Arts
Meet the kings and queens on stage
Sashi Mendis
‘The Dancing Doll’ is a magical story about the toys belonging to a girl named Linda that come alive at midnight. One night, they decide to hold a talent show. Everything goes well until the dancing doll refuses to dance….
This is one of the seven plays titled ‘Drama Kings and Queens’ which Sashi Mendis’s students aged between 6 and 16 will be performing on May 12 and 13 at the Punchi Theatre.
Sashi explains that the stories evolved with the children. “I look for the talents in my children and create the plays accordingly. One of my students is talented in dancing and acting so I thought that she would make the perfect dancing doll,” she says. The other plays, ranging from the Greek drama of Persephone to a bilingual play (in Sinhala and English), are mostly written by Sashi. All have a message and are aimed at promoting theatre for children.
She feels that the title says it all. “I named it ‘Drama Queens and Kings’ because my students love drama and they act so willingly that I feel that they are like drama Queens and Kings.”
Each age group is different and interesting, she says– from the six year olds who have ‘cute comments’ to the teenagers with their own ideas. It is these observations which have shaped the characters she has created for them and will be acted out next week.
A lawyer by profession, Sashi began teaching drama part-time and then took it on full time. She currently teaches acting at the Asian International School, University of Jayawardenapura English Language Training Unit and at her home in Battaramulla. The plays she took part in during her school and university days ignited this lifelong interest in theatre, she feels.
Her classes encourage creativity and exploration and her students are proof enough. Khavan Guneratne wrote a play about self-identity which was staged last year. Avishka Wickramanayake, who plays the role of a jester this year, feels that acting is a great way to really get to know people because it’s easy to understand a person when you observe them assuming a new role and attempting to do it justice. Rumalki Fernando says getting together and acting is the best part of the whole experience, sentiments echoed by Seneli Hettiarachchi.
Seneli Hettiarachchi and Devinda Perera as the Queen and Prince
Seneli, who played a raindrop as a six-year-old is now playing the role of a mighty queen, and Sashi is gratified by her progress. Devinda Perera, who played a rabbit when he was around 7, is now taking the role of a prince. Most of her students have been with her since they were around 4 or 5.
Sashi’s message to parents is to open their eyes to their children’s talents. “We focus on the conventional subjects of Maths and Science but if your child is talented in something else, it’s good to develop their skills. If their skills are in the field of drama, encouraging them to pursue it as this will not only develop their acting skills, but will also develop confidence, team spirit and creativity. It even gives them the opportunity to interact with other people,” she says.
For more information on ‘Drama Queens and Kings’ -on tickets and classes contact Sashi on 0777009258.