Stage play festival to commemorate Dayananda Gunawardena
Four well known plays: Nari Bena, Jasaya saha Lenchina, Madhura
Javanika and Gajaman Puwatha by late Dayananda Gunawardena, will go on
boards at the Lionel Wendt Theatre from July 10,11 and 12 at 3.30 p.m.
and 7.00 p.m.
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Dayananda Gunawardena |
Sinhala folk style, Nari Bena is produced in lyrical form with its
varied content of drums and bamboo is based on two folktales. Nari Bena
is one of the rare plays that has been staged continuously over the last
four decades providing wholesome entertainment to both young and the old
alike.
Jasaya saha Lenchina is based on an age old masked play. The play
steps out beyond the Kolam tradition with lively music and expressive
dance forms. The backdrop for the play is a typical village washing bay
and provides hilarious entertainment from the start to the end because
of its lively banter, songs and graceful dance sequences. Nari Bena and
Jasaya saha Lenchina will be on stage on July 10.
Madhura Javanika highlights historical events which took place in Sri
Lanka from the time of the war between Rama and Ravana to the modern
times where evolution of lifestyle that compelled women seek lucrative
employment in Dubai as housemaids. This lively musical drama will be on
July 11.
The festival will be concluded with the highly acclaimed Gajaman
Puwatha on July 12. This production by late Dayananda Gunawardena is
acknowledged as the first theatre work in Sri Lanka to adopt the docu-drama
style. While depicting the real life of social icons in a bygone era,
Gajaman Puwatha highlights the contemporary aesthetic values of the
times.
On stage will be many renowned artistes such as Bandula Wijeweera,
Neil Alles, Rodney Warnakula, Sarath Kulanga, Rathnasheela Perera, Ferni
Roshini, Jackson Anthony, Anula Bulathsinhala, Jayanath Bandara,
Rathmalie Gunasekera, Nissanka Diddeniya, Chandra Kaluarachchi and
Chandrasoma Binduhewa. All seats are box planned and tickets are
available at Lionel Wendt theatre office. |
