Sunday Times 2
Hunuwataye Kathawa: 50th jubilee at Tower Hall
View(s):On March 8, Henry Jayasena’s “Hunuwataye Kathawa” will celebrate 50 years of continuous performances. A special event to mark this unique occasion will be held on the same day at the Maradana Tower Hall from 6 p.m. onwards. The main speaker on this day will be veteran theatre personality Dharmasiri Bandaranayake.
Memorable performances: Henry and Manel Jayasena
Originally written by the German playwright and poet Bertolt Brecht, the play was translated by Henry Jayasena to suit a Sri Lankan theatre audience. He however, managed to maintain Brecht’s poetic language, especially in verse form. Brecht’s vision was to bring theatre to the people. Henry Jayasena did the same with his clever translation and direction which enraptured audiences- both young and old. Hailed by critics, “Hunuwataye Kathawa” is considered an important landmark in the history of Sri Lankan theatre.
The story itself rings a familiar tune for Sri Lankans who, from a young age grow up hearing a similar story in sermons and religious discourses. The tale of a motherly love toward a child abandoned in the palace court is not unheard of. Brecht himself borrowed the plot from early Chinese literature. In “Ummagga Jathaka” Prince Mahaushada solves a similar conflict regarding the fate of a child. Henry Jayasena as Azdak and Manel Jayasena as Grusha gave life to their roles with their rich acting skill. The musical score by maestro Shelton Premarathna added zest to the play.
The original cast together with Henry and Manel comprised popular stage actors and actresses such as Wijerathna Warakagoda, Elson Divithuragama, Chandra Kaluarachchi, Douglas Ranasingha, Santin Gunawardena and Grace Tennakoon.
Nimal Jayasinghe and Chula Kariyawasam are the only two actors from the original cast to appear in the current production, thus completing 50 years of acting in a single play. Nimal plays the role of the Narrator while Chula reprises his role of Sauwa, the adjutant, a role he portrayed 50 years ago. The cast alsdo includes Nalin Pradeep Udawela (Azdak), Ruwini Manamperi (Grusha), Chamika Hathlahawatte (Simon Sashawa), Lalith Janakantha (Corporal) and Prasannajith Abeysuriya (Lavrenti).
In a writeup about Hunuwataye Kathawa by Eshan Sourjah published in the Times Annual (1969), he recalls “James V. Hatch, the American theatre man who visited Ceylon during 1968 was struck by Jayasena’s performance. When he returned to USA, our visitor wrote in an article in the Village Voice. It was an unsolicited tribute to an excellent production. It was also an admission that the Sinhala theatre had produced something of international standard. Ceylon need not ask for foreign experts to come and teach theatre. But if Lincoln Center is going to insist on producing people’s theatre, let them send for Henry Jayasena.”