‘Mahasamayama’, quintessentially ultra modern theatre

Francis Keenawinna

Professor Ariyaratne Athugala’s ‘Mahasamaya’, first shown to coincide with the first anniversary of Nelum Pokuna, has received tremendous response from all quarters – which no other drama has received in recent times. Most scholars on theatre such as Dr Dharmasena Pathiraja, Professor Tissa Kariyawasam and Professor Sunanda Mahendra opine quite positive on this giant theatre production.

Even so, many would see it as an easy walk for Professor Athugala, who heads the Government’s Information Department – which means he is in a position to pull all the strings. In reality it had little, or nothing, to do. He had made initial presentations on the script in order to muster financial support from government as well as non-government organizations.

In other words he had to emphasize the importance of this play in moulding a change in our somewhat stagnating theatre.

“We have to move on. We are still roaming within the frame of small scale stage plays. We travel across the country and we call it ‘theatre’.” Professor Athugala said.

Having watched many operas around the globe, especially in countries such as Australia, Professor Athugala maintains that our theatre has far more to go. The Internet, he comments, is an ample platform to watch many such plays if you cannot afford air tickets.

Our country gives emphasis to the actor. But that is not modern theatre. The stage is a large expression where not only the actor but the whole play comes into view. One key negative comment on ‘Mahasamayama’ was its use of recording. Our indigenous stage do not offer recording, going along with the challenge of reaching the last row of the audience.

But Athugala’s opinion is rather different. If technology has progressed, why cannot we make use of it? Theatres such as Nelum Pokuna are built specifically for operas, with all technical facilities such as sound laboratories. The high pitch voices are best in recording form.

In the legend of ‘Mahasamayama’ what Athugala sees is that nothing will stop forever. “We think we have triumphed over everything, but it will resurface in a different manner at a different time. For instance Mahasona is killed, but he is reborn in a different form. We celebrate freedom every year on February 4, hardly realizing that we are trapped in a different sort of colonialism. Some of us would call this neo colonialism.”

‘Mahasamayama’ is getting numerous responses, even from foreigners. This bears testimony to the fact that the play is beyond language (which is Sinhala), as it offers many viewpoints in novel technical perspectives.