Plays that delve into the theatre of the absurd
View(s):“Plays ; Dark, Comical and Fantastical” – a series of plays, presented by The Sashi Mendis Studio of Drama and Speech will go on the boards of the Punchi Theare from Oct 22-23.
By Mithahasini Ratnayake
The sounds of excited feet and hushed whispers resonate through the walls of Punchi Theatre, as eager young actors and actresses restlessly wait for the big red curtain to open. It’s been two and a half years since these youngsters have experienced such a thrill, due to the drawbacks of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Their beloved teacher, Sashi Mendis, revamping her drama centre as “The Sashi Mendis Studio of Drama and Speech”, returns to the scene with yet another compelling production next weekend. “Plays; Dark, Comical and Fantastical” – a series of plays, some arranged by the students themselves, will go on the boards on October 22 and 23 at 6 p.m.
Outlining the pandemic experiences faced by a range of personalities, Sashi says the ideas for the plays came up during her lessons conducted via Zoom. “It was a tough transition, especially for the younger kids although the seniors adapted well.” Turning the situation into an opportunity, Sashi used this time to delve into different genres of drama with her students.
She introduced them to Absurd theatre, a form of theatre that articulates the utter isolation of humankind and the futility or the meaninglessness of life, ironically through rather superficial or nonsensical material. “The pandemic, in a way, connects with this ideology” she says, pointing out that the origins of Absurd Theatre were during an era of desolation that paralleled the period of hopelessness we endured.
After conducting a play-writing competition for one of her classes on Absurd theatre, Sashi chose the scripts that the plays are based upon.
“At the start I was writing more basic plays, but now it has gone on to more complex plays,” says Mithun Bala Parathiran, one of her pupils. Sashi herself was impressed by their ability to grasp the concept of Absurd theatre and potentially build stories around it. “It’s a pleasure to see them performing at a much deeper level.” The highlight of the night will be the Absurd plays orchestrated by her senior students.
Unlike her other shows where her target audience is young children, she says that these plays are mostly for teenagers. “One of the plays take a more serious approach and goes into depth of the suffering of people.” Written by a 12-year-old, this is one that may even strike a chord with parents, Sashi adds.
A law graduate from the University of Colombo Sashi has been teaching drama and speech for the past 22 years. Involved in theatre since her school days, Sashi’s acting experience really took shape during university where she ended up heading the DRAMSOC.
Currently having received her BSc in psychology, she plans to move forward with counselling, psychology and drama therapy. As she works with young people, she has realized the need to be engaged in this field, as it benefits not just them, but herself, she adds. “It’s also a subject that I’ve always been interested in.”
Beyond simply teaching the basics of drama, Sashi helps students find their voice as she builds their confidence and nurtures creativity and originality. In her plays one sees all sorts of artistic expression, whether singing, dancing or even poetry. Apart from the darker plays done by the older students, there will be a set of “fantastical” little playlets performed by the juniors. Some being exposed to an audience for the very first time, it will indeed be a special night for them.
Tickets are available at the Punchi Theatre.
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