‘Guru Geethaya’Renowned Russian Novel in Theatre
‘Guru Geethaya’, the stage play directed by Prof. Mangala Senanayake based on world renowned Russian writer Tchinguiz Aitmatov’s novel, ‘The First Teacher’ will have its premiere on Friday, May 17 at Lionel Wendt Teatre Colombo.
First published in 1962, the story of the novel narrates around the lives of Kirghiz villagers after the Russian Revolution. The story describes a generation of workers brought up to be the labour force for the Russian Imperial Railway, educated in Russian schools for indigenous peoples, all with the aim of trying to change society. Tchinguiz, the writer’s father, Torekul Aitmatov, who belonged to the same generation was promoting these social changes in the new Soviet Kirghistan and inspired his son.
The story revolving around a teacher Duishen, a teenage girl in a small Kirghiz village Altynai who wanted to go to school to learn to read and write and end up becoming a great personality. The communist youth Duishen, and his great pupil Altynai, the play gives a refreshing interpretation to the generation of teachers and students around the world. ‘It was a great challenge to convert this novel to a play and I am grateful to Jude Srimal who believed in me and invited to direct the play’ said Prof. Mangala Senanayake, retired lecturer at the Aesthetic University of Colombo. The play stars Jayani Senanayake, Anuradha Mallawaraachchi, Sudharshana Krishantha, Maali Jayaweerage. Costume design done by veteran actor Kamal Mallawarachchi, music by Prabuddha Budipriya, choreography by Jayani Senanayake and set design and make up by Chathura Dasanayake, Nayanatharade Silva and Yasantha Karunaratne. ‘Tchinguiz Aitmatov who started writing in 1952 wrote this novel in 1962. And this became a special novel specially in the Middle Asian societies which were polygamous and women who were deprived of their right to education’ Prof. Senanayake said.
Prof. Senanayake’s play ‘Kirata Adana Sathwayo’ staged in 1980s won 13 Youth Awards. He went on to produce his other plays including ‘Juliet Caesar’, ‘Magul Kema’, ‘Sindukara Kavi Naluwa’ and few others.