Vasily comes back

THEATRE: After a two week tour in Ceylon, Vasily Yunusof, my former interpreter came back and he was unstoppable in his praise of our country. He praised the country, its people and above all the hospitality.

I was over the moon. They had performed in Colombo, Kandy and Galle. They had been taken around to the Peradeniya Gardens, Dalada Maligawa etc.

They had not only met my wife Manel and members of my theatre group, but had also seen a special performance of Kuveni, under the patronage of Prime Minister Sirimavo Bandaranaike and Governor William Gopallawa and they were fascinated by 'Kuveni'. I was more than over the moon!

Vasily brought me a letter and some eatables from Manel. That was the best gift for me from Vasily's 'Tour of Tsylon'. Manel had said she adored the silver wristlet I sent her. She had entertained the Russian troupe at home, at Dehiwala, for tea.

"But not everybody came," she had said. "Our friends and I fed them and entertained them with a sing-song etc., as best as we could," she had added. "Why did not everyone visit my home Vasily? Were some of them indisposed?" I asked him.

Vasily looked a little uneasy and almost hung his head in embarrassment and he replied reluctantly with a good measure of his 'seasonal' stammer. "A...actually, G...gaspadin Dh...dhjayasena, some of them went to your b...beautiful b...beach at Mount Lavinia for a s...swim," he admitted, "But, that's fine Vasily," I assured him.

"If I was there I would have had the tea party - or even something more than that - on the beach.!"

Although he had come back, Vasily told me that he had been given another assignment by his Ministry and that Zoya and he would alternately work with me in the future. Actually Zoya was also there, when Vasily met me that morning.

"Has my friend Zoya Onishko been good?" He asked me looking teasingly at Zoya. "Oh yes," I told him. "In fact she has been too good, She has even started teaching me the Russian language." "Ah, that's very good," responded a slightly taken aback Vasily.

Then he took his leave. He embraced me warmly and thanked me again and again for the wonderful hospitality in my country. Then he exchanged a few words with Zoya in Russian, shook her hand and left us for our day's activity.

Embarrassing experience

We proceeded to yet another actor-training class at the Nemirovich Danchenko Theatre and training institute. By this time we had finished our schedule at the former place where I had that embarrassing experience of the 'fly'! Anyway, from that day onwards I made sure that the lapse would never be repeated.

It was a pleasure and a superb learning exercise for me to watch these classes in progress. The young men and women participating in these classes were given a thorough training in every aspect of active theatre.

The training was a rigorous four-year commitment. Year one taught them the history of Russian Theatre as well as World Theatre and gave them a lot of physical training. Each day, each class invariably started with warm up exercises followed by breathing exercises and speech exercises.

Not all students were Russian. Some of them came from other States within the Soviet Union such as Georgia, Armenia, Uzbekhistan, Latvia etc. Neverhteless, the common language was Russian and classes were conducted in that language.

The students were given group training in all kinds of situations that come up on stage, like sitting (in different moods and attitudes) standing, moving, tripping, falling, getting up from a fall, exits and entries etc.

They were even taught how to take in a bullet from a pistol or gun and how to fall without injuring the back. They were taught how to fall slowly and dramatically and how to lie absolutely still.

The students are given improvisation classes too. In these classes, no words are used. Each student has to select some situation and mime it to make it clear to the onlookers. I remember one incident where a student went down on his knees and was exploring the floor rather gingerly.

The exercise was not clear and the teacher asked the student what he was looking for. "I was feeling around for buried mines, Sir," was the reply. The teacher, most likely a war veteran, chided the young man rather harshly.

"Don't try to do things that you know nothing of...!" said he. "If you went for mines in that manner on your hands and knees you would have been blown to bits...!" he added. The young man was crestfallen at the comments and I felt sorry for him.

The teacher, incidentally, did not offer to demonstrate how the particular exercise could be executed correctly. Perhaps his memories were too bitter.

Peripheral activities

In the second year these students are given a training in other peripheral activities of the stage, like Stage Management, within a given play or a part of a play. Generally it is during this time that special aptitudes of the students are observed and made note of.

They would thus, finally branch off to their own fields of excellence - Acting, Directing, Stage Managing, Set Designing, Costuming, Make-up, Special Effects, Lighting etc.

I had the opportunity of observing the first year novices as well as the more senior second year and third year men and women, and finally the final year students at their levels of classes. By the time they reach the fourth year they would have learnt almost all aspects of theatre activity and perhaps chosen their own particular paths in them too.

