Sinhabahu on local English stage:
A legend revived
Sachitra Mahendra
The Sri Lankan Sinhala theatre had a new pulse when Prof. Ediriweera
Sarachchandra staged the Buddhist legend of Maname in 1956. Maname set
the trend, but Sarachchandra's pinnacle - many observe - is Sinhabahu, a
legend on the Sinhala race's origin.
Many decades went by before Sinhabahu came out in English; Dr.
Lakshmi de Silva the first translator, and Namel Weeramuni the second.
They have their own stories to share, but this is not about the
translations at all.
The legend was first introduced in modern form. It was then
introduced to English readers. And now thirdly, the English version
comes on stage with a local cast.
Simply put, Mayashakthi Theatre Foundation's Dharmajith Punarjeeva
will stage the English production of Sinhabahu on March 15th and 16th at
Lionel Wendt at 6.30. Punarjeeva's work is based on Dr. Lakshmi de
Silva's translation.
"I would have really loved to take Namel Weeramuni's script also. But
he has already done a production. So I settled on Dr. de Silva's script.
She was so kind enough to give permission to make use of her book."
What's special about Punarjeeva's production is that it has a local
cast. He has positive words on the cast's ability of dancing and acting.
The capability to dance and act well, Punarjeeva says, is something
hardly present in Sri Lankan English theatre.
Dharmajith Punarjeeva |
"English theatre players mainly learn English rather than performing.
But we have students who have studied dancing and acting as a subject."
Punarjeeva also shows gratitude to late Professor's wife Lalitha
Sarachchandra. "She was so helpful to us and keen to leave Dr.
Sarachchandra's name for posterity. A legal agreement took place between
Mayashakthi Theatre Foundation and Sarachchandra Theatre Foundation as a
result."
Prof. Sarachchandra set his mark on Sinhala theatre, and so did Prof.
Ashley Halpe to the Sri Lankan English theatre.
"Sri Lanka's English theatre has a long history. It has been present
since 1930s. What Prof. Halpe did was that he added more stage plays and
thus he should be considered a pioneer in Sri Lankan English theatre."
However English theatre in Sri Lanka has no vision, Punarjeeva
laments. It was always either a translation or an adaptation. William
Shakespeare or Harold Pinter or any other playwrights are so good to see
in local English theatre. But we also have a tradition, an oriental
tradition.
No major Sri Lankan English playwright has ever used a local script,
so obviously the Sri Lankan English theatre has no oriental vision.
There are good original plays by Sarachchandra and Sugathapala de Silva.
But translators are wary of even touching them.
"Prof. Halpe and Dr. Lakshmi de Silva should be specially commended
for their translations of Sinhala masterpieces like Viragaya and Madol
Doova, by the likes of Martin Wickramasinghe and Sarachchandra. We can
show these works to foreigners without any second thoughts."
Punarjeeva's purpose is to bring national identity with the Sinhabahu
stage play. "There are original English plays written by locals too.
But we took this translation actually because it has a local touch.
It is about the origin of the Sinhala race. We have this question of
national identity, when we are presenting something."
Punarjeeva related something similar happened to C. de S. Kulathilake,
a late musician.
When Kulathilaka was asked to play local music in England, what he
could play was of Indian type. From then Kulathilake set out to study
local music.
"The local music has its roots in folk music. Our peasant ancestors
used to recite folk poems mainly to ease their sadness and loneliness."
Sarachchandra did it too. He worked with Europeans initially, but he
took to working on folk theatre later on.
Punarjeeva's Mayashakthi Theatre Foundation was formed in 1990 with
the object of encouraging local performers and audiences more insightful
to original and creative theatre. Based in the crowded city of Nugegoda,
the foundation conducts workshops for other young enthusiasts in various
regions of the island in order to introduce them to theatre.
Mayashakthi publishes magazines, annual journals, newspapers and
books dedicated to furthering the arts in Sri Lanka.
"Our theatre periodical is Kasaya (whip). It has all critical and
analytical articles on artistes as well as arts. Our other publications
are Shakespeare, Gandhi and Roma."
Mayashakthi performances are at the apex of the alternative tradition
in the performing arts. The open economy policies of the 1980s had the
unfortunate effect of upending the traditions of performing arts
existing at the time, with a wave of inferior, puerile, popular
productions invading the stage.
"These were juvenile, commercialised productions devoid of a serious
foundation. We opposed and countered these trends with our productions."
And finally, Dharmajith Punarjeeva invites us to be a part of
Sarachchandra's legacy - Sinhabahu - on March 15th and 16th at Lionel
Wendt.
[email protected]
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