Bengal Bungalow will be the
latest drama to rock the theatre. Here we spoke to its playwright Jehan
Aloysius to give us the scoop on it.
Please describe why you wanted to stage a drama such as Bengal
Bungalow?
What’s the punch in it?
Bengal Bungalow is possibly the wildest and wackiest comedies in our
repertoire. The situations and characters push the boundaries of comedic
drama. It’s been six years since we last staged Bengal Bungalow in 2004,
which was an immense success, earning full houses and an extended run.
In fact, at the time I was pleasantly surprised that a script I had
originally written when I was a schoolboy could become such a box office
success.
 The play mix or British farcical comedy in the style of Ray Cooney
and cartoony humour and characters in the style of the Simpsons. The
humour is deliciously tongue-in-cheek at times with plenty of slapstick
comedy, while stock characters and a menagerie of world animals make it
quite a wild romp in Bengal!
My theatre troupe and I believed it was now time to stage a revival
of Bengal Bungalow with a whole new cast so Colombo can once more get a
taste of Bengal madness from September 17-19 at the Lionel Wendt.
Who are included in the cast and any new faces to look out for?
I made a conscious decision to include a younger cast this time. Many
of the actors have been onstage in many CentreStage productions.
However, I had also decided that the new production should promote new
talent as well.
We auditioned for almost two months for the roles, as I wanted the
new show to be a cut above the previous performance, with more of my
troupe’s signature physical theatre, dance and comic acrobatics. Several
new stars were discovered in this process.
The leads are played by Anabella Brochard, Shehan Wijeymana, Wasaam
Ismail, Keshiya Leitch, Heshan Perera, and Dino Corera. We shall also be
introducing talented new comers such as Shehantha Aeyesundare, Trevor
Kroon and Anoop Kapukotuwa.
The cast is bursting with creative energy and makes rehearsals quite
fun too!
What makes Bengal Bungalow just the perfect excuse for people to get
a chance to go out?
I believe Colombo audiences need a reason to laugh these days. Comedy
of this sort is the perfect escape.
The wild world of Bengal in the late 1930s and the hilarious
situations and rib-tickling one liners would definitely make Bengal
Bungalow the perfect excuse to leave cable television and head over to
the Lionel Wendt this September. In addition, as the proceeds will
support our StageHands Project, they will also be supporting our
humanitarian work.
How can the drama circles in Sri Lanka be better supported besides
just funding and sponsorship?
Funding and sponsorship are vital for the survival of theatre in Sri
Lanka. English theatre especially relies on this as there is no support
from the State.
As a theatre troupe that focuses on creating original theatre and new
works for the stage, CentreStage Productions has for the past 10 years
had very little support even from the corporate sector.
We are glad that some have supported the Arts, as well as the
humanitarian work CentreStage Productions does through the StageHands
Project. We need more corporate entities such as these to support our
work.
Please explain in what way CentreStage Productions aims at helping
and developing drama in Sri Lanka?
We are possibly the only theatre troupe in Sri Lanka that focuses on
promoting and producing original theatre that is created, scripted and
devised in Sri Lanka.
Even our adaptations of Shakespeare’s plays have been so transformed
and reworked with new material and meanings that give them new titles
and are considered original works or ‘collaborations’ with Shakespeare.
In the past 10 years of our existence, we have produced around 20
productions and had performed them from Kandy to Jaffna – as well as
abro d.
Several of these plays and scripts have and are being studied by
University students for their dissertations and assignments, so I
believe we are nourishing Lankan literature as well as theatre.
CentreStage productions also conducts workshops on theatre for
schools, theatre troupes and companies in English, Sinhala and Tamil,
while also maintaining a strong partnership with the Sinhala theatre as
well.
Moreover, our humanitarian arm, StageHands Project, has conducted
volunteer workshops around Sri Lanka for the past five years.
These workshops have focused on Social Theatre, Theatre for
Development, Trauma Therapy, as well as physical and mental
rehabilitation of those living with mental and physical challenges. The
StageHands Projects are done on a volunteer basis, using the proceeds of
our performances.
What advice would you give budding drama actors who want to take to
the stage? Is there any hope that CentreStage Productions will give them
an opportunity if they’re good?
As I mentioned before CentreStage Productions is all about providing
opportunities to new performers, where they have physical or mental
challenges, speak different languages or have no experience.
The two months of auditions brought in many talented new faces.
Though there were only a few roles available this time, we know their
abilities and will definitely keep them in mind for future shows.
Several new stars did fit what we were looking for, and I’m glad to
say, they may have a great future in theatre! |
