Arts
Veterans return for an old favourite
Ralahamy is a man that you and I know quite well. He’s the neighbour who keeps you up all night with the thovil, the pedestrian who’ll take his own sweet time crossing the road and the husband who tries to maintain his dignity, but eventually gives in to being hen-pecked by his wife.
Experienced trio: Wijeratne Warakagoda, Daya Tennekoon, and Malini Weeramuni. Pictured on the cover are Purnima Pilapitiya and Prabhath Devindra as the journalists. Pix by Amila Gamage
He’s all of these things-that is, until he falls asleep one evening and wakes up as the Dictator of Ceylon.So unfolds H.C.N. De Lanerolle’s ‘The Dictator’, which Namel Weeramuni will usher back to the stage at his beloved Punchi Theatre next week.
Weeramuni is an appreciative fan – he used to watch E.C.B. Wijesinghe as Ralahamy on stage back in the day-and makes things interesting by bringing several of Sinhala language theatre’s most well-known faces to this English play.
For example take Wijeratne Warakagoda, who twinkles merrily that Ralahamy is “a very different character for me”.
Warakagoda is a veteran stage, film and television actor but this is only his second stage work in the English language (the last was ‘The Killer’ several decades ago).
It’s not a choice-“we’re waiting to be approached,” he says. “But for some reason Sinhala stage actors rarely get called for English plays.”
Great partnership: Malini and Namel
Nevertheless, Warakagoda is in his element as the portentous Ralahamy, who must now assert his dominance as the Dictator of Ceylon by defeating the Japanese during the Second World War (first order of the day-getting everyone kitted out in Sigiriya-era costumes).
Ralahamy must face the attentions of several journalists and the ire of his own wife, and for this he turns to old friend and dressmaker Mahattaya for help.
Mahattaya is played by Daya Tennekoon, another familiar face from the screen and stage. This is Tennekoon’s 50th year on stage-“I’m celebrating myself” he tells us “by taking part in my first English play.”
What is he finding different? “Nothing!” he says. “Thought it might be harder but actually once you learn your lines it’s very much the same thing.” Tennekoon’s character Mahattaya is Ralahamy’s dearest friend and together the duo brings a fair amount of hilarity to the stage.
Completing this trio of veterans is Malini Weeramuni, majestic the day we meet her in full Kandyan costume.
Her character, Haminey, may be a woman at a time women’s rights activists were still finding their voice but you wouldn’t know this to observe Haminey, laughs Weeramuni.
“The whole play is really about the dominance of females,” she says. “Haminey is a very complex character. Although she is quite dominating with her husband she’s also very protective-more so now that he finds himself the dictator.”
The actress is equally protective of her husband Namel, who directs her (as he has done many a time before) on stage.
She’s Namel’s right hand, easily carrying out his orders-called out from his seat in the audience-to the other cast members.
Together Weeramuni, Warakagoda and Tennekoon make for an impressive pairing on stage; they know exactly what to do for the photo calls and what to do to make an audience laugh.
This is something that the younger cast members, who take on the few other roles in the play, hope that they can emulate.
Pinnya Samaratunge takes on the role of Ralahamy’s daughter Stella. Stella is very protective of her father and like him believes that patriotism is best expressed forcefully.
Then there are the journalists Galpotha (Prabhath Devindra) and Nelia van Grumberg (Purnima Pilapitiya/Kiruthika Thurairajah).
From the good old days: ECB Wijesinghe as the Dictator in the 1950’s production
Devindra, who has returned from a stint abroad (where he developed a passion for experimental and physical theatre) is excited to be working alongside these theatre veterans.
“It has given me the confidence to be more involved in local theatre,” he says. Similarly Pilapitiya and Thurairajah, who will take on the role of an assertive female journalist, look forward to their turn.
“There’s a lot of humour and plenty of parallels to modern times, both socially and politically,” says Thurairajah.
The Dictator cast’s fantastic costumes were designed by Seneka De Silva, who drew inspiration from both pictures of the old cast and also from his own studio, where several embellishments were already lying in wait.
Buddhadasa Galappaththi, who has worked with Weeramuni for over 40 years, takes on makeup with assistance from Dilki Perera. The play will also feature original music by Jayatissa Alahakoon.
Catch ‘The Dictator’ from October 20-25 at the Namel Malini Punchi Theatre in Borella from 7 p.m. onwards. Tickets are available at the venue.