Theatre is Back
A festival of theatre with four popular and award winning plays will go on the boards, first time after Covid- 19 lockdown, at the Punchi Theatre, Borella.
Stage plays, Udaya s i r i Wickramarathne’s “Thunsiya Hataeka 361”, Asanka Sayakkara’s “Uro Athara Pork”, “Guttila Kawya” and Ravindra Ariyarathne’s “Balloth Ekka Baa 2” will be staged from July 16 to 19 with two shows at 3.30 pm and 6.45 pm.
Organised by wellknown theatre producer Jude Srimal, plays are performed following health guidelines of the Health Ministry with only 50 percent of the theatre.
“We have to start from somewhere before theatre going culture is forgotten and theatres lovers leave the stage,” said Jude Srimal who started as a playwright and later turned a theatre organiser. “We need the support of everyone for this. Starting from theatre lovers, theatre owners, artistes and even the government have to intervene to sustain this art,” he said.
However theatre can be filled only with maximum of 50 percent of the capacity to fall in line with the health guidelines. “Even with a loss we have to start from somewhere. Even though we could earn only the half of the full theatre capacity and thereby revenue is dropped half, we have to bear the full expense as any other time. I know this is a huge risk but what is more important is to keep the theatre going with the hope that situation will gradually change for better” .
Srimal said that requests have been made from the theatre owners to provide concessions so that it will ease the burden and the risk. “Anyway we cannot reduce the payments on the artistes as they too have started their profession after a long break without work,” he explained.
Plans are underway for more plays to be shown both in Colombo and the outstation. He urged the support of the theatregoers by adhering to the health guidelines and comply with other restriction imposed when come to showing plays.
The festival will kick off with Udayasiri Wickramarathne’s “Thunsiya Hataeka 361”, a play about present trends in electronic media. It stars Gihan Fernando, Umayangana Wickramasinghe,
Ishara Wickramasinghe, Mihiri Priyangani, Susanga Kahandawala Archchi and Chamari. Behind the screen Lalith Wickramarathne is the music director, while Priyantha Srikumara is the make up artiste and Nipuni Preksha Mendis handles costumes.
The comedy play “Balloth Ekka Baa 2” directed by Ravindra Ariyarathne will be staged on July 17. With the success of its original version and following the popular demand, “Balloth Ekka Baa-2” is produced and it stars Gihan Fernando, Kumara Thirimadura, Chamila Pieris, Sarat h Karunarathne,Chinthaka Pieris and Ravindra Ariyarathne. Anthoney Surendra handles music while Llewellyn Vanderwall has designed the background creations.
The stage management is by Sumedha Prasanna, costume design is by Gihan Fernando and makeup is by Wasantha Vittachchi.
The premier show of Asanka Sayakkara’s latest novel play “Urro Athara Pork” which depicts the tragedy of people losing their cultural value in a dramatic discussion will be staged on July 18.
The play is performed by Nilmini Sigera and Samitha Sudheeshwara in main roles. Music composition is by Poornima Wijesooriya, costume design by Poornima Wijesooriya and makeup by Lanka Bandaranayake and Prem Jayantha Kapuge respectively. Stage management is by Namal Gamage. Ven. Waththawe Thera’s “Guttila Kawya” presented as a stage play by award winning director Akila Sapumal will be on July 19. The play stars Prasannajith Abesooriya, Jayanath
Bandara, Thilanka Gamage and Dinupa Kodagoda in the stellar cast.
All seats are box planned and limited tickets are available at the theatre gate.