his soulful eyes looking even more soulful. "That was mostly rivalry among some of the student factions, Mr. Jayasena" (No 'Sir' from the medics!) Raja and Parkrama assured me.

"We have no factions in our Arts Circle, Mr. Jayasena. We are very keen to do a play. We have 'heard' that you have a new play about boarding life etc. which should suit us extremely well.." I was astonished and wondered how the news had reached these medical students. I chose not to probe into it and told them that in fact I had a new play and I would be delighted to do it with them.

I gave them a couple of copies of the script and they left thanking me profusely. What a stroke of luck, I thought to myself. The duo came back within a couple of days and told me that they liked the play and would like to start on it immediately.

"As a first step, let me meet your young men and women and introduce the play to them." (I dare not call them 'boys and girls') So a date was agreed upon to meet the would be actors and actresses from the Medical Faculty and the duo left after assuring me that there is sure to be a massive response.

Giggles and whispers

The day dawned and I was there in a fairly large room almost under the clock tower near the De Zoysa maternity home, seated in an arm chair with a pile of Janelaya scripts on a stool by my side. I could hear quite a buzz from the adjoining room, including giggles and whispers. The room was separated by a flowery door curtain.

In fact I began to wonder if I had come to the correct place. I had expected a swarm of young men and women - all medics - all of them eager to 'act'. This was a far cry from my expectations!

While I waited trying to look nonchalant, tapping my fingers on the arms of the lonely chair, I could see a few female faces sneaking a look at me from a corner of the curtain. Raja Salgado would appear from the curtain suddenly and assure me that there is going to be a 'big response' and would disappear as quickly and I could hear him chiding some of the souls behind the curtain.

Meanwhile, a young man would enter from the front door and almost casually saunter across the room whistling and taking a sidelong look at me - their 'would be' Director. After a lot of chiding and persuasion from Raja, a few men and women edged into the room - the men trying to look unnecessarily brave and the women trying to look unnecessarily coy.

Since there were no chairs in the room and the floor was clean enough, I suggested that we all sit on the floor. 'Oh no, Mr. Jayasena, you sit there and we will sit on the floor!' declared a raspy voice coming from a particularly mischievous looking medico. I agreed. Frankly I preferred to sit in the chair. That would give me an advantage when explaining the play to them.

At last we had begun. More people started coming in. Some of them sat cross-legged on the floor. Most of the females preferred to sit leaning against the wall smoothing their long skirts before sitting down.

Good track

Raja Salgado was beaming by now - his eyes looking not only soulful but totally happy. He wanted to 'introduce' me to the crowd, but the same raspy voice declared that they all knew me and introductions were unnecessary. I agreed and had the first taste of medical 'incision'!

"Have some of you read my script?" I ventured to ask as a sort of 'starter'. Frankly, I felt a little nervous, caught up facing this 'doubting' crowd. I would have been only a few years older than these students and they may have been wondering how, a young person like me could handle them.

"I sent you a couple of scripts through your Secretary, Raja Sagado and I hope at least some of you have read my play...." I repeated trying to look serious and stern. "How could we have read it, there was only one copy going round. The other was with Salgado...!" said the same raspy, rattling voice and this time I had a good look at the man.

He had a slight squint, which somehow suited his personality, a square face and a slightly mocking countenance. "I have already found my 'Abittaya" I thought to myself and smiled. Mr. squint eye smiled back and that was a friendly, if rather mischievous, smile. "I would like to know your name, sir..." I told him in jest and everybody laughed. That relieved the tension and I knew we were on a good track.

"I am Raja Wannakukorale, sir..." shot back the young man. "Very good Raja.." I told him. 'In fact I have already cast you in my play..." I responded truthfully. I was quite sure this 'odd man out' would make a fine 'Abittaya' in my play. (In fact he did make a fine 'Abittaya' as we went along - I will come back to it later).

I explained the play as lucidly as possible to the young and now enthusiastic audience. I acted out some of the parts for their benefit and sang some of the songs to my own improvised tunes. (We had still not thought of a composer for the play) Sometimes the audience listened in wonder, sometimes they tittered - especially in the 'office' scene, and sometimes they were 'moved' I could see. That was a good beginning I thought.

Interval

There was an interval for a cup of hot plain tea. I used the break to talk to some of the boys and girls (Yes, now I will call them 'boys and girls' - because after all, they are still boys and girls, as was evident just an hour ago!) During this break I found out that some of their parents or brothers or sisters were in fact, known to me and that a particular girl, Indrani Wijeratne, was a close buddy of my wife to be, Manel Illangakoon. (When Manel met Indrani at a later rehearsal, she greeted her long time friend with a very affectionate 'Hello Bundy...!" and embraced her, Indrani blushing at the revelation of a pet name long years back... Alas both friends are no longer with us.)

