Gift for next generation
by Tyrell Peiris
The magnificent looking rupees
2,500 million modern performance theatre built in traditional Sri Lankan
architecture in the shape of a lotus flower at the former Nomads grounds
near Vihara Maha Devi Park which is now nearing completion will meet a
long-felt need of the theatre people in the heart of Colombo.
 Now, Chinese expertise in the form of men and machines, is mingling
with local labour in a hive of activity putting the finishing touches to
what would be one of South Asia's best performing art theatres,
according to the Co-ordinator, of the gigantic project at Ministry level
Mrs. Hema Jayaweera.
Work really got cracking on May 3, 2008 on this project which had
been languishing for several years. It was due to the sole initiative of
President Mahinda Rajapaksa who recognised the immense value such a
theatre would be to the local world of arts who have been handicapped by
the absence of a theatre with ultra modern facilities. Best described
would be to say that the Sri Lankan arts fraternity have never had at
their disposal a comprehensive theatre to take their talents forward.
In the words of Cultural Affairs Ministry Project co-ordinator, "we
didn't have a theatre with modern facilities that could cater to them in
areas such as lighting, seating, rehearsal and dressing rooms. As she
says, the BMICH is only a conference room. It does not therefore cater
to theatrics. The available theatres such as Lionel Wendt and John de
Silva Memorial Hall lack in capacity and facilities.
In fact, even foreign dance troupes have complained about the lack of
facilities whenever they perform. For example, a Chinese dance troupe
which was here in September had not been happy with the arrangements. So
far it had been a case of borrowing lighting facilities.
In that sense, the Project Co-ordinator points out that the showpiece
a gift by the Government of the Republic of China as a 40 per cent grant
and 60 per cent soft loan was a huge boon. It would have a seating
capacity of 1,288.
Construction work had commenced when Chandrika Bandaranaike
Kumaratunga was President several years ago. But things had got slowed
down and thanks to the far-sightedness of President Rajapaksa, Sri
Lankans at large would be blessed with the most sophisticated complex of
its type like a lotus flower petal designed on the lines of the
historically famous Polonnaruwa 'Nelum Pokuna'.
The architecture was done after much soul searching. "Our architects
and Chinese architects studied all our traditional architecture meeting
also in China according to specific guidelines set out by the Cultural
Affairs and National Heritage Minister Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena, the
Minister of Cultural Affairs Piyasiri Wijenaike and other Ministry
officials in charge of the subject", enlightened Mrs. Jayaweera the
Ministry co-ordinator who said that President Rajapaksa's interest in
having the theatre completed and ready for the theatre people and
viewers was such that even recently he had paid a surprise visit to take
stock of the progress.
With work gathering momentum as men and machines race round-the-clock
to reach the October deadline showcasing the overflowing Chinese factor
in throwing their weight behind giving Sri Lanka another piece of
architecture in all its magnificence and splendour, after the now famous
BMICH so many years ago in a show of strength of the strong bonds
between Sri Lanka and China, for Sri Lankans both big and small the
modern theatre will mark a new transformation at that level.
For the theatre and arts it will create new dimensions in so much as
contributing to that sector going places. It will be a new haven in a
dream come true as local artistes strive to reach stardom. Value-wise it
is on par with the BMICH and spans 15,562 square metres above ground
level with seven floors and consisting of the main theatre hall
beautified with a small open air theatre on the roof, rehearsal room,
audio and video rooms, thirteen make up and dressing rooms, two
exhibition halls, cafeteria and parking space for 180 vehicles.
Adding impetus to the ongoing construction work will be 29 more
Chinese workmen next week, according to the Ministry Co-Ordinator. The
Project Manager is Samara Palavithanage.
The arts fraternity in general, contacted by the Sunday Observer',
overabounded in joy saying that it would mark a new chapter in a vastly
expanding field that held out so much scope to dramatists both in the
Sinhala and English mediums. |
