PUNCH in Brief

The Sinhala Hindu New Year festival of SOSOG

The balloon blowing race

The annual Sinhala Hindu New Year festival of Sri Lanka Old Scouts and Guides Association (SOSOG) was held successfully in Gampaha recently. The event was open to the members of the society, their families, friends and many were gathered to witness the fun filled event.

Lighting the traditional oil lamp the event marked its opening to be followed by a tasty meal of traditional sweet-meats.

Numerous games and events such as kotta pora, banis keme, aliyate ehe thebima and idikattate noola dameema were included in the event and enjoyment was in abundance when, otherwise ‘best buddies,’rivaled each other to blow up balloons, gobble up buns or to count the seeds of an unsplit papaw. Many gave it their best to ‘play ball’ with an egg for the longest possible time but most ended up too soon, squashing the on their brightly coloured national dresses.

The tug-of-war was not the least happening event, with four groups, including a female in each, competing with their dear lives for victory. The females were often seen attached to the rope and being tossed to and fro amidst the vigorous pulling of guys of either side.

Eventually, things turned out to be that the thinnest guy won the kotta pora competition and the bun-sized mouths were also owned by the thinnest members.

The most anticipated prizes were distributed with the courtesy of Nawaloka Construction (Pvt) Ltd and it was observed that most were delightfully holding on to their prize-cum-souvenir of the happy moments. The day concluded with some harmonising as usual.

Good Night and Good Luck

Good Night and Good Luck (2006) will be screened on May 14 at 6pm at the American Centre, No 44, Galle Road, Colombo 3. (Running Time: 93 minutes)

"Good Night, And, Good Luck." takes place during the early days of broadcast journalism in 1950's America. It chronicles the real-life conflict between television newsman Edward R. Murrow and Senator Joseph McCarthy and the House Un-American Activities Committee. With a desire to report the facts and enlighten the public, Murrow, and his dedicated staff - headed by his producer Fred Friendly and Joe Wershba in the CBS newsroom - defy corporate and sponsorship pressures to examine the lies and scaremongering tactics perpetrated by McCarthy during his communist 'witch-hunts'.

A very public feud develops when the Senator responds by accusing the anchor of being a communist. In this climate of fear and reprisal, the CBS crew carries on and their tenacity will prove historic and monumental.

Seating is limited and is first-come, first-served.

An evening of song at Goethe hall

Marking the bicentennial celebration year of the birth of Richard Wagner, the Goethe Institut presents an evening of song which will reflect the influences and styles connected with Wagner, with the Wesendonck Lieder as its centrepiece on Sunday (May 19) at 7.30 pm at Goethe hall, No 39, Gregory's Road, Colombo 7. Performing will be by Sri Lankan tenor Asitha Tennekoon and Pianist Eshantha Peiris.

For further Information please contact the Cultural Affairs Officer,Jan Ramesh de Saram,Goethe-Institut, No.39 Gregory's Road, Colombo 7.

Fax: +94 11 2693351 / Tel.: +94 11 2694562, 4712636-8 email: [email protected]

Swaranga at Youth Centre

Ruzaik Farook

Lindsay Girls School will be hosting Swaranga a formidable musical ultimatum on May 31 at 6.30 pm at the Sri Lanka Youth Centre, Maharagama.

Nirosha Virajini, Shihan Mihiranga, Heshan Gamage, Romesh Lakshan and Swarnalatha Kaweeshwara backed by the Lindsay Girls School Orchestra will add glamour to the evening with their beautiful voices.

Tickets to ‘Swaranga’ are available at Lindsay Girls school or can be bought online at www.ticketslk.com.

Seating is limited for the event and sure to sell out quickly. Please purchase your tickets now in order to ensure a spot for you and your family. All tickets ordered online will be available at NYSC at the night of the performance.

For more information, please contact Anushka Ahamed on 0715637112 or Teacher-in-charge of Music, Sharmali Rathnayake on 0718053350.

Hunuwataye Kathawa to be staged

Henry Jayasena's Hunuwataye Kathawa (The Caucasian Chalk Circle) will be staged on May 14 at 2 pm and 6.30 pm at the Bandaranayake Ranga Shalawa (performance centre) in Gampaha.

The cast includes Nalin Pradeep Uduwela, Prasannajith Abeysooriya, Nimal Jayasinghe, Chamika Haththalawaththa, Ruwani Manamperi, Vijitha Salgadu, Lalith Janakantha, Warnathunga Senanayake, S I samarakkody, Indika Fernandu, Thamari Chathurika, Tharindu Nuwan Dias, Udeni Priyadarshani, Kushan Rathnayake, Chula Kariyawasam, Lalindra Dissanayake, Roy Wasantha, Niluka Rajamanthri, A S M Riswi along with many others.

Stage lighting will be by Upali Weerasinghe, Music direction by Shelton Premarathne, Music will be conducted by Nalin Alwis, production assistance by Manel Jayasinghe and Nimal Jayasena. Stage management will be by Sanjeewa Rupasinghe.

Hunuwataye Kathawa is organised by Priyantha Ranjan. For inquiries please contact Priyantha Ranjan on 071 4822890 or on 077 6240033.

Rangapem Ivarai at Punchi theatre

Rangapem Ivarai will be staged on May 18 at the Namel Malini Punchi theatre in Borella at 3.30 pm and 6.45 pm. will also go on boards at the Lionel Wendt on May 3 at 7 pm.

Rangapem Ivarai is a creation brought to the stage by playwright and director Udayasiri Wickremaratne whose stage drama Suddek Oba Amathai (A White Man Addresses You) which was enjoyed over a hundred performances island wide winning accolades for Best Music Score and Best Script at the State Drama Festival - 2010.

Lasith Wickremaratne who won the award for Best Music Score in Suddek Oba Amathai will be showing his prowess once again in Rangapem Ivarai.

The cast includes Kamal Addaraarachchi, Subuddhi Lakmali and Sriyantha Mendis.

Tickets are now available at the venue and from Sarasavi book shop, Nugegoda and Kiribathgoda.

Geethma 2013 at BMICH

Geethma 2013 presented by the Eastern band of Nalanda College, Colombo was held recently at the Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall (BMICH). Chief Guest for the occasion was Provincial Director of Education (WP) at Western Provincial Department of Education, P N Ilapperuma while special guests for the evening were Prof.Kolitha Bhanu Dissanayake of Faculty of Music at the University of Aesthetic Arts and artiste Rohana Baddage. Here are some highlights of the evening captured by our photojournalist Sarath Peiris.

The audience A colourful performance on stage		A drama song on stage
A vedda dance	The thabla musicians