Arts
Barrel of laughs and even a few gasps, that’s what’s in store
Just over a year after its debut on stage, Indu Dharmasena’s 65th original play Love, Lies and Diamonds returns on September 7,8 and 9 at the Lionel Wendt to hold its audiences in fits of laughter as one man struggles to untangle the convoluted web of lies he has woven himself into.
The full cast: Bringing back the play just one year after its first performance last year. Pix by Amila Gamage
The play revolves around Kusal Kukulawala, a successful businessman and notorious philanderer, on the fateful day when his wife unexpectedly arrives at the office, finds the diamond necklace he bought for his girlfriend and assumes it’s for her. It turns into a race against the clock as Kusal does everything in his power to get the necklace back, woo his girlfriend with lunch in Unawatuna, and keep his marriage intact. All the while dealing with the problems of being top dog at Kukulawala Holdings.
Indu will be reprising the role of Kusal himself, and makes no pretence as to what kind of man the character is modelled after.
“The name should indicate what he is,” he says. “You get these rich businessmen, who most probably would have inherited the company from their fathers, who enjoy spending the money and all the perks.”
Also returning to their original roles are Sanwada Dharmasena as the wife Deepika, and Saneesha Ramanayake as the girlfriend Priyanka Haddagoda. Two very different but equally likeable characters inadvertently pulled into the chaos and confusion by the man in their lives.
Sanwada describes Deepika as a happy-go-lucky, philanthropic kind of person. One of the reasons that she comes into the office is to sign over a plot of land to an orphanage, revealing her goodhearted nature.
“Even when he’s barking commands at the new secretary, she’s the one making peace for both sides,” Sanwada adds. “She’s not thinking her husband’s a cheat, she’s thinking ‘Aney sweet, it’s not my birthday, it’s not our anniversary, what have I done to deserve it?’ She doesn’t suspect anything.”
The girlfriend Priyanka is more naïve and trusting, according to Saneesha. “And concerned also, because he tells me [Priyanka] they’re getting a divorce, so I’m always asking ‘Did you sign the papers? Is it settled?’”
Rounding off the stellar cast are Meneka, the well-meaning but bumbling new secretary (Minoli Pieris), Percy Ranaweera the jeweller and old friend of Kusal who provides the diamond necklace (Jaliya Wijewardena), Danny Sahabandhu the loyal but long-suffering Financial Controller (Abbasali Rozais), Asela the stressed-out legal secretary thrust into Kusal’s plot to distract his wife (Sahan Wijewardena), and Monica Ellanasooriya who just wants a sponsorship deal for her cause (Kamanthi Wickramasinghe).
Playing the lead roles: Sanwada Dharmasena and Indu himself
With such a juicy plotline and colourful cast of characters, it is clear why Love, Lies and Diamonds would deserve a second run. But the real reason, according to Indu, is far simpler: it was a long weekend and a lot of people missed it when it was on the boards at the Lionel Wendt in September 2017.
After that first run, the script went through some tweaks to add in new lines, nuances and some improvements. Sanwada believes that what a play used to be, what it is now and what people expect now must always change.
“[In theatre] there was a lot of lengthy description of how things happen, why things happen, how it’s going to happen. Now you don’t need to set up the scene, because the audience is intelligent enough to understand. You can start and go, and they will figure it out.”
The most significant change, however, is the bold decision to scrap the interval completely to keep the suspense rolling unhindered.
“We decided to go right through. I always try to keep my productions, even with the interval, to about one and a half hours. Another reason is that people want to go out after a show,” Indu explains.
It is exactly that kind of understanding of the audience that gives his work its signature charm, coupled with his way of revealing the often obnoxious realities of human nature while still keeping it hilarious and entertaining enough for us to be able to laugh at ourselves.
Love, Lies and Diamonds is no exception, and promises a barrel of laughs and a few gasps to boot.
Tickets priced at Rs.2000, Rs.1500 and Rs.1000 (reserved) and Rs.700 -balcony (unreserved) are available at the Wendt or online :www.lionelwendt.org
The show on September 8 is presented by the Bamunuarachchi Foundation in aid of the ongoing project of upgrading the Homagama Base Hospital.