Rathu Hettakari
The new production of veteran dramatist Lucian Bulathsinhala’s award-winning stage play ‘Rathu Hettakari’ will make its remarkable debut at the Lionel Wendt Theatre today and continue on March 12 and 13.
The 1974 play which won the State Drama Awards for the best original script (Lucian Bulathsinhala), best music direction (Austin Munasinghe) and best actor (Jayalath Manoratne) travelled non-stop to all parts of the country upto 1981.
A new cast will give life to those extraordinary characters in the new production.
Lucian Bulathsinhala told the media recently that good plays are timeless and even Rathu Hettakari had a theme relevant for all times.
Even Shakespeare dramas have been staged over the past centuries because of their timeless themes.
“Though Rathu Hettakari was based on a fictional story in 1974, one may feel that it is very much valid in today’s context. I must say that there is no genuine support given to arts especially the stage in this country. There are no powerful bodies to assist arts. Everything is done through personal means. I am grateful to Serenity Entertainment for coming forward to produce this new production and help take this message to the people again. Once again I must express my heartfelt thanks to H. D. Premasiri, Bandula Ekanayake, Channa Fernando and Bandara Eheliyagoda,” Lucian said.
Serenity Entertainment started with the production of the new ‘Tharawo Igilethi’ stage play of Lucian which has now exceeded 150 shows. Then it produced Debiddo, Kalu Kumari and the award-winning tele serial ‘Swayanjatha’.
It also produced Ananada Abeynayake’s ‘Appachchi’ which is now being telecast on Swarnavahini.
Rathu Hettakari is scripted and directed by Lucian while the new music arrangements are by Harsha Bulathsinhala based on Austin Munasinghe’s original scores. Veteran journalist Anura Bandara Rajaguru plays a key role as the coordinator and production manager of the play in which he also portrays the role of Poojaka.
Nimal Rajapaksa and Buddhadasa Galappaththi handle the make up, Newton Gunasekara the stage management, Upali Herath the costume designing and sets together with Susantha Nanayakkara handling the set management.
IsharaWickramasinghe, Pinsara Samarasekara, Subuddhi Lakmali, Randima Thilini, Jayanath Bandara, Niroshan Wijesinghe, Anura Bandara Rajaguru, Gamini Samarakoon and others play the key roles in Rathu Hettakari.
- Ramesh