‘He Come from Jaffna’...

At 7.15 am the following morning, the President was on the phone with Jith. Profusely apologising for ringing him up so early, he excitedly told him, he had managed to acquire the script. He had sent the Presidential Security Division over to the YMCA (together with the staff) and managed to find the script in the library.

The President helped him to organize everything within a short period. As things progressed, the President subsequently rung up Jith and had asked, if he (Jith) could include the then Attorney General, Sunil De Silva in the play. “Now Jith I’m going to ask you something. But only do so at your discretion. Please don’t think I’m forcing you,” he said. He added that the Attorney General was too shy to ask Jith himself. This was how Mr. De Silva joined the cast. Sooner, we are shown a picture of the original cast together with the then President Premadasa himself.

Jith tells us he was approached by the Old Boys’ Association of St Thomas’ College Mount Lavinia, who had managed to convince him to stage ‘He Comes From Jaffna’ once again although he had originally planned to stage the renowned play ‘ Well Mudaliyar’ once again.

The cast this time around features Anuruddha Fernando, Hans Billimoria, Swasha Malalasekera, Danu Innasithamby, Biman Wimalaratne, Michael Holsinger, Saranie Wijesinghe, Kovindu De Seram and Dilushka De Mel.

The cast brings their own vibrant touch to the production and have adapted to the roles with ease says Jith. Especially when it comes to the ‘father’ in the play, Jith explains the actor has to be dominating and should also have a great stage presence. All of which Anuruddha has mastered. Both he and the ‘brother-in-law’ in the play, portrayed by Hans share a good understanding on stage.

Tickets for the play are priced at 3000, 2000, 1500, 1000 and 650 (Balcony) and are available at the Wendt.