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| Sunday, 5 October 2003 |
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Children's theatre at a dismal stage? by Vimukthi Fernando Red, blue, green, black, orange, yellow... Shades of colour on the stage, running, jumping, singing dancing... Adults as well as children stay mesmerised while fun and fantasy take them off to a world of its own. A class-room, a chicken coup and simple village life revealed on stage. Children and adults dressed in appropriate costume... human and animal, .... their skills on stage. The theatre was packed to capacity. A sea of little heads bobbed in the front seats, while adults who accompanied them occupied back seats. Late-comers had to stand at the doorways not daring to disturb the audience. Imagination is more important than knowledge, said Albert Einstein. It was a place abounding with imagination - the State Children's Drama Festival at the John De Silva theatre. Twenty seven productions were staged over nine days, from September 20 to 28. Twenty five of them selected for the final round, vying for the title of the best Children's Drama in the school and open categories and the two winning plays of the previous year. This is the 8th consecutive year that the festival was held. It was in 1996, that the a Sub Committee for Children's Theatre (SCCT) was established under the patronage of the Art Council of Sri Lanka, said Kamal Dissanayeka, Secretary SCCT. The brain child of Chandrasena Dassanayeka, its founder chairperson, the objectives of SCCT as well as the drama festival are to develop balanced and worthy citizens through developing their personality, to increase the aesthetic senses of children, to give them opportunity to entertain and to be entertained through theatre said Lakshman Perera, Director, Cultural Affairs. The dramas have to go through a rigorous selection process to be eligible for the final round. And this year (2003), 187 scripts entered the school category, out of which 101 were selected for production said Dissanayeka. It is only 13 productions that are selected for the final round from the school category. In the open category 12 plays were selected out of 75 productions, according to Dassanayake. While children thronged to enjoy the plays that were written and enacted for them, the Sunday Observer turned to the organisers and veteran artistes to find out how theatre helps the development of the child, the state of children's theatre in Sri Lanka and what could be done to improve children's theatre in the country. The Sunday Observer met playwright and producer Tissa Gunawardene the drama instructor of Prince of Wales College, Moratuwa who had been involved in producing children's drama throughout his teaching career spanning over 3 decades, veteran author and artist Sybil Wettasinghe who had been writing and illustrating stories for children for nearly 4 decades, and a member of the SCCT and popular playwright and producer Indu Dharmasena who is involved in producing many a school-drama in the recent years. Theatre comes naturally to children, was what these experts voiced in unison. "Theatre and play acting comes naturally to children for they live in a world of make believe. They enjoy watching as well as acting. And children's theatre should purely be for the enjoyment by children," says Sybil Wettasinghe. "They love performing to an audience. We only have to sharpen their skill, but with great care and tact," says Tissa Gunawardene. Contrary to the common belief it is difficult to work with children, "It is very easy, for they are not inhibited with feelings such as fear or shame. They do not know the word 'can't', and they are ready to face the challenges posed by the character performed", says Indu Dharmasena. Theatre also can "play a great role in shaping the character of a child," says Gunawardene citing the example of children of grades six and seven who throw stones at the birds and squirrels in abundance in school premises. "In the play there was a scene where a child stones a squirrel. We depicted the different emotions felt by his group of friends of the kill. And how they bury the squirrel, performing all the funeral rites. After we screened the play in school, not a stone was thrown for the rest of the year! It is not only the values. By being involved in a production they gain greater awareness on the theme or the subject of a production, ability to understand others more by absorbing characters they depict, become more open to their own feelings and that of others around them" Gunawardene points out. "It develops their individuality. Allow children to do the plays on their terms, you will be surprised," says Sybil, "They come out with simple story lines and plots and they are totally humorous." This is not all. "It gives a child a lot of self-confidence. Also, it enables him or her to work as a team, to give and take, find out own strengths, weaknesses and special talents and to think on your feet," says Indu. What is the state of children's theatre in Sri Lanka, is a question that makes all of them talk at length. Dissatisfaction, disappointment, sadness and anger atop the feeling of hope. Children's theatre in Sri Lanka, even at the drama festival is made of "Adult ideas put though to children in drama. Instead of simple story lines and plots, children are harassed with hard to remember story lines and strict training. They have forgotten children in the whole process of drama, for they aim at the awards," Sybil complains. "Today, it is the competition and the adult attitude which had won. When you produce drama for children, the character of a child should be in it. Remember your own childhood. How you imitated adult life and all that is around you, including animals," she is vociferous and reasons out that she withdrew her membership from the SCCT for she could not agree with the 'adult' storylines presented for the festival this year. "Do we really have children's theatre in Sri Lanka?" smiles Gunawardene. "Sri Lanka is a country full of resources - human resources. And the children are the most resourceful. Their ingenuity and intelligence is surprising. But what do we, the adults do? Even through theatre, we try to suppress children. Try to cram a moral down their throat in the most un-enjoyable and uninteresting manner. We forget about their intelligence level and present something totally unsuitable. Ignore current trends and changes in their world and present only what is conventional and sometimes archaic. Even at the festivals, plays are adjudged looking through a narrow window of convention and style. When adults are not ready to accept novelty, how can we give anything to the children?", he questions. "It is unfortunate that there is no drama school, only a few schools promote drama and drama is not looked as a profession" says Indu. However, in the past decade or so, some schools have realised that it helps make a child a rounded person," he adds. But, there are a lot of obstacles to producing drama for children, lack of financial resources, lack of facilities and the lack of understanding being in the fore, according to Indu. And what could be done to improve children's theatre in the country? "Children's theatre needs appreciation," says Indu. "It is costly, and needs sponsorship. More encouragement from the government," is also needed in his opinion. "Not only the production, but all areas should be encouraged, and the profession given more recognition." "More scripts, close to childhood and relevant to the country should be encouraged. Novelty, different styles and their own productions needs to be given credit for," says Gunawardene. "Another essential factor is the separation of age levels. You simply cannot cater to a five year old and a 15 year old through the same drama. You have to cater to different age groups separately. This needs more facilities as well as acceptance. It is important that those who organise competitions and festivals should keep this in mind." "Drama should become closer to the children. Children's character has to be in it. A few schools in the villages and not well known do perform these kind of stories. They need to be encouraged and recognised," says Sybil. With the state of children's theatre seeming dismal, and with the critiques of drama festivals being moralistic and competitive than children oriented, the Sunday Observer spoke with Amitha Rabbidigala, Chairperson SCCT. "We talk about children once a year, but do little to help their development. That's what the SCCT tries to do, through the drama festival, to get close to the children," says Rabbidigala. The service of SCCT members is voluntary and the financial backing they receive for promotion of children's theatre is minimal. Though the SCCT have strict standards for the open category, at the schools category the requirements are relaxed to encourage participation from small schools in remote areas. Though questions about language and morale arise from time to time, if the panel of judges deems the drama as suitable, they are allowed to screen them at the festival with requested changes, she says. However, "Limiting the festival to John De Silva theatre and to Colombo deprives many children from benefitting from the festival. If we are to promote children's theatre these kinds of festivals should go to the village. We have to screen these plays in other areas, outside Colombo. SCCT operates under financial constraints. Therefore, support from the government and other interested parties is a must," Rabbidigala points out. |
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