Children sing around ‘the bamboo bush’

“Singing Bamboo Bush” (Sindu Kiyana Una Pandura) is a Rupavahini production intended for international TV programme competitions including ABU-Cabaa Unicef Child Rights Award International Festival.

This teledrama for children on the theme “Nature loves as a mother-nature warns as a mother” will represent Sri Lanka at Japan Prize international TV programme Competition and ABU International Festival in Malaysia.

When 12-year-old Nimal prevents a bamboo bush being cut by a villager his grand father relates an enchanting story which helps Nimal to understand why man should live in harmony with nature and what benefits he gets when he surrenders to nature.

The cast is Hemasiri Liyanage, Jayani Senanayake, Lukshman Mallawa Arachchi, Winnie Weththasinghe, Sumudu Suranga, Lasanda Anupriya and Ayodya Dakshika.

The script of 27-minute miniplay ‘Singing Bamboo Bush’ is written by the well known lyricist Ratna Sri Wijesinghe. This will be telecast on September 7 at 5.30 p.m. on Rupavahini.

Art director is Heenatigala Premadasa and Rohana Samaraweera has filmed it. Dimuthu Kuruppu has edited the miniplay. To the music direction of young Navaratne Gamage, Edward Jayakody and Hemanthi Ranasinghe sing a play back song.

The director Athula Peiris’ earlier effort on a children issue “Pattilage Kathawa” was selected for the ten world’s best TV programmes at the ABU-Cabaa Unicef Child Rights Award and Prix Genius video bar section at the international TV programme festival held at Munich in Germany.

Award winning stage play director Mr. Peiris’ play “Suba Saranagatha” won ten awards at the Youth Drama Festival in 1986. In addition his other stage directions “Maha Oedipus” based on the Greek tale and “Pasmaha Balum” adopted from Bertolt Bretch’s “Measure Taken” were selected for the final rounds at State Drama festivals.

Programme Director at Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation, Athula Peiris has twenty eight short stage plays and two books to his credit.