After eight long years of journey through out the country, ‘Janakaraliya’ (Theatre of the People) the country’s first ever mobile theatre experience has returned to Colombo with a lengthy drama festival from June 23 to July 13.
Janakaraliya mobile theatre installed on the New Urban Project Grounds- Homagama presents a number of well-known stage plays together with productions by Janakaraliya group. The drama festival will showcase on June 26 a series of award winning short plays including ‘Thaniyek Visishtai (A Loner is Great) written and directed by Aloka Sampath, Kochchiya Enkan (Awaiting the Train) written and directed by Lasantha Francis, ‘Dinosaur Premaya’ (Dinosaur Love) written and directed by Nuwan Dharshana. The three short plays will be staged at 2.30 pm and 6.30 pm and these are winners of awards at State Drama Festivals and Youth Drama Festivals held during 2003 to 2010.
Parakrama Niriella’s Metikaraththaya (‘The Little Clay Cart’ of Shudraka) which won the best non original drama in the State Drama Festival, 2010 winning 6 awards will be screened at 9.30 am and 6.30pm on June 27, July 5 and July 11.
Award winning Children’s plays written by Sumith Samarasinghe and produced by Janakaraliya Drama Group ‘Soru Evilla’ (Thieves are Here) and ‘Devlova Gamana’ (Journey to Heaven) will be staged at 9.30am and 6.30pm on June 28.
Two of the most performed popular Janakaraliya plays Seethambarapata (Heavenly Clothes) written by Mangala Senanayake and Andara Mal (Andara Flowers) directed by Parakrama Niriella will be staged on June 29 at 9.30am and 6.30pm. ‘Sekkuwa’(Oil Press) and ‘Charandas’ directed by Parakrama Niriella will be staged at 9.30am and 6.30pm on June 30 July 1 consecutively.
Henry Jayasena’s ever popular stage play ‘Hunuwataye Kathawa’ an adaptation of Bertolt Brecht’s ‘Caucasian Chalk Circle’ will be staged at 6.30 pm on July 2 while a series of experimental short dramas ‘Siththarage Sihinaya’ (Artist’s Dream), ‘Andura Saha Eliya’ (Gloom and the Light), ‘Madhura Jame’ (Sweet times), ‘Thaham’ (Thirst) ‘Ape Kalaye Weerayek’ (Hero of Our Time) will be staged at 6.30 pm on July 3. Sunil Chandrasiri’s play ‘Eheth Ehemai’ (There’ too like ‘Here), an adaptation of Nikolai Gogol’s drama ‘Government Inspector’ will be staged at 9.30am and 6.30pm on July 4.
Veteran playwright Somalatha Subasinghe’s renowned children’s play ‘Thoppi Welenda’ (Hat Seller) and ‘Punchi Apata Den Therai’ will be staged at 9.30am – 6.30pm on July 6. Multi awarded Indika Fernando’s play ‘Colombo Colombo’ will be staged on July 7 at 9.30 am and 6.30pm.
Priyantha Sirikumara’s new play ‘Bernadage Sipiri Ge’ an adaptation of French playwright Fredrico Gartia Loca’s play ‘House Bernada Alba’ will be staged at 6.30 pm on July 9. ‘Sekkuwa’(Oil Press) written and directed by Parakrama Niriella will be staged on July 10 at 6.30pm and ‘Soru Evilla’(Thieves are Here) and Devlova Gamana (Journey to Heaven) children’s plays created by Janakaraliya Drama Group will go on the boards at 9.30am and 6.30pm on July 12.
The festival will come to an end with Parakrama Niriella’s ‘Charandas’ on July 13 at 9.30am and 6.30pm. The tickets will be sold at concessionary prices of Rs 50 for school children and at Rs. 100 to the public.
The festival is organised by Parakrama Niriella, Amitta Weerasinghe, Dilip Rohana and Janakaraliya Drama Group.
Eranga re-enters cinema
After a long silence, filmmaker Eranga Senaratne has returned to cinema with his latest film ‘Sweet Angel’ which is slated to be released on NFC circuit cinemas from July 8.
A story woven around a young man who had a weird habit of taking secret pictures of girls and mother with a single child. The movie stars will be Suresh Gamage, Manel Wanaguru, Susan Fernando, Wasantha Kumarawila, Sanju Rodrigo, Rohani Weerasinghe, Sarath Kulanga, Anusha Rajapaksa, Kapila Sigera, Nilmini Kottegoda and Gihani Amerasena.
The film introduces Deepa Chandi as the lead actress and child actor Bimsath Ge Kurulu to cinema.
The film revolves around Manjari, a young mother who lived with her eight-year-old son Roneth in a flat. Wenura is a young man who lives with his grandmother in the neighbourhood. Wenura is in the habit of taking photographs of people using his mobile phone. His camera has pictures of Manjari too.
Meanwhile Wenura starts a friendship with Manjari’s son Roneth and Manjari is against this. The film is to take many dramatic twists and turns as it continues.
The technical staff behind the scenes include Daya Sooriyarachchi as cameraman, Prasad Weerapperuma as art director, Lloyd Janaka as production manager and the editor being Viranga Katapearachchi. |
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