Skeletons in the closet

By Ruhanie Perera 

Three theatre companies - Mind Adventures, Stage Light and Magic Inc and The Performing Arts Company bring Colombo audiences an 'overdose of truth'.

It is a story about a husband and wife, living what might have been 'happily ever after'. That is until a 'Good Samaritan' walks into their lives. Suddenly the volcanic past, dormant for fifteen years, erupts - spitting out the ugly issue of sexual abuse sky high, while shattering everything that has so far been existing under a very thin surface.

'Death and the Maiden', written in 1990 by Ariel Dorfman - an outspoken critic of the Chilean Dictator Pinochet - is set at a time when Chile was making the transition to a democracy. Lawyer, Gerado Escobar (Mario Gomez) is appointed a member of the Truth Commission, which the country has just set up to investigate human rights abuses of the past. Then something as commonplace as a flat tyre opens up a 'Pandora's box' of troubles for Gerado. For together with the fateful flat tyre enters Dr. Roberto Miranda (Mohamed Adamaly), who helps Gerado in his time of need. The man, Paulina Salas (Karen Balthazaar) believes is her torturer.

Fifteen years ago, Paulina was Gerado's lover. Together they furiously worked to fight the military dictatorship. As a result of her work with him, Paulina having been raped and totured ends up in jail. Now, fifteen years later, married to her lover she recognises her abuser in the form of the man who stopped to help her husband. And she thirsts for justice. A justice that she metes out to her torturer 'on trial' in her 'court' at the couple's holiday home. An action that threatens everything her husband stands for as a member of the Truth Commission.

"It's a brilliant script," says director Tracy Holsinger. It's a script that grapples with so many issues in Dorfman's unique style. One that explores what people can do to each other in the name of love and how fragile relationships built up over the years can be broken down within minutes. At the same time it's about secrets that have been carefully buried for years, suddenly exploding and so disrupting the natural flow of things. And yet after all that complacency reigns supreme. A complaceny that allows those who torture to exist in the same land as the tortured. 

"There are two sides to the play - political and social. We are exploring the social angle," says Tracy.

The players will act from a very personal standpoint. "Most of it is left up to the audience to draw their own conclusions.Everything is very universal," says Karen, "There is a clear message that no one is completely good, nor are they completely bad - and almost anyone can relate to that."

The characters on stage are fully developed, intense characters. The actors have been working for about three months to perfect their roles. "At the beginning we just concentrated on the relationships and looking at situations from our characters perspective." The need for this was because within the space of two lines the whole angle could change and there was a lot of interpretation to be done.

The hardest thing for the actors at this point is probably the fact that the characters are older than the actors themselves and therefore there is a lot more control that comes with the age, despite the heated emotions. But they continue to work at it and keep discovering something new each day. "I discover new marks every day," says Adam, who gets a good dose of beatings during the play. Yet the "exploring" and "discovering" continues. "It's an emotional chain supplemented by lots of physical pain."

How does it all end? Is he the torturer? Does justice reign? Will there be some sort of reconciliation? Take some time off to see for yourself. 

'Death and the Maiden' will be on at the Lionel Wendt at 7 p.m., from June 29 to July 2. The box plan is available at the Lionel Wendt.

The play contains explicit language, which some may consider offensive. 

'Death and the Maiden' is sponsored by The Sunday Times, TNL, Lite, Keels Super, Commercial Bank and Benson and Hedges. 

The devil within

By Uthpala Gunethilake, Kesara Ratnatunga and Chatura Randeniya

You've guessed it, we're talking about anger. It can be triggered by a small thing. Like someone accidentally stamping on your foot in the bus or your mother's passing remark about an untidy room.Maybe even an insult or frustration. Something snaps, there's that gush of adrenaline and bang! you explode.In an instant you change into someone unrecognisable or maybe not, depending on what type of relationship you have with anger, that all too familiar monster. 

The question is: How do we deal with it?

For some people, handling anger is a mental affair. Rather than screaming at the world, they prefer to come to terms with it themselves. "First think about it rationally, then I try to deal with it. It depends on the situation," says Janaki (20). " But I don't let it fester inside. It will probably make me more angry." 

Udayana (19), agrees, "If I get angry, I like to think of it in an objective way, because it's easier to be in control. Sometimes it's not worth getting angry. " 

But very few of us can think straight when we are angry. A comment echoed by Devaka (19), "what makes you angry is what's going on now. I try to think of the aftermath. It's hard to do, but I realise that if I get angry, the problem will worsen." 

Getting it out of their system and getting it out fast is the best way for some. The result - a huge but short-lived explosion of words...or worse. 

"I find the most hurtful words I can find and shout it out at the other person. I don't care if it is in public. It helps me cool down, but later I regret some of the things I said" says Tania (19). Blowing up this way may be a form of release, but it can lead to ugly fights, "but that's better than holding it in," says Nimali (22). 

Putting all the cards on the table is a good option, because it is more likely to resolve problems rather than aggravate them. Be careful though, you just might take it out on the wrong persons.

Others express themselves less dramatically. Talking to a friend is a common, but effective technique. "Sometimes I let go and talk about it with someone who I know will sympathise with me." says Buddhika (23). Marvan (21) feels the same. "I talk about it, but almost never with the person whom I'm angry with." This can help put things in perspective, since your listener will not only see the entire thing in your point of view without being angry, but will also see the other side of the story.

Some of us prefer to put down our feelings on paper. "Releasing anger works best, because talking about it, putting it down on paper, or just thinking out loud helps put things in perspective. I try to calm myself by focusing on something else - loud music, reading ,writing or something that requires a lot of concentration," says Krishan(23).

But its not for everyone. "Reading and music doesn't work for me," says Thilini ( 22 ). But distracting yourself does help you get over that critical period when you're too inflamed to think straight. 

Slamming doors and pounding pillows gives relief to some. Although you might make a nuisance of yourself, as long as you don't get violent with people, "this can be very satisfying," says Ama(20). 

Dealing with anger doesn't have to be conventional either. Take Udayana, "I don't get angry often, and have a reputation for not losing my temper. So now I think of my reputation and control myself."

Each person has his own way of dealing with anger. It's up to you to find yours. It might take you some time, but it's worth it because bottling up your anger can be hurtful to you as well as to the people around you. 

Anger is a little devil inside all of us. Everybody has got to live with it, but the important thing is to keep him on ice.

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