| Plus |
|
|||
|
Arts The MMF is
a joint venture by the clients and staff of Sahanaya and professional
and lay actors and actresses. The main focus of this drama is to
ensure that this group of talented folk be recognized for their
abilities and talents, rather than for their varied backgrounds.
'Through this play we hope to tap hidden talents of all those participating,
not only through acting but, script writing and creating sets etc.
as well," says Ruwanthi. 'The best way
to eradicate stigma is to normalize it, therefore I'm confident
that this will be a great and professional production because there's
plenty of talent in this group. We're not going to preach about
mental health or illness because these people don't need society's
sympathy, all they need is to be accepted and seen in their own
right," she says. After various
discussions between the Director and the staff and persons in charge
of the set, I was able to see some of the rehearsals. It starts
off with a 'warm up' session for the 35-40 strong cast, to learn,
to have physical contact with each other, shed inhibition and take
direction. The basic structure
of the exercise is to walk around in a circle, stop when asked to
and then follow instructions, given out by Ruwanthi. It was hilarious
when you saw some of them contorted in all sorts of positions, holding
onto one persons ear, another's foot and yet another's back, using
their foot sometimes as their hands were already occupied. The rehearsal
then shifts into full gear, when Ruwanthi, her brothers and some
of the Sahanaya crew unitedly, take over the reins and begin the
performance. Much is conveyed through the use of movement and sound
effects. For instance the mirror-making machine constitutes of about
20 components, each making their little contribution towards portraying
the inner mechanism of the machine. As it's a bilingual
play, achieving the correct balance of the two languages is quite
a challenge says Ruwanthi. Though the plot may seem simple enough,
there is quite a deep seated meaning, brought out superbly through
the subtle use of satire and humour. The drama workshops
began last August and although initially the participants were a
bit backward and self-conscious, they gradually came out of their
shells. Over the months there has been a lot of input by the clients
and a few of them even showed a keen interest in helping to write
the script. Therefore,
we decided to form a writers group, to essentially work on writing
the script says Amal de Chickera, one of the actors in the play. 'Together our
group, through discussions and group chats, explored various themes
and finally set about writing an apt play, that would highlight
all these issues, even subtly. The play challenges normalcy as opposed
to abnormalcy' adds Amal. The 'I's and
Eyes' concept, brought up at the workshops, is essentially to do
with our perception of ourselves and others’ perception of
us. This seemingly simple concept is what brought about the whole
mirror image concept as the basis of the play says Amal thoughtfully. Most of
the cast comprise first timers This center
will specialize in developing and generating a whole new group of
non-medical professionals like psychologist, occupational therapists
etc., since most people suffering from mental illness are not faced
with medical problems but rather, social, psychological or family
problems. Therefore,
it would be more suitable to improve this sector of the medical
profession and utilize them to their fullest potential. Part time
visits by psychiatrists too, will be compulsory. Care givers
(parents and families of mentally ill persons) too will receive
proper training to be competent enough to adapt and handle their
ill family member. Sometimes a mentally ill person could spend most
of his time at home, therefore it's essential for his family to
understand him and know how to relate to him, says Prof. Mendis. The play is set to go on board the Lionel Wendt stage on March 22 and 23. All interested in sponsoring or making donations towards this worthy cause, please contact the Secretary at sahanaya@panlanka.net Fusion: Karma
Khamaj, Celtic Raag The album has
been released by his own independent record company "Global
Grooves" (GG) which has been recognized today as a pioneer
in the world music scene in Australia. One third of the entries
in the top five categories for Best World Music album in the ARIA
(Australian Record Industry Association) Awards, in the past two
years, have been represented by his record label. In fact the ARIA
award winner for the best world music album 2002, "Monsieur
Camembert - Live on Stage" (a gypsy album) too was represented
by his own company. Having studied
music since he was six, Ron did most of his schooling at St. Peter's
College Colombo and left for Australia when he was a young man of
18. In the late 70's he performed in a band named 'Dark Tan'. After
disbanding, he travelled to India to study Indian music that has
helped influence the type of music he makes now. His main objective
is to organise live concerts featuring 10-12 of Australia's best
musicians. " I wish to do the same thing with Sri Lankan bands,
together with bands from Australia. It's amazing how one can draw
from so many different cultures in Australia, that they may not
be too surprised,'' he says. On his last
visit here (1998/1999), he launched 'Total Life Artistry', a book
on music and life styles. It essentially dealt with Yoga and its
influence on music. It explored issues such as how to develop a
peaceful and meditative mind, to achieve the right balance in your
life, leading to a more peaceful world. "The power
of certain forms of music which have a unifying force can transform
the world. The music I promote is actually a fusion of both the
east and the west. The Odyssey mostly includes music from India,
with its ancient, haunting ragas, integrated with the tribal pulse
of global indigenous rhythms," Ron enthuses. Songs like
Karma Khamaj, Celtic Raag, Bhairavi Breeze and Ganesha Mantra etc.
