Arts
“If I’ve made people think-I’ve succeeded”
It’s been two years since Dino Corera first walked onto the stage at Freddy, with his disarming smile, hands in his pockets and a few very Sri Lankan schemes (which may include entering politics, becoming the son-in-law of a central banker or starting his own religious denomination) to take him from his tuk life and nano cab days to owning a forty million rupee car. In July, Dino along with the cast of Freddy called the Temple Trees auditorium their home- for one night that is, inviting 2600 of their loyal followers to an evening of Sri Lankan stand-up comedy at its freshest.
Dino Corera: Making a point at Temple Trees in July. Pic by Priyantha Wickremaarachchi
Next month, Dino and the rest of Freddy will be back on stage with a new show- “FREDDY 3-A New Hope!” written and directed by Feroze Kamardeen and presented by StageLight&Magic.Inc.
A seasoned thespian whose name and appealing voice we’ve grown accustomed to seeing on screen, stage and over the radio, Dino isn’t afraid to shake off the image of him many saw at the last edition of Freddy. “It was frightening,” he says of his 45-minute segment, more a political roast rather than your expected comedy routine.
“I wanted to hit home,” he says but confesses to being initially intimidated by the script, wondering if it would be too heavy for the crowd, not excluding the VIPs and stars of his skit seated in the front rows. But for Director Feroze, Dino and the cast shaking up people’s thought process is the very essence of Freddy. “We talk about what people are thinking about but what no one is really saying,” he adds.
His skit back in July, despite the obvious humour, was a no filter, no holds barred outpouring of the questions and thoughts of the general public, via Dino’s conversational, informative style of speaking. The comedian’s style comes as no surprise. Back in 2016, Dino’s very first stand-up was a conversation about growing up middle class in Sri Lanka, drawing from his own experiences and observations. “People don’t want to watch and be influenced by celebrities anymore. People want to see people who look like them, who they can relate to.” It’s also why he feels comedy; especially comedy in the local English theatre scene has come so far.
“We love our farce,” he states. Dino himself has a history of both serious drama and comedy with a soft spot for dark humour. But for the thespian, while farce and the more familiar styles of comedy will always prevail, the genre has expanded much in the recent past in the local English theatre scene.
With stand-up comedy reaching mainstream platforms with entertainers like John Oliver, Jon Stewart and Trevor Noah, there has never been a better time for political satire. At home too, Dino finds Sri Lankan humour changing and branching out. “We don’t laugh at ourselves as a people,” he observes. Testing the general public’s sensitivities on politics, race, religion and social norms, the Freddy franchise has found significant success with new converts with every show and encouraging people not to overly think things, he adds; a needed change with the digital age.
But it’s not just their audiences who have been moved by Freddy. As a performer who has seen Freddy since its debut, he finds that his no filter stage persona even reaches out to the way he interacts off stage. “People are a little more accepting about what I say now,” he laughs self-deprecatingly, “it’s nice to be able to share it with more people.”
When Dino takes the mic (and the mickey out of a few) next month, you can expect the eye-opening political satire that audiences have grown accustomed to from him. It doesn’t come as a surprise, going back to his roots as a news presenter and radio host, that he holds himself as being accountable and responsible to incite change and a positive impact on those around him.
The ability to be their authentic selves on stage and be brutally honest about issues and matters that are important to people sugarcoated with humour is their way of non-violently opposing the injustices in the country Dino explains. Looking up to comedians and media personalities like Trevor Noah, Dave Chappelle and the late Lasantha Wickrematunge- Dino’s idea of a good show goes beyond a standing ovation or a sea of laughter. “If I’ve made people think-I’ve succeeded.”
StageLight&Magic.Inc present Freddy 3- A New Hope! Directed by Feroze Kamardeen from October 18-23.Box plan and tickets will be available at the Lionel Wendt from October 1.