The more promising final year students are often invited to play minor roles in regular productions staged by various Theatre Houses. Some of them are invited to help in other areas such as costuming, set construction, lighting and make-up etc.

Of course, it will take a much longer period of time for even the best of students to become a 'Recessor' - a Theatre Director.

Going through some of my old documents, I just came across a diary I had been keeping when I was in Moscow. I wish I had found it before I started out on these Moscow episodes. Anyway, better late than never! Some of the entries make interesting reading. Let me reproduce some of them:-

"January 5 - (1964) 'Scandalous affair between Mr. Cattle and Mrs. Moon'. A play by J. B. Preistly. Interesting theme but rather badly acted by 'Mr. Cattle'. A prim and well behaved bank manager suddenly revolting against himself and the order of things. Later joined by a married woman - Mrs. Moon."

The only play that I know of, by J. B. Priestly is 'An Inspector Calls'. I am not sure what this particular play is. Most likely it is known by some other title in its original. The above translation was given to me by Zoya, my interpreter.

"January 6 - 'My Fair Lady' ('Mayya Precrasnaya Lyedee') The Russian production and premier at the Operetti Theatre. Mrs. Lalita Subasinghe had got the invitations and she took me, the two girls and Asoka Subasinghe with her.

A very competent production and quite slick too, though all the humour did not come through due to the usual 'heaviness' of productions here. The girl was a little too old for the part of My Fair Lady. (Perhaps a People's Artiste!)"

Wonderful walk

"January 7 - Went out with Vasily. He took me for a wonderful walk across the exhibition grounds and later through a beautiful wood where children were skiing. Out in this open the snow is a most beautiful thing to look at. In the city one cannot even imagine it could be so beautiful.

Then Vasily took me to his new flat. I met his wife and his adorable little son of 4 years. He took out his books immediately and started explaining them to me - in Russian! I was treated very kindly by all. We had some excellent Italian brandy. Had dinner with them. First time I had ever been inside a Russian home...."

"January 8 - Met Miriam Salgenic at 3.30 at the Moscow Writers' Union. Miriam is Secretary of the Union - a rather 'powerful' woman. Had a very interesting chat. She invited me to perform Tavat Udesanak in their hall - with a cast of Ceylonese students from the Lumumba University and other educational institutes.

Not a bad idea, I thought, provided I can find the time for such a diversion."

I remember Miriam Salgenik very well. I first met her at the Ambassador's home. He (Mr. T. B. Subasinghe) was entertaining a fairly well known Soviet writer and I was invited too.

Miriam came as the interpreter. A chain smoker. But she was a very competent interpreter too. In fact she was much more than that, I am sure. She knew practically everything about Ceylon - its politicians, the Communist party and even our local gossip.

She was a great admirer of Pieter Kueneman and acted as his interpreter whenever Mr. Kueneman visited Moscow.

Tower Hall songs

Whenever our Ambassador entertained an artiste in his home, he invited me too. He was very fond of listening to our old Tower Hall songs from 'Siri Sangabo', 'Sri Wickrama Rajasignhe' etc and I obliged as best as I could.

One night I sang some songs from my latest play - Tavat Udesanak. He was delighted with the song 'Igillila piyambala yanda waren raththo..' and would get me to sing it again and again later on.

The song became so famous in the Embassy that my friends Gerry Gunasekera and Ananda Thillekeratne dubbed me with a new name - Raththa Jayasena.

I have a very interesting entry in my Moscow diary, dated January 9. Let me quote it:-

"Recd a letter from Mr. S. F. de Silva from Peking. He describes theatre training in China. He says that actors are trained for 9 years and singers for 10 years, from the age of 10. Must convey this to Vasily and Zoya... Perhaps they already know...."

Thought of the week

Vesak is round the corner. For most older people like me Alut Avurudu and Vesak are mostly nostalgic memories of a bygone, humble, yet beautiful childhood. Vesak was the best of them all.

We would travel by train all the way from Gampaha to Colombo, alight at Maradana and walk (no bus transport) all over Colombo to see the resplendent pandals - one at Maradana, another at Borella and one more famous one at Armour Street. There were enough 'Dansel' and cool drink spots to quench our hunger and thirst.

We would walk back to either Fort or Maradana railway station and take a train back to Gampaha in the wee hours of next morning. My Loku Aiya had three children then and they would be sleeping on our shoulders (meaning Loku Aiya, his wife Ariyawathie Akka and me) till we got back to the station.

Give me that humble and austere Vesak, any time, instead of the blaring sounds of loud-speakers and the ugliness of modernisation.

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