National Festival of Children's Drama - 2011:

Devil and the Doll steals the show

E M G Edirisinghe

Children's annual state drama festival which commenced its stage appearance in 1956, experienced a fundamental organisational transformation this year. The festival which hitherto stage children's drama in Sinhala only marked a remarkable, but long overdue change, with the plays in Tamil and English too, together with those in Sinhala being brought on the same stage at the John de Silva Memorial Theatre as one single festival without even compartmentalising them on stage.

Comparatively, of what appeared on stage, the Sinhala dramas displayed a remarkably higher level of dramatic quality and content over the Tamil and English drama most of which showed the need for enrichment is every aspect of theatre. Since it was just the beginning with no parallel in history behind to be inspired or followed, it is no wonder that English and Tamil plays had to lag behind in their counterpart in conception as well as in presentation. However, it is the beginning and in the years to come they will begin to delineate a good aesthetic sense on stage. With English and Tamil dramas too, beginning to evince a reflection of moral and cultural influence of our own spiritual content, the children's drama would be complete.

The drama festival itself was a success with different skills together with parents, teachers and friends taking part in this unique event which is a reflection of the extent of extra-curricular activates of a school. It is of unparalleled significance that one Tamil drama (Apoorva Cake) was directed and acted by a Sinhala speaking team. This rare presentation was by Habarakada Junior School, Homagama under the direction of K Mithraratne. Though it did not win a major award it was a subject of admiration of the audience. What a progressive step within a fresh environment of inter community relations was the opinion of many.

Although the children's drama apart from being classified under the three languages, they come on stage either within the open or limited category. Under the limited category came in those dramas presented by schools with the participation of the children from the school while the former category represented children's dramas produced outside the school with greater participation of adults. Both categories of plays displayed an equal level of competitive dramatic talent with a variety of captivating themes forming the core of the plays all of which were speaking to the children of all age groups. Every play of either category (limited or open) faithfully concentrated on children's life, pattern from different psychological, domestic, social and classroom angles.

The best play of the year in the open category (Sinhala) is Sonduru Lokupothagama's Nuwange Mithuro Sathdena presented by Giriulla Child and Youth Arts Forum Faculty. It is an excellent theme speaking to children directly with an emphasis driven by the adults. Nuwan who loves to play but not study was in search of the Sunday-country where he could only play. Each country was named after each day of the week where he found the people working hard before earning a day to enjoy and play. He discovers that joy comes after work. Among the plays of the limited category (Sinhala), it was Chooty Baba Loku Lamayek, a presentation by Horana Vidyartha College was selected the best play. Chooty Baba spent his days of babyhood with his toys; when growing up he wished to leave the toys which he did not like. However, Chooty Baba managed to restrain them using his intelligence and leave them wishing to enter childhood to engage himself in studies.

Dulaj Chamara who played the character of Chooty Baba in Chooty Baba Loku Lamayek was selected the best actor in the limited category (Sinhala) while the best actor in the open category was Sonduru Lokupothagama who played the role of Nuwan in Nuwange Mithuro Hathdena. In the meantime, the award for the best actress in the open category (Sinhala) was won by Thisuri Lavanya for her role in Mama Venama Malak directed by Nalaka Swarnathilake and in the limited category it was Avishka Sulochanee who played the role of teacher in Unkaluth Ape Seeya Vegei won the award for the best actress. It was a St Lawrence Convent presentation.

Among the English dramas which inspired the audience, the selected best play (open) was Devil and the Doll directed by P S Mithrarathne of Habarakada Junior School. It demonstrated both verbally and visually the nature of a misunderstood concept of a baby doll who at the end became the best friend of Tom. In the limited category, it was Marsha and Bear presented by Bombuwala Dharmaloka Maha Vidyalaya. A story centred round a little man who helped a girl to face several challenges and in return demanded her first baby. Though she consented to it first, on receipt of the baby she declined. Then the little man asked her to tell his name if she wished to keep the child. Finally, she succeeded in finding his name and was able to retain her child with her.

While the best actor in the open category of English plays was Buddhika Chaturanga (Devil and the Doll), it was Shenali Chandrasiri who performed the role of Gayani in the play Friends who was the best actress in the category. Marsha and Bear won both the best actor's and the actress' award in the limited category. While Himashi Fernando (Marsha) won the award for the best actress, it was Chatura Sandaruwan (Bear) who won the award for the best actor.

Tamil medium dramas too, made an impact among the Tamil speaking audience while the rest enjoyed a different aspect of the collective culture within an identical environment of joy and pleasure for all.

Kakkan Koodu which was selected the best drama (open) among them was directed by M Kalidas. It effectively and dramatically delineated how differently each category of animals share life and when there is a dispute among them, how they do settle it peacefully. It was presented by Narthana Theatre Activity Foundation. Inaidu Vala from Batticaloa topped the category of limited plays. Presented by Karuvakkeni Vigneshvaran Vidyalam, it had a clear message that man should protect all the animals living in the world who integrate with each other to enrich the environment in which they share life.

The best actress in the open category of Tamil dramas was R Nishandini who endowed the role of Maan in the play Maan while it was R Selvaraj Culas who was selected the best actor who enlivened the role of father in the play Thagtha Sonna Kadai.

Among those who performed in the limited category of plays, the best actor was W Jayanthapratheen who played the role of monkey in Inaidu Vala. The best actress in the open category was Chathumal Ishaka Kaluarachchi who played the role of cat in Apoorva Cake.

With 41 dramas in the three languages on stage at the John de Silva Memorial Theatre with its hall more often packed to capacity, enlivened the environment with their live and enthusiastic responses to the children who one day would be our leading artistes. With this first experience the Department of Cultural Affairs and the Arts Council of Sri Lanka will in future sponsor this festival with greater glamour and glee the participating audience and with more lively contribution of the dramatists.

With almost all the English and Tamil plays coming from the outstations, the national festival took the form of a national event in the field of dramatic art. The Ministry of Culture and Arts should be commended for taking this right bold initiative to present a truly national cultural event focusing on the children of all nationalities.

They have stepped into an area which was long overdue both nationally and culturally.