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Sam creates fun and confusion
By Thiruni Kelegama
"Family, love, marriage, mixed identity, love, marriage, confusion, love , marriage and.....drag?"
Yes! All this is part of Indu Dharmasena's new play 'All Because of Sam', which will hit the stage on July 26, 27 and 28 at the Lionel Wendt. The show on July 26 is presented by the All Ceylon Muslim Women's Association and the proceeds are in aid of the Fatima Welfare Centre.

'All Because of Sam' is a re-vamped version of the play originally staged in 1989. A locally based comedy, it is an adaptation of a Georgette Heyer novel, like earlier successes which included 'Convenient Marriage' and 'All or Nothing'.

"This play is different in a different way!" was the thought echoed by cast members. "It deals with love and marriage and the different aspects of it and also how a family can be deeply troubled under their placid exterior."

The Deshabandu family is expecting cousin Sam from Australia for a 'quiet' holiday in Sri Lanka. Catastrophe strikes as they realise Sam is a girl (short for Samantha!). "I am shocked at the reaction to my being a girl," says Catriona Nicholas who plays the role of the confident and straightforward problem-solver, Sam. She discovers that there is turmoil within the family which would destroy its unity.

Hiran (Indu Dharmasena) is engaged to the bossy and hypocritical Ramani (the versatile Krys Sosa who played Brenda in Indu's 'All or Nothing'), who is "trying to poison everyone and manipulate the whole family".

The headstrong Rehana has refused to consider eligible Anil's proposal and is determined to marry Suraj, a young unemployed poet. Gihan, a final-year medical student is desperately trying to sort out a problem no one suspects he has. Sam, meanwhile, jumps into the fray and tries to solve all these problems.

How does she do it? You must see it to believe.

Angela Seneviratne, as Aunty Bee, the portly and distraught mother, "has finally got my chance to act with Indu and frankly I am delighted".

The other cast members are Keshanee Gunawardena, Dayan Dias Abeygunawa-rdane, Thushan Hemacha-ndra, Asela Olupeliyawa, Anushan Selvarajah, Chinthu Viswakula and Hemalal Ranawake, better known as 'Kolu' who would be getting into drag all over again for a cameo role as Aunty Hilda.

Marriage and love are definitely the most important things in the drama, with the eternal love triangle and other 'secrets' in abundance. "Love is everywhere!" says Indu, stressing that it is pure family entertainment. "I have based it on real people- and that should make it all the more interesting."

"There is a huge contrast between Sam and Rehana and Hiran and Gihan. The portrayal of opposites makes the play interesting," says Catriona Nicholas. "And the manner in which all the problems are solved is worth watching!"

If the cast's reaction is anything to go by, 'All Because of Sam' should keep the audience roaring with laughter, because the cast members are still in stitches after reading the script.

If you want to laugh all your troubles away, Indu Dharmasena's 'All Because of Sam' would be the answer.

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