are off their latest album and share the influences of both Indian
and various Aussie dialects. Currently, GG music is nationally distributed
around Australia by one of the world's largest distributing companies,
New World Music. In his next album, Ron hopes to capture the energy
of Sri Lanka, where he was born and brought up. "What I'm looking
for is the very essence of this land and its people, which can be
captured and expressed through music and song.'' For all music
lovers throughout the island who want to catch a hint of the World
Music frontier, 'The Odyssey' is a must. The rhythmic tones and the blend of both Indian and Australian influences prove to be a unique mix of music, which could reinforce the fact that the world is indeed becoming a smaller place. Passionate search
for paradise lost "I was
born in 1971, the year the Military cracked down on a Marxist youth
uprising and 20 000 young men and women died," he says when
I ask him about the underlying theme in his work. "It is an
understatement to say that the young people of Sri Lanka are facing
a crisis. The psychological impact of decades of false promises
and shattered dreams has been devastating. My struggle as a young
artist is a journey in search of that lost hope. How can contemporary
Sri Lankan youth recover their idealism, energy and confidence?" Born in Gammaddegoda,
Galle, Sudath resolved to be an artist at a young age. But art at
the time seemed to have little scope except for picture stories,
the proliferating chithara katha. On completing the A/Levels Sudath
entered Kelaniya to study Fine Arts. "It's only when I began
my studies at the University that my viewpoint changed. Art took
on a completely different perceptive. I realised that I could talk
to the people using art as my medium." He first participated
in "Young Contemporaries" an exhibition of the work of
a number of young artists organized and presented by the George
Keyt Foundation. His work has been exhibited at almost all of the
Foundation's exhibitions since then. The highlights
were "Nawa Kalakaruwo" and "Moods and Modes - 50
Years of Sri Lankan Paintings." During his undergraduate studies,
Sudath's imagination was captivated by the masterpiece of sculpture,
David, which to him seemed to be the embodiment of youthful beauty,
vitality and idealism. "My first solo exhibition, "Contemporary
Youth", was all about David . I wanted to use David as an icon
that would inspire my generation to new aspirations. But I soon
realized there existed a gulf between the ideal and reality; even
myself." Therefore as the centerpiece of that exhibition he
placed himself, bound up at the base of one of his David depcitions
struggling to free himself. "Made Pipuna Nelum Mala Lassanai" (The lotus though it blossoms in the mud; is pure.) was the theme for his next exhibition. "There was a secret to the Lotus's purity. The marshes seemed to me the graves of countless murdered youth. Violent secrets cannot be hidden. The lotus therefore signals the truth - another icon of hope."His next inspiration was derived from butterflies. Butterflies are weak, ineffective creatures. Even an entire cluster of butterflies cannot have the effect of a single bee. "We must be free, but we must not be superficial."Sudath feels that it is somewhat difficult to understand these concepts. But their uniqueness won him a Travel Scholarship to Britain from the Arts Division of the Royal Overseas League. He was one of the five artists chosen amongst the 300 applicants from the Caribbean, Australia, Ghana, Sri Lanka and the UK. An exhibition of Sudath’s paintings titled -"David, Lotus and Butterflies" will be held at the Gallery Café from February 4 to 25. Tilake’s
73rd exhibition More or less
bursts of creativity, you could say. These, most probably, are the
