It seemed an age since I last dropped in at Lionel Wendt. That was my feeling when I went there last Wednesday for an event which can easily be described as 'unique'.
Janakaraliya, - the enthusiastic group forming 'Theatre of the People' had organised a 'guru pooja' to pay tribute to three stalwarts of the theatre scene in Sri Lanka – Dhamma Jagoda, Gamini Haththottuwegama and H. A. Perera. "An artistic tribute to dear departed teachers by their disciples", was how the new generation dramatists identified the event.
The Wendt had not changed. It was inspiring to see the colourful posters adorning the sides of the corridor and the leaflets that were being distributed announcing future activities particularly Sinhala dramas. Well known dramatist Jayalath Manoratne is staging three of his plays at the Wendt while Jayasri Chandrajith's 'Umatusan Varusawa' based on Somapala Gunadheera's script will be staged at the Lumbini Theatre on the 16th.
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As for the event, it brought back memories of the golden era of Sinhala theatre when both Dhamma and Gamini contributed a lot by way of not only presenting some high quality plays but also took a lead role in being pioneers in training. H A, better known for his brilliant acting, along with master craftsman Parakrama Niriella (Janakaraliya is their brainchild ) were among the first students at 'Kala Kendra Ranga Shilpa Shalika' – the drama academy Dhamma started at the Wendt with the blessings of trustee Harold Peiris, from which a host of talented players were born. Gamini, of course, is best known as the 'Father of Street Drama' which provided a fine outlet for youngsters to display their talent.
As Ariyawansa Ranaweera, the knowledgeable analyst of Sinhala theatre, mentioned in his keynote address, the contribution made by Dhamma, Gamini and H A and their commitment was incomparable. "Theirs was a selfless service. They forgot about their private lives and devoted their entire lives to the wellbeing of Sinhala theatre," he stressed. He valued the contribution made by prominent drama personalities like Dr. Sarachchandra, Henry Jayasena, Sugathapala de Silva and Anil Mihiripenna in assisting Dhamma's venture 'Ranga Shilpa Shalika' in building up a new breed of actors and actresses.
Gamini – the English lecturer at Vidyodaya University and Peradeniya - took the theatre to the people, Ranaweera said, introducing the concept of street drama in Anuradhapura in 1975. He was a well-known drama critic as well.
H. A. thrilled the audiences with his acting capabilities not only on stage but on screen as well – both big and small. He was also a fine trainer imparting his knowledge to the young drama enthusiasts at Janakaraliya.
Demonstrating the commitment of Janakaraliya as an icon of multi-ethnic cohabitation and brotherly existence with all communities, a Tamil adaptation of Dhamma Jagoda's production 'Kora saha Andhaya' (The lame and the blind) titled 'Payanihal' was staged. Two young players, Thyagaraja Sivanesan (the blind man) and Rasiah Loganathan (the lame) turned out a superb performance. Those who did not know Tamil could follow the dialogue in Sinhala and English which appeared on a side screen – a useful thought.
Watching the play, my mind went back to Dhamma's original production in 1970 when Wimal Kumar de Costa and Daya Tennakoon turned out an outstanding performance. It was a novel experience for theatregoers whom Dhamma was able to hold spellbound for around 45 minutes with just two players on the stage virtually circling round a little space, and clever lighting techniques. Dhamma had just returned after a foreign tour having studied contemporary drama and successfully experimented with what he had observed. The critics were all praise for his attempt.
The current production will represent Sri Lanka at the New Delhi International Theatre Festival 2012 – a fitting selection indeed.
Dharmasena Pathirja's script had been translated by Rasiah Loganathan and the play was directed by Ronika Chamali and Selvaraj Leelawathy.
A new version of 'Porisadaya', another short play originally produced by Dhamma on a script by Professor Tissa Kariyawasam was also staged. Palitha Abelal is the director of the Janakaraliya version.
Appreciating the effort by the youngsters, Janakaraliya creative director Parakrama Niriella said in a note: "It's rewarding to see these youth who were with Janakaraliya for nine years come up in life and showing their artistic and dramatic talents so successfully. Seeing them starting their careers in theatre arts working independently gives me a congenial feeling of self-contentment."
Paying a tribute to "the paternal teachers Dhamma Jagoda and Gamini Haththottuwegama", he notes with gratitude that he and H. A. were able to impart the knowledge to the third generation of dramatists consisting of Sinhala and Tamil youth. The two dramas were being presented in honour of the departed teachers commemorating and appreciating their contribution," he said. |
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