Nostalgia and comedy
View(s):Director Jith Peiris tells the Mirror Magazine about his latest production ‘Chaos At The Vicarage’
By Joshua Surendraraj
All Miss Skllion wanted was to simply gossip with the Vicar, Rev.Lionel Toop. How could he marry someone like Penelope Toop? The outrage! The woman has been acting quite unconventionally in the village (cue roll eyes). However Miss Skillion gets more than what she bargains for, when she pays a visit to the Vicar’s house.
It’s complete ‘Chaos at the Vicarage’, an apt renaming of Philip King’s comedy ‘See How They Run’. Under the careful direction of renowned dramatist, Jith Peiris, the production is scheduled to get on the boards of the Lionel Wendt from June 30 to July 2.
We caught up with Jith earlier during the week, and he tells us the play is actually one of the most hilarious English theatre productions of that era about 50 to 60 years ago.
The scene that unfolds, happens within an English country vicarage. Some of the characters have their own country life which is well organised, when a scandal breaks out.
Despite the farce, being somewhat old, Jith strongly feels that it would still be thoroughly enjoyed by today’s audience. Indeed this definitely comes from his experience, back in 2011 when the play was last staged.
“I find that a lot of people come in pretty good numbers when it’s a comedy, because they like an ending filled with fun and laughter,” he says.
‘Chaos At The Vicarage’ comes fresh with an entirely new cast, all of them between the ages of 19 and 21, we find out.
As they walked in for practices,the excitement in the room was evident. The energy that the younger cast had about them, clearly resonated in the play, thus breathing new life into it.
“Their keenness is terrific and I’m very happy to work with them, Jith tells us, while pointing at Visura Silva, who plays the sergeant. “His timing is perfect”, Jith says, clearly impressed. Being a youthful cast, he adds that they reacted well to the production.
Jith first got the chance to witness the play, back in the early 90’s. It immediately caught his eye. To him the vicarage was what, he found to be the most striking part in the play, he recalls. Jith managed to incorporate this into the set for the production.
Philip King was a popular playwright back in the day and ‘See How They Run’ was one of his best plays, Jith explains. Being a classic production, it incorporates a post World War setting packed with all the subtlety and puns from the time.
Jith plans on doing the entire production comprising three acts in one run, without the usual interval he tells us. He also promises a surprising start, one which is sure to grab the audience’s attention.
Tickets for the show are priced at
Rs 2,000, Rs 1,500, Rs 1,000 and
Rs 650 (Balcony).