Death of Prof. Gamini Hattotuwegama
Rasika Somarathna
The 'Guru' of modern street theatre in Sri Lanka, Prof. Gamini
Hattotuwegama is no more.
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Prof. Gamini
Hattotuwegama |
The renowned University teacher of literature, film-drama critic,
writer-journalist, play producer passed away on Thursday night due to
illness.
According to knowledgeable sources, modern street theatre in Sri
Lanka owes its existence to the dedication of Gamini K. Hattotuwegama.
Prof. Hattotuwegama who founded the Wayside and Street Theatre Movement
in 1974 is credited with introducing a new genre of performing arts in
Sri Lanka which bridged the gap between performer and audience.
He expanded the limits of main stream theatre in this country and
inspired Artistes to go out to the streets to perform for people who had
neither the means nor the leisure to go to theatre.
He often said that he believed theatre as a social instrument which
could lift the veils of falsehood and hypocrisy which shroud many areas
of contemporary life.
Specializing in English he got his Bachelors degree from the
University of Peradeniya in 1963. His academic career which spans over
40 years began at the English Department of the University of Kelaniya
in 1965.
He helped the University to set up its Fine Arts Department. He was
the President of Film Critics and Journalists' Association, Sri Lanka
from its beginning to the end from 1966 - 1974.
He also served at the University of Peradeniya from 1980 - 2004. As a
journalist and critic he introduced a powerful professional criticism
genre concerning social, political, cultural and economic issues in the
country.
Many an article written by him illuminated Lake House papers such as
the Daily News and the Observer.
Prof. Hattotuwegama garnered international acclaim too for his plays
and literature. He was invited to represent Sri Lanka in many an
international forum.
Several of his plays have been rated as some of the best in the Asian
circuit.
His troupe has been featured in UNESCO's April, 1992 issue Art Street
and has taken part in an international theatre Olympiad in 1996 in
India. |
