Creativity through theatre

Growing up, Sashi Mendis’s theatrical experiences were no different from any school going youngster, taking the stage with a Shakespearean flair for acting.

A collection of plays written both by herself and her students, the concert will showcase the talents of around a 100 children ranging from the ages of 5 to 18. Working with children and nurturing their creativity is nothing new to Sashi.

A teacher of drama at Gateway College for almost a decade, Sashi navigated away from the usual school-drama fare, feeding them everything from traditional Shakespeare to revolutionary dramatists such as Frederico Garcia Lorca and Eugene Ionesco.

Her students often found themselves performing trilingual plays, they had scripted themselves, such as ‘Victims’(2010) which stepped away from typical school theatre, exploring a darker, more modern approach to the teen years.flair for acting. It was during her college days, studying Law at the University of Colombo that Sashi found herself a part of the street dramas they would perform within other State campuses.

Now with a solid 15-year career behind her as a teacher of drama, she presents her young students in a production of devised theatre titled “Creations”.

“Creations” will be held on March 6 and 8 at 6.30 p.m. at the Punchi Theatre. For details regarding tickets and classes contact Sashi on 0777009258.