Shining from the East
Cast of St. Michael’s College, Batticaloa - winners of the ‘Best Novice Entry’ Boy’s category for 2014.
White knuckled from clutching their seats, breath frozen in their throats, the audience at the Inter school Shakespeare Drama competition, would well have forgotten having seen Macbeth six times that same day during the semi finals of the competition when an enthralling full-on sword fight broke out onstage.
Principal M.C. Masilamani, of S. Michael’s College Batticaloa
Setting themselves apart from the time the curtain went up, the cast of St. Michael’s College in Batticaloa with their performance, captured the attention of the audience. A first for the Eastern region, this year’s inter-school Shakespeare Drama Competition (jointly organized by the Rotary Club of Colombo North and the Colombo Y.M.C.A), brought together a team of determined boys to the Lionel Wendt. While they may have missed the mark to earn a place in the finals, the cast and their talent were recognized when they clinched the ‘Best Novice’ entry in the boy’s category for the year.
“Actually our school entered fifteen years ago,” teacher in charge for this year’s cast and crew, M.D. Sylvester tells the Mirror Magazine during an interview, adding that unfortunately the conflict in the country at the time sadly, prevented the cast from reaching Colombo to perform. It was this former cast that collectively suggested the boys to make the trip to Colombo, to accomplish what they initially hoped was a possibility. According to Ms. Sylvester, the general vibe at home, in Batticaloa was of cheerful optimism.
M.D. Sylvester
“When we left, they were very sure of getting through to the finals,” she smiles. Standing tall after winning four consecutive years for their school productions at the annual English Day competitions organized by the Ministry of Education she said, “as teachers, we too felt that they were ready for the Shakespeare Drama Competition.”
Playing the lead as Macbeth for the Shakespeare competition, Arulthasan Andrew has even won the Best Actor Award at the English Day competition by the Ministry of Education. He was also a nominee for this year’s best actor award.
This year’s experience for the team, however, was magical. A-Level maths student and cast member Bavithran Narendran says it was a huge team effort. Most magical about his experience with the cast of 16 and 4 crew members was walking in to the Lionel Wendt. “All of us have never seen a stage like that,” he said. A little nervous about everything from the lights, audience reaction and seeing so many other students. “We worked as a team, and supported each other,” he says of his memorable experience at the competition.
Sivanesarajah Pradeepan
The students did everything from designing costumes, to making their own props Ms. Sylvester shares with the Mirror Magazine. This included actual metal swords that made a spine- chilling ‘clank’ during the engaging sword-fight. Incidentally it was this part of the production that remains etched in the memory of many who were present in the audience.
“I injured my hand during that scene,” says Anputhasan Kunajayan, the 17 year old Biology student who for the duration of the play was called Macduff. Having enjoyed acting from a young age, he says he was noticed for his talent in the higher grades. “Luckily, my father is a doctor,” he laughs, having been the victim of an ill-aimed sword during the performance they staged for the teachers at school just two days before the semi-finals.
Sitting in the audience he shares, he was nervous watching other boys act his role he felt a little unsure of himself, but the excitement of being on a stage like the Lionel Wendt soon overtook all other emotions. “The lights were my favourite part-I’ve never seen anything like it.”
Anpalagan Abishek Croos, 17 who played a steward on stage says his love for theatre grew from an early age watching his father act in cultural dramas.While gathering inspiration from his father, Abishek feels he is not quite sure what he wants to do in life, but is sure of one thing, “If I get a chance to act, I will take it,” he says.
The serious ground-work for the play started about a month before, and teachers in charge, Ms. Sylvester along with her colleague Sivanesarajah Pradeepan spent most of their weekends with the cast. Grateful for the full support of their principal, M.C. Masilamani and Rev. Father Norton Johnson she shares that the boys “worked very hard.”
The weekends were replaced with long hours of practice and with the old boys of the initial cast of 15 years ago, many of whom currently work in Colombo supporting the cast as well, and even taking the long trip back home to make the journey every weekend for practice.
Drawing from a background of rich drama history, St. Michael’s College stages annual plays in which most cast members have taken part. Although practices are part of the drill for most of them Abishek shares that practices for the Shakespeare Drama Competition were special. Directed by the old boys and teachers he felt spending time with and getting to know the old boys, was the most memorable part of the production. “We even celebrated one of their birthdays at practices,” he says, “we got a cake and he was very happy.”
Learning from his time at the competition Michael Macmilian Anderson says the other schools did a better job in terms of stagecraft. “They were better than us,” he feels but says they are confident that “next time, we will have a better drama.”
With a trip to Majestic City and Galle Face ending their tour of Colombo, the whole inter-school Shakespeare drama competition encounter was nothing short of a fun learning experience for the cast from the East.