Arts

The Kandy Players in a Lankan Twelfth Night

On October 29th and 30th, the Kandy Players, sponsored by the British Council and the Weeramuni Punchi Theatre will present Shakespeare's Twelfth Night at the Children's Library Hall, Kandy (next to the British Council) at 7.00 p.m. each night and on November 4 and 5 at the Weeramuni Punchi Theatre, Cotta Road, Borella at 7.30 p.m. each night.

Directed by Ashley Halpe, the production is set in Sri Lanka while using the original Shakespeare text with some cuts and minor alterations. Olivia is a walauwwehamu, Orsino a decadent administrator, the twins castaways from India, Antonio a trawler captain, Feste a kavikaraya with a rabana, etc. The production uses a minimalist set and features original music composed by Bridget Halpe.

The Kandy Players started life as the Kandy British Council Drama Club and took the present name when they performed The Foreign Expert by E. M. W. Joseph ('Sooty Banda'), directed by Ashley Halpe ten years ago, with the sponsorship of the Kandy Municipal Council. The cast and crew are young people of Kandy and at the university, two teachers, both British, and Peradeniya alumni Neil Halpe, Bridget Halpe, Haasinee Andree and the director.

The production is in honour of E. F. C. Ludowyk. The performance on the 4th will be preceded by a meeting at the theatre celebrating the birth centenary at 5.30 p.m. at which Iranganie Serasinghe, who worked with Ludowyk in the theatre, will be the leading speaker.

(R.C.)

Admission by programme, available at the British Council and Mrs. Halpe from 17th October ( tel. 081-2239113).

Sixth anniversary of 'The Trojan Women'

The sixth anniversary of the Sinhala production of "The Trojan Women" by Euripides (415 BCE), an epic drama which is considered to be a masterpiece in theatre, will be held on October 25 at the Lionel Wendt at 7.00 p.m. with Switzerland's Ambassador as the chief guest.

The ceremony will be preceded by a performance of "Trojan Women". The Drama will also be staged at the auditorium of St. Thomas's College, Matara, on November 4, December 2 at Hambantota and December 3 at Medical Faculty Auditorium at Karapitiya.

The proceeds of the drama will go to the maintenance and development of the "Trikon Art Centre". The stage play is directed by veteran dramatist and film maker Dharmasiri Bandaranayake and the stage managed by Ranga Bandaranayake.

(RC)