Online edition of Sunday Observer

Miniature painting, that's his forte. He colours the world by modifying and applying the techniques of watercolour on different media. With miniature oil paintings Chandana Bandara Samarakoon has passed another milepost in his painting career. His second solo painting exhibition, 'Visiting Sri Lanka - 2004' was held recently at the Hibiscus Beach Hotel, Kalutara.

Painting

The exhibition had a variety, of water colour and oil paintings mixed with miniature paintings.

Where technique is concerned, he uses his favourite - water colour along with modern art. While water colour helps bring out texture, a transluscent quality and gives fineness to what he paints, the oils helps him to express himself boldly, says Chandana.

The mixture and texture therein are totally different from that of water colour. Nature, rural lifestyle, places of interest, seascapes and landscapes were some subjects depicted through his paintings. Inspired by the likes of Pablo Piccaso, Henry Moor and Jackson Pollock as well as his mentors, Chandana says he is into some experimental paintings and sculpting.

Pelle Sylviane, Accounting Manager, S.A. Le Saint Martin Co. Ltd, France lighting the oil lamp at the opening ceremony, as Chandana Bandara Samarakoon looks on.

He is involved in sculpting and wall mural making as well, and hopes to have an exhibition of paintings and sculpture at a Colombo gallery by the end of the year.

An arts graduate from the University of Peradeniya, Chandana also has had special training on Paintings and sculpting from the Aesthetic Training College, Pilimathalawa, Kandy. He is thankful to his 'guru's for introducing him to the joy of paintings and assisting him to improve his skills.

Jagath Jayasuriya, Charles Dayananda, M.D.S. Gunatilake, Nandalal Udaporuwa and Kingsly Goonetileka are the mentors who brought him a long way he says.

I remember certain significant moments in my career as a broadcaster reaching as far back as the mid sixties when Thevis Guruge got my assistance to produce some of the lesser known 'nadagam' plays as adapted for radio. We managed to obtain certain nadagam scripts from veterans in the field and as a starting point, listened to the melodies therein. As there was a need to refine and at times to recreate, we also sought the assistance of veteran musicians of the calibre of Dunstan De Silva and Somadasa Elvitigala. Then we required a group of males and female singers who could render nadagam songs and at times to deliver the dialogues in the manner suited to the genre concerned.

Mercy Edirisinghe

This resulted in the scouting of an entirely a new group of singers, mostly of a versatile type skilled as actors and singers.

Mercy Edirisinghe, who is now known as a full time professional in such fields as theatre, film, television and radio, first showed her skills in our radio productions. She was identified as one of the most suited artists for nadagam radio operas.

From there onwards she had been in the media for over thirty years in the capacity of a radio and tele performer. In most radio rangamandala the Sinhala play house of the national service, she had delved herself a continuous contribution, followed by such radio play types as radio play series of the adaptation of classics to sound medium. (vishva sahityayen), the Buddhist jataka plays, children's plays (lama ranga pitaya) etc.

All in all, she may have shown her skills in all types of radio plays, which culminated in the most popular radio comedy series titled vinoda samaya, both in radio and on television.

She plays side by side with such comedy veterans like Berty Gunatilaka, Annesly Dias and Gemunu Vijesuriya. She was, for the most part, admired by her fans for the flexibility, of her performing style, which to my mind, is perhaps akin to her, and inimitable.

This was first seen in her performance of the lead role in Chandrasena Dasanayaka's 'Rankanda', a Sinhala musical adaptation of Bernard Shaw's pygmallian. With the instant success in her theatrical roles, Mercy moved on to the world of Cinema as well. In all she appeared in more than 50 plays and about 100 tele creations. In her long list of performances, sent to me, I was stunned for a moment as to the number of hours she may have spent on location, on the stage, and in and around, radio and television studio behind the mike and facing cameras.

This versatile award winning performer cum singer will be felicitated by her well-wishers and a group of artistes of the Tower Hall foundation in association with the cultural ministry at 6.15 at Tower Hall auditorium today, May 30.

What is she going to do on this day? Is it going to be just another colourful felicitation programme? "I tell you what is going to happen" said Mercy in a mood of joy.

"I am going to sing some of my old songs as well as some new songs created for this occasion.

"Then I am going to re-inact some of my bits and pieces, you may have seen on the stage." What about comic skits? "Yes I am going to perform some of them with the veterans. All in all, it's going to be a multi faceted radio theatre film and tele galore. I am inviting all my well-wishers and fans to see me on this day".

A 'Ballet and Dance Presentation' by Ariyarathne Kaluarachchi, Senior Lecturer attached to the School of Fine Arts of the University of Kelaniya will be staged on June 6 at 3.30 pm and 6.45 pm at Namel Malini Mini - Theatre at Borella.

This presentation of ballet and dance will be made colourful with songs by Rohana Weerasinghe, Rashmi Sanjeetha and Nissanka Diddeniya. While the songs are composed by Professor Sunil Ariyaratne, the music is composed and supplied by Rohana Weerasinghe.

A troupe of expert dancers led by Ariyarathne Kaluarachchi and the University of Kelaniya student's troupe will perform ballets such as 'Beri Sil', 'Exorcist's Daughter', Nishachara, and the folk drama 'Jasaya and Lenchina', the new stage plays 'Rookada Nove - (Not Puppets),' Engalum Wannama, Harahata Natamu', and Kaleta Obina Seepada and dances Holi and Rajasthan made in the tradition of Indian folk dances and 'Salu Paliya.'

Madura Javanika (Joyous Scenes), Dayananda Gunawardena's epic documentary dramatically chronicling the lives of the Hingala People will go on the boards once again at the Elphinstone Theatre in Colombo on June 11 2004.

There will be two performances at 3.30 pm and 6.30 pm. The cast boasts the likes of Jackson Anthony, Rodney Warnakula, Bandula Vijeweera, Anula Bulathsinhala, Saman Gunawardena and Rathnashila Perera. Music is composed by Rohana Beddage and Bandula Wijeweera.

Madhura Javanika is an accomplished musical which includes folk music, dance, extravagant costumes and spectacular stage setting, and has been described as a 'fantastic literary, artistic, musical and dramatic production' by Theja Gunawardena.

Based upon historical events, the drama picks up the period of war between kings Rama and Rawana and continues even in to modern times, where women seek employment in Dubai as housemaids.