Jehan gets real with Sinhala play
“Think a chorus meets Phantom meets Saw,” quips Jehan Aloysius when asked of the premise for his new play ‘Reality Show!’ That Jehan would describe his new work as experiential theatre is nothing unexpected, although the language he’s working in may surprise some. The director, well known for his takes on Shakespeare and plays like Rag: the Musical has crossed the divide to the other side to take on a play entirely in the Sinhala language.
Jehan is no stranger to Colombo’s vibrant Sinhala-language theatre scene, however. He played a role in the controversial Trojan Kanthawo (Trojan Women) in 1999 and remembers being struck by the intensity of the play’s narrative and the strong connection between the play and its audience. He also choreographed Makarakshaya. Of both he speaks respectfully-“There was a very strong connection between what was happening onstage and the audience.” It is a hallmark of Sinhala-language theatre that he revels in; the strong familiarity and its bold approach to tackling current social issues.
Jehan hopes to establish the same vein of communication when ‘Reality Show!’ takes to the Wendt next week. Using an ensemble cast, the play uses different narratives to tell their stories. It begins when a group of actors are ushered into a darkened theatre and told by a disembodied voice, that of the ‘director’, that they must take it upon themselves to create the ‘ultimate reality show’ based on their individual dark histories. Fail to satisfy the director, and they’ll meet with a grisly end.
A feast for the eye: Scenes from the show. Pix by Shehal Joseph
It’s an ‘off with their heads’ mantra that Jehan thankfully doesn’t ascribe to in his actual directing approach, although he is reportedly and self-confessedly a tough cookie when it comes to his cast. Some have even had to learn new instruments in embracing their roles fully. “There are no star roles here,” says the director. “Everyone is on equal footing and everyone works hard.”
It’s this same work ethic that has seen his theatre company CentreStage Productions go from strength to strength. Over the years they’ve dabbled in many works, based on original, home-grown scripts mostly staged in a style the director likes to call ‘poor theatre’-a minimum of props, stark lighting and relatively little all-star names. “I like working with fresh talent,” he explains. While he’s admittedly working with a more well-known cast for this particular show he delights in the challenge of working in a brand of theatre he hasn’t worked predominantly in before.
The issues discussed in the play are very real, he says. The script is one he has devised with his cast, as is often the case with CentreStage. “Some of the stories we explore are very real,” explains Jehan. “We’ll use different techniques-folk theatre, puppetry- to interact with the audience.” The topics under the spotlight are familiar; identity, sexuality, ethnicity, gender politics will play a major role in the stories of the eight actors. “It’s a feast for the eye and feast for discussion,” says the director.
Director Jehan Aloysius
The cast will comprise popular faces from the stage and onscreen such as Nilmini Buwenaka, Sulochana Weerasinghe, Charith Senanayake, Sarath Karunaratne, Thilanka Gamage and relative newcomers like Anuradha Mallawa Arachchi, Sudharshana Krishantha and Akalanka Prabhashwara.
Jehan-and CentreStage-took on this play at the invitation of Thushan Dias, who will handle the lighting for this show. The show is generously sponsored by Mahinda Dias Engineers-support which is always welcome, says the director. With ‘Reality Show!’ Jehan hopes to make his mark on the ever-changing face of Sinhala language theatre; a vibrant, outspoken dimension of the local arts.
‘Reality Show!’ is on from November 14-16 at the Lionel Wendt. The show is intended for adult audiences due to mature themes and language. Tickets are now available at the Lionel Wendt.