Winds of creativity
Ruwini JAYAWARDANA
 Gifted teledrama, movie and stage play actor, Janaka Kumbukage is
currently working on his latest stage play, Sulanga Mata Katha Karai
(The Wind Beckons to me). The rehearsals of the drama is in progress at
Ananda Balika Vidyalaya, Kotte, as the production is due to take to the
Lumbini theatre on July 25 and 26 at 6.30 p.m.
A specialty about the play is that it introduces a new style to stage
drama making. As Janaka puts it, "The latest technological devices used
in cinema will be used in the production. However this will not have a
harmful effect on live acting or the impact that a drama project has on
the audience. Rather, it will enhance its quality and provide the
viewers with a whole new experience and nurture the industry."
New techniques
Hopeful of bringing back the audience to the theatres, the talented
actor who clinched the Best Actor award in the theatre segment at State
Drama Festival and the Best Actor at the Presidential Award for his
contribution for cinema, both in the year 2000, said that he is
confident that his attempt will be met with success.
He said, "We hope to tryout new techniques in the cinema and
television arena on stage. I have based this on some of the incidents
which I have encountered in my life.
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Chandani
and Punchi Suranganavi |
The stage is quite a powerful medium in driving home a point to the
onlookers. In some of the developping countries some plays run on and on
for many years and they are never short of audience. We need to bring
this atmosphere back to our theatre scene."
The theme of the play is based on the concept of looking at life in a
lovable angle rather than regarding it as a burden.
It encompasses the idea of how to cope up with the tensions of daily
life and to see the beauty of it as a whole.
The story centres on a family and the conflicts that spring up
without any warning, threatening to shatter its foundation. It is a
study of the reactions of two individuals towards the social forces
which invade their path. Elaborating on the theme of the title of the
play Janaka said that the wind has a strong bondage with humans.
"The wind lets us know many things. It is at times very calm and
feels nice while at other times it changes to take form of a more
vigorous and destructive angle.
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Chandani and Janaka. Pictures by Saman
Sri Wedage |
It exists in every nook and corner. Life is similar to this aspect
and it flows in different patterns. There is an answer to the issues in
the play but we leave the audience to seek out the answers," enlightened
Janaka had not taken work on teledramas for the past few months as he
was fully dedicated to the play.
Sulnaga Mata Katha Karai is scripted and directed by Kumbukage and
Asoka Athaudahetti. Kumbukage along with Chandani Seneviratne, Wasantha
Vittachchi and a young lass, a product of Lyceum College, Nugegoda, who
bears the name Punchi Suranganavi (Little Fairy)will portray the rest of
the characters. It produced by Kumudumalee Herath. The music is by
Chandana Liyanage and the sound mixing is by Navaratne Gamage.
Attractive presentation
Having worked under reputed figures of the stage scene like
Dharmasiri Bandaranayake, Somalatha Subasinghe, Ashoka Handagamathe,
Athula Peiris, Sunil Chandrasiri and Rajitha Dissanayake, Janaka has
years of experience to recognize the vacuums of the industry. He said
that the local stage scene lacks an attractive presentation that lures
masses into the theatre halls.
The team hopes to stage a few more shows in different parts of the
island after the premier at Lumbini.
They hope to tour abroad catering to the Sri Lankan public from
September to November. America and Canada are on the list along with an
Australian tour set for next year. They wish to stage a few shows in
some European countries as well.
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