Two popular theatrical productions of Play-House Kotte will go on boards at the University of Peradeniya Annual Theatre Festival on March 15 and 16.
‘Gladiator Premaya’ (Gladiator Love) directed by Namal Jayasinghe and Prasanna Mahagamage will be staged on March 15 while ‘Vikurthi’ (Distortion) ), written and directed by Somalatha Subasinghe, will be performed at Peradeniya University Open Air Theatre on March 16.
‘Gladiator Premaya’ was adjudged the Best Play of the year at the Youth Theatre Festival, 2011 and won several awards on Acting, Direction, Writing, Stage Management, Lighting, etc. The play also won awards more or less for the same categories at the National Drama Festival 2012. It was created by the youth theatre artistes who have successfully completed the Diploma Programme in Drama and Theatre conducted by Kaushalya Fernando in 2009.
Gladiator Premaya is based on a certain Sri Lankan contemporary social issues. They are dramatized on stage to bring forth the youth point of view of the issues.
‘Gladiator Premaya’ cast includes wishvajith Gunasekera, Priyantha Siri Kumara, Nadishani Weliwita, Harsha Thennekoon, Sulochana weerasinghe, Nadishani Padmasiri, Geetha Alahakoon, Mayura Perera, Nilanka Dahanayake, Dilip Kumara.
Stage Lighting is designed by Chandana Aluthge, stage management is by Isuru Kashyapa and Lahiru Nimantha. Production manager is Thilina Perera. Make-up is by Priyantha Siri Kumara and Bhanu Prasanna. Kaushalya Fernando and Chandana Aluthge are executive producers of the play.
‘Vikurthi’ (Distortion) is a satirical exposure of hapless generation of youth whose lives were dominated by incessant struggle between the parents’ aspirations and the youth’s abilities and preferences. The production is a semi-musical which is a familiar theatrical experience to the local audiences.
‘Vikrthi’ was first performed in 1982 in Colombo and since then had performed more than 1000 performances in Sri Lanka. The play is considered a land mark theatre production and as a result it became a trend setter of a new style of modern theatre in Sri Lanka. It is also considered as a pioneering effort of youth theatre concept in Sri Lanka.
The professional theatre group of the Play-House-Kotte has performed “Vikurhti’ in English in major cities in India and Australia in 2000.
Vikurthi cast includes Kaushalya Fernando, Namal Jayasinghe, Prasannajith Abeysuriya, Geetha Alahakoon, Mayura Kanchana, Sanjaya Hettiarachchi, Wickrama Seneviratne, Sulochana Weerasinghe, Dilum Buddhika, Palitha Abeyratne, Mihiri Priyadharshini, Harsha Tennekoon, Dilip Kumara,
Music is composed and directed by M.R. Chulasinghe.
‘Vikurthi’ is also to be staged in Colombo at 3.30 pm and 6.45 pm on March 18 at the Tower Hall theatre. |
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