Courage in a cup: Clutch Theatre’s play with a purpose
Many go an entire lifetime without understanding what Alex Scott grasped easily in her early childhood: that life is a roller coaster of emotions and not simply black and white. “I mean, I could fake it and make it all really fun, but that wouldn’t be true. And I could make it all really sad, and that wouldn’t be true, because I’ve had really wonderful things in my life. And all of that is me. The happy and the sad. The good and the bad,” she says in ‘The Amazing Lemonade Girl’.
‘The Amazing Lemonade Girl’ explores Alex’s journey in raising funds for childhood cancer, one cup of lemonade at a time. Her efforts inspired hundreds of donations and sparked the creation of ‘Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation for Childhood Cancer’, funding over a thousand medical research projects for children’s health.
Intense preparation: The cast at a rehearsal
When the directors of local theatre group Clutch Theatre, Mayaan Haputantri, and Hasanga Liyanagunawardena, first encountered the story of Alex Scott, they immediately knew that this was more than just another play – it was a mission. After selecting the story, the two were determined to work with the Indira Cancer Trust.
Come September, Clutch Theatre’s production of ‘The Amazing Lemonade Girl’ at the BMICH, will see all the show’s net proceeds being donated to the Indira Cancer Trust’s pediatric cancer programme. Recognizing that cancer touches nearly everyone in some way, they chose ‘The Amazing Lemonade Girl’ to not only address this issue authentically but also to inspire audiences to find strength in the face of such challenges with the same optimism as Alex.
“She’s very different to my previous roles, she has this insane hope, and it’s refreshing to see the world through her eyes,” says Danelle Toussaint, who plays Alex. Stepping into the bubbly young girl’s shoes was no easy feat, and Danelle notes the time she took to understand Alex’s character, studying her and her characteristics through exercises.
“Character work was particularly hard, given that there are real people behind our roles,” says Tahsha de Silva, who plays Ensemble 4. “We visited Alex’s website often, and watched as many interviews of her as possible.”
The cast also visited the Indira Cancer Trust in preparation for their roles, spending an entire day with the patients there. “I observed the doctors at the Indira Cancer Trust closely and how they delivered bad news in a sympathetic tone, I did a lot of preparation to make sure nothing seemed sugarcoated,” says Dulya de Silva, who plays Ensemble 5, portraying Alex’s doctor amongst many other roles.
The cast has been practising tirelessly to perfect their scenes, and apart from Alex, the ensemble characters have risen to the challenge of playing multiple roles. “The most difficult aspect for me has been slipping from my ensemble character, who is rather bubbly, to Alex’s father, who has just received the news of his daughter’s diagnosis, to a newspaper reporter, who is more objective,” says Hajarah Faleel.
Nethra Peiris, who plays Ensemble 3, notes how she tackled this: “I made many character sketches for each identity to find a common point between them. This allowed me to switch between my characters easily.”
Januki Jayakody, playing Ensemble 1, adds, “I reached for inspiration from others such as my friends, family, and those in the Indira Cancer Trust, to help bring all the distinct characters to life.”
The cast and crew have infused the production with a sense of bubbliness and camaraderie that mirrors Alex Scott’s zest for life. Whether it’s an ongoing rivalry on whose lemonade is better – undoubtedly the cast’s glittering pink one – to the playful use of bubble wands, to hunting down Hasanga for hugs, they have truly embraced the story’s theme of joy and hope.
The Amazing Lemonade Girl will be staged at the Kamatha Hall, BMICH, from September 5 – 8 at 7.30 p.m. On the 7th and 8th there will be matinée shows at 3.30 p.m.
Tickets priced at Rs. 2500 can be purchased online through the link: bit.ly/talg24
The link can also be found in on Instagram and Facebook (@clutchplaystheatre).
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