KALUMAALI READY TO UNFURL AT WENDT
It’s easy to believe that fairytales are only meant to lull kids into a deep slumber and colour their imagination with vivid memories. On the contrary, the fairytale that is all set to unfold this Thursday will reawaken the consciousness of adults.
A cast comprising of the crème de la crème of Sri Lankan theatre, with Ruwanthie de Chickera at the helm of directing was busy rehearsing their lines and perfecting their roles, before the debut of Kalumaali: A fairytale for grown ups which goes on board the Lionel Wendt starting this Thursday when Impulse caught up with the enthusiastic bunch, who were ever so eager to bring to life, a group of everyday characters that subtlety provide an insight into raising children in the modern text. Ruwanthie de Chickera and Nadie Kammallaweera who jointly developed the script for the play, say that they were inspired by a fairytale story that was submitted by an anonymous writer for the manuscript ‘cast as a mother’.
In an earlier interview with Impulse, Ruwanthie, the director of play confessed that her aim was to strike a balance between giving the audience a message through the play and staying to true to the craft. Therefore, as the play unfolds the audience will hear different accounts of the fairytale, related to Saki by the adults in her life. Their complex emotions, both positive and negative, a reflection of their personal journey in life become part of Saki’s life through this fictitious fairytale character Kalumaali.
The petite Lakmini Seneviratne who plays the protagonist Dil says “Working with the cast has been both humbling and satisfying. It has also been a privilege and a challenge at the same time” and added that as an aunt, she can easily relate to the experiences that Dil endures. She effectively elicits the emotional conflict, Dil undergoes, as she finds herself torn between balancing her identity and the pressures of motherhood. Lakmini was also full of praises for Ruwanthie. “She is great because as a director she allows us to discover ourselves while playing the role and she fine tunes it. She also gives us the freedom to explore.”
Eminent film and tele drama personality, Iranganie Serasinghe, who plays the role ‘Film Aachcha’ –a woman who has lived her life to the fullest as an artist and as a mother says that she found similarities between herself and the character she plays, and admitted that being on stage after a long respite was frightening and not as easy playing a role in a tele-drama. She finds the script to clever and believes that the theme of the play is relevant in connection to modern day mothers who juggle multiple roles, yet dwell in an overwhelming sense of guilt. Yet another familiar face on both stage and silver screen whose known for her powerhouse performances Kaushalya Fernando, who plays the conventional ‘Gedara Achchi’, proclaimed that “the best thing about the play was how it was presented.” She summed up her character’s traditional views on motherhood and parenting with these poignant lines, ‘there is a reason that things are done the way they always have been done. What I have learned, what I have inherited I cannot contest.’ Meanwhile, the charismatic Peter D’Almeida who plays the role of happy go lucky Kalana, Saki’s father finds it fascinating to be associated with the script that keeps evolving; which is the first time for a veteran like him. According to Peter who plays one of the lead male characters who depict a male’s perspective on parenting says that “through the script you get to know more about yourself.” Young Shelina Muthumudalige who plays eight year old Saki enthusiastically announces that being with the cast has been fun and noted that she was thankful for the great opportunity of working with them. The 10 year old, a student of Asian International School, finds her role exciting because she gets to listen to the Kalumaali story related to her in different perspectives and also see it performed live.
As the play swings from the realm of reality to fantasy, the audience will find themselves relating these experiences to their own, with the realization that parenting or motherhood in particular requires sacrifice which will bring both pleasure and pain.