moments when such talented people decide not just to celebrate their
creativity, but also to share it with others. Tilake Abeysinghe
is one such individual. Having held over 70 art exhibitions in the
past, his 73rd titled "Tilake 73," was held last week
at The Artrium, The Lanka Oberoi. Declared open on January 23, the paintings were on display until January 27. Kala Korner
by Dee Cee Though not
in the best of health, drummer Punchi Gura had turned up to pay
his respects to the master whom he had served for 40 years. It happened
to be his birthday too. A drum was quickly given to him and he was
ready to lead the troupe. Chitrasena
was conducted in a procession to the other end of the hall and it
was nice to see him taking an occasional step or two though his
body wouldn't allow him to do what he did a few years back. And
then the show began. Vajira led the way supported by the not so
young band of pupils, mostly females. They were once familiar faces
at the Kollupitiya school in the sixties and seventies. Giving way
to daughter Upekha, Vajira retired to watch and feel happy that
they had not forgotten what they taught them many years ago. The show was
as good as a well rehearsed one. Many poems in the Kohomba Kankariya
were sung followed by the dances in traditional style with each
one being given a place to lead the group. Among the few males were
two seniors who still practise the art - one is now a director of
aesthetic education in Kurunegala and the other a teacher at Polgahawela.
Ranga, young and robust, was a treat to watch. And then the much-in-demand
Channa joined the group to do his bit. What an entertaining
morning it turned out to be! And a fitting tribute to the illustrious
Guru who had devoted his entire life to put Sri Lanka on the map
taking our dances across the world. There was ample evidence of
that effort with many photographs and souvenirs in different languages
displayed at the exhibition A learning
experience Among the collection,
I spotted a programme note issued sixty years ago - in 1943 - for
a show held in Kalutara on July 7 that year. It mentioned the names
of Chitrasena and Munirani. Munirani, Chitrasena told me, was his
sister, who of course did not pursue a dancing career as he did.
Also performing at the show were well known dancers Premakumar,
Ganganath and Somabandu, the last person better known as the designer
of costumes and sets for Chitrasena's ballets. It was amazing
to see so many items being so well preserved. I asked Vajira the
secret. "It's all put in a huge wooden box. It's not easy to
get them out. In fact when we want to pull them out, one has to
virtually dip into it and get them." Let's us hope
that some day they will all be displayed as permanant exhibits at
the Chitrasena School to be built at Narahenpita next to Apollo
hospital. And hopefully, it will not be in the distant future. And to the Master, we say 'Chirang Jayathu'! |
||||
Copyright © 2001 Wijeya Newspapers
Ltd. All rights reserved. |
The
'Mirror Making Factory' (MMF), a play that depicts the manufacture
of mass- produced humans to conform to social norms and live a so-called
'normal' life, is the first of its kind to be performed in Sri Lanka.
Directed by Ruwanthi de Chickera as a fund-raiser towards the building
of the Centre for Mental Health and Psycho Social Care, Gorakana
(an extension of Sahanaya), the play is organized by the friends
of Sahanaya for the development and betterment of Mental Health
in Sri Lanka.
Chitrasena
was seated at the entrance, with Vajira by his side, meeting friends
and well wishers. Visitors were being served with birthday cake.
On a side, they were planning a surprise. The past pupils - about
20 of them - wanted to pay a tribute to the 'guru' with a hurriedly
arranged show.
