Santeen Gunawardana: a stage actor’s journey

Piyasena Wickramage

‘... A good name is better than wealth...

No sword can slay it;

No rope can bind it...’

King Alfred 849-899

Sarteen Gunawardana – the actor celebrates five decades of his stage acting career. He had contributed his acting talents for feature films (cinema) and teledramas too.

All of his acting talents were more visible on stage dramas. In a way he began his acting career under the maestro Henry Jayasena, and spent most of the acting career with Henry Jayasena. Apart from that he was tested by the veteran Simon Navagattegama in his maiden creation for stage “Suba Saha Yasa” in 1974.

Santeen G. made a dramatic turn in his stage acting career in “Suba - Yasa” but didn't continue to a certain extent.

After that Santeen G's talents were aptly used by his contemporary Chula Kariyawasam in the Sinhala language production – (translation by Nanda Vitana) of Broadway's most successful drama – (musical) “Fiddler on the roof” (later it was recreated to cinema in Hollywood).

Priyantha Colombage, a young film-maker observing his talents used Santeen G's talents for his third feature film “Arumosam Vehi” (Fancy Rains) as a character actor. Alas! Sri Lankan film industry at that stage didn't offer him any other opportunity to use his talents; Television also offered him a type cast character in Nalan Mendis teledramas.

Nor did Santeen G. push anybody or any other in search of a ‘good’ character.

Santeen G. is a very good gentleman in every aspect. He is well mannered, patient and disciplined character; Nobody will argue about his simple and straight forward behaviour in every sphere of life. Like his most appreciated and most sensible acting monument in stage – The soldier in Henry Jayasena's adaptation of Bertolt Brecht's Chaukacian Chalk Circle - “Hunuvataye Kathawa”.

It was a best casting done by veteran Henry Jaysena for “Chalk Circle”. The ideal solider – we heard that Santeen G. was a body builder in his youth (or was it Dhamma Jagoda? The Department of Survey – the contemporaries know better than me!) His physical appearance really fitted for that character including most of all his acting talents!

As young university students in our second year (1967) for the first time we were able to view “Chalk Circle” at the so called “Open Air Theatre” at the present Kelaniya University which was then called “Vidyalankara University of Ceylon”.

We were thrilled; we were fulfilled with a new experience in drama! Henry, Santeen G., Wijeratna Warakagoda, Douglas Ranasinghe, Chula Kariyawasam, Fizroy de Mel with the young Grusha (Manel Jayasena) are still in our memory!

The language used in adapting “Chalk Circle” from English, Henry Jayasena very aptly used Sinhala idioms which still is prevailing mostly with the ‘70's generations, and we observe some Sinhala terms are still in use with new generations too. So Santeen G. became a hero on stage within an overnight.

Santeen G. continued his solider career on stage for over two decades. He became so used to it. He was not bothered in search of varieties in character acting. Maybe the demand for the “Chalk Circle” was that much high. It was a peak to any other stage actor.

Santeen G. was always seen on Henry Jayasena's new dramas, but as a writer-director he didn't reach any new achievement. Santeen G. was always remained a member of “The Actors” group and didn't go beyond. May be at times, Santeen G. was not attracted by any other director.

Sri Lankan cinema and the drama faces a new crisis for actors, which has difficulties to maintain a career in acting. Is it coming to an end? Like in the sixtees always a new generation emerges. But our cultural authorities as usual, they are deaf and dumb.

At a point where Santeen G. is been felicitated for continuing a career of a stage actor for five decades including in cinema and teledramas, one is bothered that is it the end of the road?

“When you go home

Place tell the others

That we gave our today

For your tomorrow!”

That was something I read in war memorial at Colombo Town Hall. I wonder whether it is applicable to arts and artists too!

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