A journey of self-discovery and understanding about love
It’s complicated: Brandon Ingram and Benjamin Aluwihare as the young lovers. Pic by Tavish Gunasena
It’s a Friday night and ‘a wealthy Colombo trust fund baby’ and a British expat connect over a dating app for a casual encounter and not much else. Over the course of two acts they will unfold and explore love, relationships, sexuality and the universal struggle for connection in Arun Welandawe-Prematilleke’s new play, “The One Who Loves You So”.
The love story marks a departure for the dramatist from his more familiar territory- immersive/devised theatre experiences. When “The One Who Loves You So” hits the boards in two weeks, audiences will find themselves playing – the audience, with the two leads onstage acting out a script against the backdrop of a bare apartment.
For Arun and the cast the departure to conventional theatre was a necessity for the raw, vulnerable dialogue. It’s why Brandon Ingram and Benjamin Aluwihare were excited to take on the parts in the first place. “We were meant to work on it together,” Brandon admits, the idea for the play was one they had toyed with several times. He later took on the role of supportive friend while Arun brought the concept to paper.
“This is scary,” was Benjamin’s first thought when he read it he admits openly. The challenging role and the timely themes of gender, class, courtship and the innate desire for love combined was a heady enticement for the young actor who now acts professionally in the United Kingdom.
They first tested the script at a session of Open Brain; an informal session for sharing art and expression held at the British Council. The touching feedback they received only fuelled their excitement for the work which they later showcased to a group of literati down South. “Some people saw it just as a love story,” remembers Brandon who like the others was initially uncertain of the reception they would receive, but their end goal is to take audiences on a journey of self-discovery and understanding about love- “at the end, that’s what it’s about”.
The play’s integral love story revolves around Nick; a 26-year-old British expat and Vidhura; a privileged, Colombo-raised 28-year-old. While love and connection is at the heart of the story, Arun also explores the invisible layers that complicate love- such as class, ideals and gender.
Coming to Sri Lanka for the first time from the UK, Nick is a bi-racial accountant from a working class background with an addictive personality. “His 9-5 is very different from his 5-9,” Benjamin adds helpfully. For the young actor, bringing the dialogue to life in all its honesty and authenticity is the biggest challenge he faces, together with balancing the opposing energy of Vidhura. What heightens the pressure for authenticity is ironically the simplicity of the production. “It’s just the script, so there’s no escape.”
The yin to Nick’s yang is 28-year-old Vidhura. Unlike the outgoing Nick “there are some things Vidhura would like to keep hidden.” A self-described younger version of himself, Brandon sees a neurotic overthinker in the young man- so anxious that he “won’t use a word without meaning it”.
Through the characters, the trio wants to discuss the facelessness of people and their vulnerability in courtship today. With English theatre in Sri Lanka taking on a political and social responsibility they see the play as another opportunity to foster queer art and give people a space to talk about themes that aren’t always given a sphere of their own. With months of rehearsals behind them, they’ve even learnt a little about love themselves- “it’s taught me that a relationship doesn’t have to be something- in capitals,” Arun describes, as they agree that the play celebrates the liberation of relinquished expectation and is a celebration of a journey.
“The One Who Loves You So” goes on the boards from August 15-17 at the Punchi Theatre at 7.30 pm. Tickets for reserved seating will be available at the Punchi Theatre. For online ticket details check out “The One Who Loves You So” on Facebook and Instagram.