Evoking the bard
Abundance of talent at Shakespeare Drama Festival
semi finals :
Ishara Jayawardane
Trinity College, Kandy (The Tempest), Maris Stella College, Negombo
(The Comedy of Errors), S. Thomas’ College, Mount Lavinia (The Comedy of
Errors) and Wesley College (The Merchant of Venice) graduated to the
finals of the boys schools at the inter school Shakespeare Drama
Competition semi finals.
“This is a competition that has been jointly organized by the Rotary
club of Colombo North and the Colombo YMCA for the last 37 years and has
gone on unbroken for that period of time. There were eight schools from
the girls and today is the semi finals for the boys schools. The finals
will be held at Bishop’s college next Saturday and Sunday, October 2 and
3. The finals for the girls schools will be held on October 2 and the
finals for the boys schools will be held on October 3. There will be
four schools in each section in the finals,” said Simon and Associates
attorney at law S G Senaratna.
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Judges’ comments |
* The Merry
Wives of Windsor presented by St Anthony’s College, Kandy, was
one of the most difficult plays to revive on stage
* There were some outstanding performances by Prospero, Miranda
and Ariel in The Tempest
* There was overacting on the part of Lady Macbeth in the play
presented by Loyola College
* Shylock in The Merchant of Venice by D S Senanayake College
was a very good performance
* Macbeth by Ananda College had its moments
* The Comedy Of Errors by S. Thomas’ College was refreshingly
different.
* Merchant of Venice by Royal College was a good excerpt well
interpreted
* The Comedy Of Errors by St Joseph’s College had enthusiasm and
energy
* Macbeth by Loyola College Negombo saw some strong performances
* D S Senanayake College’s production of Merchant of Venice
delivered another strong performance. The pain and suffering of
Shylock was pulled off in a masterly fashion
* Macbeth by Ananda College must be commended for their use of
dialogue. The portrayal of Macbeth was perhaps better in this
play than from the other Macbeths. More of Shakespeare’s Macbeth
was brought out in this play
* The Merchant of Venice by Royal College saw Shylock portrayed
as more of a victim than a villain
* Macbeth by S. Benedicts College was very dramatic with the use
of real iron, as swords in the battle scenes and the depiction
of Birnam woods moving by using real branches. What was
different about this production of Macbeth was that the play
started with the assassination of King Duncan.
* The final play was an edgy production by Wesley College; The
Merchant of Venice – a very clever excerpt |
The opening scene of The Tempest Act I, scene I, was brilliantly
portrayed. The storm and turbulent sea was depicted very well by the
Trinity lads.
 The
Comedy of Errors by Maris Stella College, Negombo, had the audience in
peals of laughter. Another noteworthy performance was the same comedy
portrayed by S. Thomas’ College, Mount Lavinia.
“They worked hard and did their best,” said the Thomians’ Drama
Teacher Vinod Senadheera.
The Merchant of Venice by Wesley College had a modern touch. The
Venetians were dressed in modern clothes, jeans and t-shirts. The play
was more 21st century than based on the Shakespearean era. Perhaps this
different angle captured the interest of the judges and got them into
the finals. Also the abuse of Shylock by his own was something that no
one really expected in the play.
The judges were Drs Alila Dias Bandaranayake and Dilkushi Wettewa,
and Graham Hatch.
Chalana Wijesooriya who played the role of Portia in The Merchant of
Venice by D S Senanayake College said: “Today’s performance was great. I
did my best and I hope the judges think that as well.”
Vishan Gunewardene also from D.S. Senanayake who played the role of
Shylock noted: “I believe I did my best and I hope I did my best. I hope
the judges and the audience saw that.”
So, four boys schools have entered the finals. But this is not to
detract from the other schools who performed well. |