After a few readings, try outs and a lot of hard work, I selected the cast for the very first production of Janelaya. I would like to put them on record here as a tribute as well as a gesture of affection to this set of 'pioneers', so to say.

So we had:- Raja Wannakukorale - the irrepressible one - as Abittaya, Edward Senanayake as the introspective 'Director, Somaratne Weerasinghe as the melancholy 'Amattaya', Wimalasena Guneratne as the solid and sympathetic 'Governor', Bandara Seneviratne as the sky-climbing 'Aakaasa', Upul Wijewardena as the ever happy 'Comasaris', Pathiraja Wimalaratne as Mr. 'Padipela', Indrani wijeratne as the climbing 'Mrs. Padipela' Kumari Jayaratne as smart 'miss Gaayani Padipela', D Rajapakse as the office peon 'Putupala', Keerthi Rajapakse as clerk 'Paraputupala', Ranjani Weerasekera as playful steno 'Miss Karadasi' and Chandra Herath as the girl in search of 'goodness' and sense in life, 'Deriya'.

Most of these men and women still remain personal friends although many of them live scattered all over the globe.

A few of them, Keerthi Rajapakse, Edward Senanayake and Indrani Wijeratane are no longer with us as far as I am aware.

Some of them seldom fail to drop in for a courtesy call whenever they pay a visit to their homeland.

The 13 men and women bore their roles well, but as I suspected, most of them lacked experience in and the acumen for singing.

Half way through the rehearsals I met Maestro Somadasa Elvitigala at Radio Ceylon where he worked and persuaded him to undertake the musical creations for the play. He gladly agreed.

Instant creations

He had not composed music for the stage for a long time - I believe after his beautiful compositions for Dr. Sarachchandra's 'Pabavati' quite sometime back. I had some kavi, raban pada like compositions, light conversational compositions and quite a few, shall I say, 'highbrow' lyrics too in the play.

Somadasa Elvitigala was an easy going person, very friendly, very involved, but a little unpunctual - as most musicians are! He was, what I would call, an 'inspirational' composer.

Although I had given him a script, I doubt if he made much use of it at home. He would come for rehearsals (a little bit late, most often) sit down at the harmonium, caress a few chords and look at me and ask "So, where are we today?" I would take up a script and hum some tune into the lyrics that were being taken up that day.

Melody

Somu (I called him Somu, for affection) would smile, try out a few notes, clear his throat and launch into creation instantly. Almost every time, he came out with a melody absolutely right for the occasion.

Then came the difficult task of putting it across to the players. The simpler melodies were absorbed and well rendered by some of the cast. It was poor Edward Senanayake and Bandara Seneviratne who had a tough time.

Leap of death

The melodies given to the 'Director' just before he made his 'leap of death' from the window were heavy, deep in rhythm and foreboding.

Edward struggled hard and came up with an acceptable rendering making full use of his deep and resonant voice. Similarly Bandara Seneviratne had some rather 'difficult' melodies to tackle such as "Janelen maa balaa unna" (Some of the readers familiar with the play will perhaps remember Upali Attanayake's magnificent rendering of this song in a subsequent production) The medical boys became very fond of their smiling, fatherly music master, Somadasa Elvitigala.

Whenever he missed a rehearsal they would enquire if he was ill and one day Somu said, "Yes, children, I have a back problem, meaning a nasty backache, which lays me down sometimes and when that happens I not only miss rehearsals but even my office work."

The boys were determined to get him the best possible attention and treatment at their hospital. (More next week)

Thought of the week All the people in this country long for peace, stability and a decent life for all. Only lunatics would want otherwise. But what we want is not a one-sided peace. We want a peace that prevails. Not the shaky and 'murderous' peace, where men of immeasurable value such as Lakshman Kadirgamar could be done away with impunity.

What we have come to call 'the world community' appear to be deaf and dumb at this kind of atrocity, most of the time. A little press release, and the whole sorry episode is forgotten by this curious 'world community'.

We should build up enough strength and commitment within ourselves, if we are to make the world community take proper notice of us.

After the war, so many small countries made their presence felt by sheer determination and exemplary governance.

We now have a new President who is accepted by all as a pragmatic person.

May he retain the good things that had already been gained and rectify the bad things like gross lack of security.

May we be able to breathe in peace, live in peace and die in peace?

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