Ancient classics on local stage

Janeleyn Paninnada

Why do the dramatists of Sri Lanka in the 21st Century bring on to stage plays that have been produced the classical west in the fifth century BC? What fascination could be there for modern Sri Lankan audience in a play of Sophocles in Athens? Yes, the play was classical and contained a universal value that surpassed the boundaries of time and place. But what topical value could they contain – what contribution could they make to the contemporary social political field in the country? Priyankara Ratnayake, a Senior Lecturer in Drama and Theatre at the University of Kelaniya seems to answer all these questions through his latest production Antigone.

That is how Kamani Jayasekara, Professor of Western Classics, saw Priyankara Ratnayaka’s effort to explain ancient western classics in the local theatre. Ratnayaka has remodeled two of Sophocles’ tragedies, Antigone and Oedipus the King, on the local stage with the assistance of Drama, Theatre and Image Arts Unit and Academic Players Club. The two plays will be shown along with the award winning Janelen Paninnada at the Lionel Wendt Theatre on May 11, 12, 13 and 14 at 3.30 and 6.30 pm. The plays are staged with the intention of promoting awareness among theatre students at GCE Ordinary and Advanced Level.

Based on Sophocles’ Greek tragedy the play Ada Vage Davasaka Antigone is translated by Ariyawansa Ranaweera. The text, prescribed for Advanced Level, questions the basic tenets of governance and natural law. It is woven around a story of a sister who had to sacrifice her life merely because she paid last tribute to her brother. Gihan Fernando, Tumindu Dodantenna, Prasadini Atapattu, Kaushalya Mendis, Samadhi Laksiri, Vijitha Bandara, Gayan Ranidhira, Harshika Rathnayaka and Saman Malalasekara will perform in the play.

Translated by Siri Ediriweera, Sophocles’ most famous play Oedipus the King will also be staged. It is prescribed text for GCE Ordinary Level examination.

Ada Vage Davasaka Antigone	Oedipus

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