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Hira Gedarata Dorak Nehe:
Are we all Prisoners?
Ranga Chandrarathne
 Hira Gedarata Dorak Nehe (Prison without a door), the drama by Dr.K.
Mahesh Perera will go on the boards at Tower Hall Maradana on December
19, at 7.00 p.m. Although the drama does not really depict a prison. It
portrays a psychological struggle between the inmates and the officials
within the confines of a prison.
The setting is a semi-realistic prison where certain characters
present not only a story but also imaginations of inmates in the prison.
For instance, one prisoner is sentenced to death and the internal
struggle of the prisoner is depicted.
One of the significant aspects of this absurd drama is that all the
events are boiled down to nothing, the cast drifting aimlessly without a
specific idea about their lives.
Although these important features portray the real characteristics of
an absurd drama, it has not been included in the recent productions. An
imaginary court scene is enacted and here the characters react to it. In
the trial, dead characters testify before the court.
The subtext of the drama is the question posed to the audience that
whether all of us, the inmates and officers, in one way or an other,
prisoners. In essence, it is this world full of limitations. Each and
every one is confined by conventions, traditions and man-made barriers,
though it is readily taken for granted.
Motto of the prison is "All human beings are prisoners". However,
Mahesh questions 'Are all human beings prisoners?'. This is a prison
without doors. Everyone can go in and come out from it. Mahesh the
script writer and the producer portrays contemporary society as an open
prison which needs no doors.
 One of the important features is that each and every dialogue has a
subtext. Dialogues and some characters are derived from real life
stories of inmates that Mahesh learnt about as Mahesh works at Prison
hospital as a medical doctor. However, incidents depicted in the drama
are imaginary and far from being realistic. They are unrealistic and
cannot be taken as real life situations.
"Life is a prison. From the day we are born, we are living in
undeclared prisons. Mother's womb... cradle... when grown up a gate...
house... school. After that love... marriage. These, all, are prisons. A
house is also a prison. We are so used to them that we never thought of
or dare to think of them as prisons" - inmate. These evocative lines sum
up the central theme of the drama. It should be stated here that the
genre of absurd drama is most suitable for the plot.
Mahesh has adapted his experiences to the drama in an artistic manner
and the production is artistically excellent compared with really
'absurd' dramas shown and claimed as classical work of art.
On the other hand the incidents, though unrealistic, can also happen.
The story is woven around three prisoners and their stories resulting in
their conviction. The main character is a man who has killed his
daughter.
He is engaged in cutting down trees under a timber merchant. He
entrusted his employer to look after his family. His employer sends him
to fell some trees in Siyabalanduwa and seduces the daughter who is
still attending school.
He learns that merchant had seduced not only his daughter but also
his wife. Infuriated workers, come back unannounced only to find that
the push-bicycle of the merchant is parked at his door step.
He kills his daughter and the merchant. Techniques such as flash back
and costumes have been used to depict diverse emotional status of
inmates' minds.
Director Perera should be commended for deriving the best performance
from the talented cast. It is the culminating effect of the individual
acting that contributes to the overall success of the production. It
seems that Mahesh has understood this and directed the cast admirably.
The cast comprises Gamini Samarakoon, Nimal Yatiwella, Chandima
Damayanthi, Lincon Mandawala, Thilak Weerasuriya, Sumen Rangana and
Mallika Rajapakse. Music for the drama is directed by Gayan Ganakadara.
The drama will offer a new dimension in theatre and would be a novel
experience for deserving theatre goers.
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