With the semi-finals of the Inter-school Shakespeare Drama Competition ending amidst much speculation, one can only hope that the finals (on October 5 and 6) will deliver more of what the audience has been able to glimpse.  The nine finalist schools are putting in late rehearsals and sleepless nights to ensure that they don’t disappoint at what has become possibly the country’s most prestigious interschool drama event.

Expect a healthy dose of the star crossed lovers ‘Romeo and Juliet’, which three out of the nine schools will perform. St. Benedict’s College, in the finals for the second year running, have been rehearsing for a good month or so. “In terms of the competition, we’re very junior and haven’t had as much exposure as some of the other schools,” says Sharmin Rodrigo, an old boy who has been helping the cast with their rehearsals. “So we tried to keep things simple. We’ve never boasted of vibrant lighting or other extravagant props. I believe keeping all that to the minimum and instead focussing on the actual performance is what has got us so far.”

Bishop’s College outdid the other girls’ schools with their enactment of ‘Romeo and Juliet’ while all performances may not have been spot on, one that stood out was that of Juliet’s father. Capulet’s thundering disapproval raging across the stage held an entire audience engrossed.

“It’s easy to come out with a piece that is technically perfect, but it’s very hard to tap into the soul of the play,” says Thushara Hettihamu, who directs Royal College’s version of the tragedy. “Our production is very personal. We’ve built upon relationships and interaction-the strength of the bond between the characters.” The school is one of the oldest competitors, having taken part in the event since its inception.

Wasaam Ismail, a constant figure behind the young cast of Ave Maria knows what matters. “At the end of the day, it’s not the trophy that matters,” he says. “What matters is that we’re all having fun as a team. We learn new things everyday and we are absolutely enjoying the experience of creating magic on stage. In that sense, in our hearts, we’ve already won. I wish all the teams performing on both days the best of luck.” They’ll certainly need it- Ave Maria, a veteran in the competition, is a formidable opponent. They will be performing ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’, the comedic antitheses to the former. Watch out for Peter Quince in the play-the young ‘producer’ will have you in stitches.

Offering them some competition will be ‘Girls’ High School’ from Kandy, with their local adaptation of the play. Watch out for the feisty young ladies in their osaris, a bahirava yaka and some very local aunty-tones. Also keep an eye out for the delightful Helena, a true comedic gem that will put a smile on your face every time she sneaks her way onto the stage, in pursuit of one true love Demetri. D.S. Senanayake wowed the audience at the semis with their post-war adaptation of the comedy.  “The last time we won Shakes was 18 years ago and I tell the guys that almost all of them were not even born at the time,” says Sashen Perera, who directs the young thespians.

“Our ‘Midsummer Night’s Dream’ was unique,” adds Chalana Weerasuriya, the male lead in the play. “What we did was really risky, but we’re glad the judges liked us. We’ve been doing Shakes since the time it started in1988. It’s more like tradition in our school, a part of our school calendar.” Also on the cards with their very traditional adaptation of the comedy is Maris Stella College from Negombo. A Shakespeare competition heavyweight, this is definitely a school to keep an eye on in the finals. ‘Henry V’ will be brought to life by the cast of Trinity College Kandy. They’re sticking to the same principles of simplicity above all else, and the cast pride themselves on working alone.Gateway College Kandy (Girls), in the Shakespeare arena for the first time, will present ‘A Winter’s Tale’.

Samantha, who thrilled the audience with her portrayal of King Leontus is quietly confident in her cast’s ability to impress. “It’s very exciting to be part of this competition, she adds, wishing all the other schools the best of luck.” A healthy level of competition, an insane amount of talent and a large dose of luck is what these young actors and directors are counting on come next week. Judge them for yourself; grab your tickets for the finals from the YMCA .

The finals of the ‘Interschool Shakespeare Drama Competition 2012’ organized by the Colombo YMCA and Rotary Club will be held at the Bishop’s College Auditorium from 6pm onwards. The girls’ finals will be on October 5 and boys’ finals will be on October 6.

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