Going bonkers over Bengal Bungalow
Bengal Bungalow was written by Jehan when he was just a schoolboy,
and first performed an extremely successful, sell-out run in 2004. The
play is a mad mix of situation comedy and physical humour, much in the
style of British bedroom farce
It’s time for theatre lovers in Colombo to prepare for the wildest
and wackiest production they’ll see for some time! CentreStage
Productions will be premiering their outrageous comedy, Bengal Bungalow,
this week at the Lionel Wendt Theatre from September 17 to 19 at 7.30
p.m.
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Mahout Finds his Elephant in Trouble |
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The Pilot Arrives in BengalThe Pilot Arrives in Bengal |
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British and Indian characters take centre stage. Pictures by
Dino Corera |
Written and Directed by Jehan Aloysius, Bengal Bungalow has been
creating quite a buzz in the city with many outrageous viral videos on
YouTube as well as Facebook groups and events dedicated to the show.
Jehan says that tickets are selling like hot cakes at the Lionel
Wendt Theatre. He added that, as the show will be performing for a
limited run of just three days, theatre lovers should not delay in
booking their space at Bengal Bungalow.
The proceeds will support the troupe’s humanitarian endeavour, the
StageHands Project, which has conducted volunteer workshops around the
island for the last five years.
These theatre-based workshops have focused on Social Theatre, Theatre
for Development, Trauma Therapy, as well as physical and mental
rehabilitation of those living with mental and physical challenges.
The plot revolves around a British family residing in India, whose
home, Bengal Bungalow, becomes a bizarre circus when a British pilot
decides to accidentally crash his aircraft through the newly refurbished
guestroom.
The pilot loses his memory as a result of the crash, leading to a
host of comic misunderstandings, misdemeanours and misadventures. As
more characters, both British and Indian, ranging from a notorious
robber, a hapless priest and an enraged mahout, make their appearance,
the play skyrockets towards its hilarious climax.
The cast includes Anabella Brochard, Shehan Wijeymana, Keshiya Leitch,
Sachintha Dias, Heshan Perera, and Dino Corera. Also look out for new
comers such as Shehantha Abeyesundare, Trevor Kroon, Malik Hannan and
Anoop Kapukotuwa.
The characters in Bengal Bungalow are indeed more wildly over-the-top
caricatures of the British and Indian characters they represent, so be
prepared for lots of slapstick comedy and possibly the most outrageously
fake Indian (yendiyan) and British (Brrritishhh) dialects! Sit back and
join in the madness that is Bengal Bungalow! |
