Somalatha Subasinghe Theatre Festival to stimulate young minds

Somalatha Subasinghe Play House presents its annual theatre festival for children from December 7 to 9 at the Lionel Wendt Theatre, Colombo.

The festival will feature three plays produced by Somalatha Subasinghe Play House: “Ratmalee” (Red Riding Hood) and “Thoppi Velenda” (The Hat Seller) written and directed by Somalatha Subasinghe on December 7 at 3.30 pm and 7.00 pm, “Walas Pawula” (The Three Bears and Goldilocks) written by Somalatha Subasinghe and directed by Chandana Aluthge on December 8 and 9 at 3.30 pm and 7.00 pm.

Ratmalee, Thoppi Velenda and Walas Pawula are based on world renowned fairy tales and local folk tales and these musical productions are made with the aim of instilling in children love for art and pride on our own culture. They also encourage them to understand the importance of family and its values. In addition, the lessons of love, humanity, responsibility, hard work and world awareness are refreshingly presented in these plays. In the adaptations, new characters and situations have been incorporated to facilitate an intellectual discourse with the Sri Lankan children. “Additionally action and humour on stage are subtly mixed to provide the audience with an aesthetic journey of entertainment,” playwright Chandana Aluthge.

Thoppi Velenda (The Hat Seller) has been performed in many a number of children’s threatre festivals in France, India, Bangladesh, Australia and South Korea.

The cast includes Wickrama Seneviratne, Mayura Perera, Saviour Kanishka, Thilakshini Ratnayake, Kumudu Wickramathanthri, Geetha Alahakoon, Thiwanka Ranasinghe, Dhanushka Dias, Chamara Gamaathige,

Sameera Lakmal Wimalasiri, Keshika Koralage, Nayanathara de Silva, Pramod Edirisinghe, Renuka Liyanage, Dilip Kumara Koralage, Susith Ishantha and Kesara Hasarinda.

Somalatha Subasinghe Play House (SSPH) was established in 1981 by the late Mrs. Somalatha Subasinghe as a voluntary organisation to further course of theatre for Children and Youth in Sri Lanka. Over the years, it has produced a repertoire of internationally acclaimed theatre for Children and Youth and award-winning mainstream theatre productions.

Lanka Children’s and Youth Theatre Foundation (LCYTF), was conferred the “Bunka Award” presented by the Embassy of Japan for the Best Achievement in Performing Arts in 1997. In 2005, Ms. Kaushalya Fernando, an Artistic Director of LCYTF was conferred the “Bunka Award” for her outstanding contribution to theatre arts and acting.