Sunday Times 2
Kaushalya gives Lankan perspective to Wole Soyinka’s satirical opera
Theatre can be a powerful medium that can provoke ordinary citizens to critically evaluate the society they live in. Nobel laureate Wole Soyinka took this to heart in Nigeria’s post civil war context, when he indicted the military regime and the economic upsurge that prevailed at that time through his satire Opera Wonyosi.
Kaushalya Fernando
Kaushalya Fernando, daughter of veteran actress Somalatha Subasinghe is looking to offer a perspective on Sri Lanka’s socio-political scene when her production, Dutu Thena Allanu by the Somalatha Subasinghe Play House Kotte takes the stage next weekend- December 12 and 13 at the Lionel Wendt.
In Dutu Thena Allanu- an adaptation of Opera Wonyosi- you will encounter characters such as the notorious, bandit Macheath, the beggar mafia leader, Anikura who runs a thriving business with the blessings of the powers that be- including the Police, Judiciary and the Emperor Boky, while the clergy and the citizens helplessly look on.
Dutu Thena Allanu is Kaushalya’s third theatrical production – Sanda Langa Maranaya and the Maask being her previous ones.
Back in 1991, Somalatha Subasinghe produced a trilingual play based on her translation of Opera Wonyosi with the students of the Colombo University Drama Society and Kaushalya, who was an undergraduate at that time, also acted in the play.
The Creative Director of the Somalatha Subasinghe Play House Kotte, Kaushalya says, the play is meant to highlight the socio-political deterioration we have seen in current times.
“I generally express myself through theatre – what I want is to create awareness about the socio-political issues in Sri Lanka and get the audience to think intelligently about these matters,” Kaushalya says.
Asked whether the original script of Opera Wonyosi has been changed to suit the Sri Lankan audience – Kaushalya says ‘not totally’ but wherever changes are required to suit the local context, the script has been edited, for example, the language used in the original when directly translated, is somewhat alien to the Sri Lankan audience – particularly in terms of slang. The songs in the original had been re-written to suit Sri Lankan audience as translations of those would only give a feel of the African context, she explains.
As to the reason why Kaushalya picked Opera Wonyosi, she says, today’s audience is more prone to embrace simple light productions. “I picked this play, not because I consider it less serious, but because this script is something that can be put across in an entertaining way,” she said adding that the play will be semi- musical.
The cast of Dutu Thena Allanu, Kaushalya says have been working with sheer dedication along with the production team to give the audience a quality production. Among them are Dhanushka Dias, Shanaka Fernando, Thilakshini Ratnayake, Mayura Perera, Nilanka Dahanayake, Saviour Kanishka, Ruchi Abeywarna, Poojana Dandeniya, Dilum Buddhika, Kumudu Wickramathanthri, Thilina Perera, Gayathri Ekanayake, Thiwanka Don Ranasinghe, Sameera Lakmal Wimalasiri, Duminda Sandaruwan and Hasarinda Kesara Liyanaarachchi.
Music direction for Dutu Thena Allanu is by Chinthaka Jayakody while lighting, design and choreography is by Chandana Aluthge, costumes and props by Thisara Imbulana.
All actors and actresses are from Somalatha Subasinghe Play House Kotte.
The play will be at 3.30 and 7 p.m., with tickets available at the Lionel Wendt.