Changing the theatrical status quo

With his latest production "Dolahak" director Athula Pathirana challenges both his cast and the audience to focus on the acting and the message

We have a new harbour, they said - And even if it is still listing slightly to port and cannot be fathomed by ordinary vessels with shallow draughts, it is on solid ground (rocky, in fact… no dears, don't keelhaul us for that…). We have an airport in the making - even if it is miles and furlongs from anything worthwhile visiting or investing in, at present (unless capital and/or the political capital moves south, pronto).

Highfliers

We even have an, um, young man from the general neighbourhood of the fastest developing district in the nation running the country into er, ground-breaking new era. But do we need another star-class hotel in an environment reeking with the odour of chrysanthemums? Spare us some crumbs of bread, O Caesar, and you can dispense with the circuses! Can we eat the Yellow Brick Road, or drink the waters of Humbugstotter?

On arrival in their brethren's community centre, our jolly band of pilgrims were no longer the joyous bunch of happy campers who had set out from another harbour town to the north and west of this not so little port city. Their brothers and sisters were not only as poor as church mice; their church was so poor that there were no mice to be had for love or money. Love there was plenty of; money was somewhat in short supply. As were business confidence, employment opportunities, development avenues, strategic exits.

Hypotheses

In the meantime, the grand panjandrums come and go - talking of Michelangelo, Marco Polo, and ShangriLa. Or is that Xanadu where Kubla Khan a stately pleasure dome decreed? I can never get my mythical paradises right, dears. Sorry!

Hypocrites

Other problems abound. Mostly of the minor nuisance ilk. The kind of thing that runs to circuitous detours. Charades in terms of explaining away what is plain as pikestaff - that despite growth, development, and progress, the people are underfed, underemployed, and under a cloud (at least, they are over there - out of sight - while we are over here, safe and sound). Criminal negligence of state property (the Rest House on the once famous bay in is utter desuetude, for shame).

Humbugs