Hari Apuru Davasak for Cairo
Jayanthi LIYANAGE
Chamika Hatlahawatte's second stage play Hari Apuru Davasak will
represent Sri Lanka at the 22nd Cairo International Drama Festival for
Experimental Theatre, to be held from October 10 to 20. About 80
countries are expected to participate at the festival, Chamika said.
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Chamika Hathlahawa |
This is the first time a stage play that bagged the Best Play award
at the State Theatre Festival represents the country in an international
theatre competition.
The play hopes to compete well, presenting a good theatre vision, and
collect experiences on experimental theatre, the young dramatist said.
The play, an original written and directed by Chamika, won seven
awards at the State Theatre Festival in 2008, with three for Chamika on
best play, script and choreography. The other four went to Anuradha
Perera for best actress, Theja Buddhika Rodrigo for best music, Pradeep
Chandrasiri for best costumes and Ranga Samarakoon for best lighting.
The cast comprises Dharmapriya Dias, Anuradha Perera, Oshadi
Hewamadduma, Sanjeewa Dissanayake, Ruwan Malith Peiris, S. Indika
Donald, I. Samarakkodi, Madushan Hatlahawatte, Kaushalya Mendis, Amanda
Udani, Harshani Wickramasinghe, Sachitra Karunaratne and Sandvani
Rodrigo. Hari Apuru Davasak is based on Forum Theatre, conceived by
Augusto Boal to do away with actor-audience partition and bring in
audience input and participation into dramaturgy. As stage props, it has
only three chairs, a table and a small platform which are used to depict
12 different scenes. The play can be adjusted to show anywhere, whether
in open or
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Scenes from Hari Apuru Davasak |
proscenium theatre, said Chamika.
On approval from the Education Ministry, he conducts work shops on
lighting and make-up for O/L and A/L students, with a performance of the
play. The workshop and the play could be brought to any school or
institute on invitation, Chamika said.
In 1997, he received the Diploma in Drama and Theatre from Tower Hall
Foundation and further studied theatre from Sunanda Pushpa Kumara and
Dr. Solomon Fonseka.
In 2003, he completed the Drama and Theatre Special Degree at the
University of Kelaniya. His first play Hynea, translated by S.
Karunaratne, was a component of the Degree's final year practical paper.
Hynea won the best actor award in the State Theatre Festival in 2003 and
was nominated for the best actress award. It has been shown at sixth
Bharata Ranga Festival in India.
Chamika also completed his M.A. in Drama and Theatre and now reads
for his Masters at the same university.
He hopes to direct his third stage play, another original, next year
and is on the look out for a producer. |
