Setting sails against the tide

by Dilshan Boange

The second Colombo International Theatre Festival is gradually moving towards its realisation, to unveil a host of overseas talent at the auditorium of the British School in Colombo from the March 28 to the April 4 in Sri Lanka’s economic capital. An international theatre festival is a development in the sphere of theatre arts of the country that has been long overdue is what the festival’s director M. Safeer expressed when discussing about the event and its significance.

“Sri Lanka didn’t have an international theatre festival until I took an initiative and set the ball rolling. I am the first person to start an international theatre festival in our country.” Claimed Safeer who asserted that what he has done is something not done in the history of our country and went on to stress on some of the reasons that he felt spurred him to work towards pioneering an international festival dedicated to showcase theatre performance from other countries here in our country.

The need for international theatre

“We need to converge, globally. As artists, and as people. Sri Lanka’s transformation towards better social cohesion needs theatre. It has the potency to play a significant role. It can be a catalyst for social transformation. For that reason we need to get exposure to drama and theatre created in other countries. Then we here in Sri Lanka as theatre practitioners, enthusiasts or fans can get wider perspectives. We find nourishment for our creative senses.”

A believer in the power of theatre to transform people’s attitudes and perspectives, which can play a progressive role in building bridges across communities to further inter communal harmony and social cohesion, Safeer is optimistic that the festival will come through despite the fact that the fiscal aspects of an event of this scale run figures which aren’t easy to cover, to say the least, without the support of sponsors, which aren’t as readily findable according to the festival’s resolute director.

Undeterred commitment

Despite obstacles he is faced with one of the reasons for him to unrelentingly pursue an endeavour of the magnitude of the Colombo International Theatre Festival is that he believes in the positivity the festival will generate among theatregoers here in our country. He believes that the newness in experiencing theatre from other countries will kindle new thinking amongst our theatre fans and practitioners. There are innovation prospects to be found through exposure to foreign plays, to add to the cultural landscape in the country of present, he believes. There is also the valuable opportunity for a Sri Lankan theatre lover to experience something from overseas he emphasised.

“The average Sri Lankan who likes to go to the theatre can’t go to India to watch an Indian play. That is a reality. In our festival we have participants coming from countries not only from our region but countries like Azerbaijan, Egypt, Saudi Arabia which is quite a notable diversity in this festival. This is going to be new for theatre lovers in our country.”

On the matter of what perceptions may brew up when foreign works of theatre are juxtaposed with the present day drama scene in Sri Lanka, Safeer’s perspective was rather balanced in its line of critical thinking.

The need for comparatives

“Many are under the misguided notion that when you see a good work of art, or creativity of some form from overseas that it immediately denounces or belittles our own. I disagree. The talents of one country if they seem eclipsed by foreign talents do not mean we are made to look sterile. We can learn from what is outside our borders and seek to better ours. That should be the learning point.

And then say for instance we see a work of theatre that is very clearly of poor quality lacking in depth, substance and so on. Then what how should we take it? Are we to laud it and try to emulate its qualities just because it’s from overseas? No. We must then realise as compared to such works from foreign countries where our works stand. It is by getting exposed to what is outside our country that we can see where we would stand amongst the rest of the world. The purpose of watching a foreign performance is not to get ammunition to discredit our artists and works. That is a misconception and will defeat the purpose of the festival’s objective.”

The colossal task

The task he has taken on is surely one of colossal logistical proportions and requiring funds of no negligible scale. Support has been forthcoming from State as well as private sector bodies in the form of outright grants and sponsorships as well as in kind such as assigning vehicles to cover transportation needs, but Safeer still isn’t fully covered in terms of the risks he is venturing with as the total budget for the festival, which will have around one hundred overseas participants this time, will run up to 7.6 million rupees if the arrangements are to be optimum.

Being the pragmatist that he is, Safeer said his strategy is to opt for contingencies and cost effective methods to reduce expenses and improvise where need be. “I don’t think I need to feel ashamed or embarrassed to reveal that the food preparation operation is going to be handled by my sisters at my house. They aren’t bearing the cost. That’s not the case. They are the ones handling the cooking. There isn’t a ‘caterer’ hired for the festival in that sense. The food preparation is to be for all participants, for all three meals, for a period of ten days. Which means my sisters have undertaken to prepare three thousand parcels or ‘units’ of food during ten days.

This is an example of the means I have devised to make sure the festival is realised with even minimum funding. I truly am grateful for the sponsors and donors who have pledged funds and resources but the whole budgetary target is yet far from covered.” Expressing how encouragement and not censorious attitudes is not what he needs right now he said “I have managed to do this once with great difficultly.

And I am determined to see it come through again. But it’s a lot of hard work and what I really do not need right now is sabotage. There will always be critics, but the outcome of the festival has to be realised for the benefit of our country’s drama and theatre lovers.”

The need for society’s support

The greatest strength and support he could receive right now is what can be forthcoming from society he said. “This need for sponsors wouldn’t be direly felt if the theatre loving people here will support me by buying the tickets well in advance. The funds that come in would then be sufficient to ensure a smooth run when it comes to finances.

A full house everyday at every show would mean the bases are covered and I would not have to run the risk of getting into possible debt later on.” The value of this endeavour, this festival of theatre bringing together live theatrical performances from many countries, is finally to be evaluated as for its ‘social need’ today, is by society itself. The response the festival receives, said Safeer, from our public, our theatregoers overall will be the ultimate answer to the question as to whether society today in Sri Lanka rejects or accepts what is envisioned by endeavours such as the Colombo International Theatre Festival.