Thespian Weeramuni turns octogenarian:

Restating a lifelong vow made to theatre

By Dilshan Boange

Does one choose the life of an artiste, or is it a predestined calling that cannot go unanswered? As an observer and commentator I feel this is perhaps a question every performer may ask himself solitarily at a moment of contemplative introspection at some point in life. In an interview with the Sunday Observer Montage Namel Weeramuni, 80, speaks passionately about the path that he devotedly trekked as a journey of love for the art of stage drama.

Excerpts:

Anyone with an inclination for Sri Lankan theatre and to learn about the modern history of theatre in our country, from the experience of a living subject of that history, can find in Weeramuni a repository of knowledge that offers a wealth of insights with regard to the ‘workings’ of Sinhala drama production that began taking wings from the pioneering efforts of immortals such as the late Prof. Ediriweera Sarachchandra.

Namel Weeramuni and his wife Malini, a fellow Thespian of renown, are known for the many contributions they have made to the Sri Lankan sphere of drama and theatre, of which the Punchi Theatre in Borella ‘stands tall’ as a testimony to their shared life dedicated to the art of theatre.

To mark the milestone of Weeramuni reaching 80 this month, the Punchi Theatre will hold a festival comprising two productions directed by him. The productions will be Nattukkari and Deegeka Avith and Kandoskiriyawa.

While the former will be staged as a full length production by itself, the latter two dramas will be staged back to back as a single show. Deegeka Avith is a Sinhala adaptation of the Russian play The Proposal by Anton Chekhov and Kandoskiriyawa is a play written by Somapala Gunadheera. Nattukkari which has been hailed by critics over the years as Weeramuni’s best work for theatre is a Sinhala adaptation of the French play Colombe by French playwright Jean Anouilh.

Featuring the talents of a host of well-known artistes that have enthralled theatregoers the festival will surely hit a high note as Deegeka Avith and Kandoskiriyawa take the stage on August 30, and Nattukkari goes on the boards on August 29 and 31.

I asked him, now, as he is reaching his 80th birthday, what he feels about Nattukkari as he looks back on his years in theatre. “The Lumbini theatre although now does not enjoy the prominence it did back then, was considered a ‘lucky venue’ by most of us to debut a play.”

“This was in 1970. I translated Colombe during 1968. And it was a labour of love for me, which was realised as a production when it opened on February 5, 1970.

We opened to a full house! And the show got tremendous appreciation from both audience and critics.

I particularly remember what Nihal Ratnaike wrote in the Daily News. And also H.L.D Mahindapala in the Ceylon Observer. It was a triumph for all of us involved in the production.” With not boastfulness but sincere delight of the fulfilling feeling he got as an artist NM recalled, endearingly. How was the level of talent compared to the present day? I asked him very candidly hoping that I had not put this accomplished man of the arts ‘in a tight spot’. “Well I must be honest with you. Back then it was a very different situation.

The level of commitment from artistes in general was far greater than what we see today in theatre. I’m not saying that we don’t have talented performers now.But the depth that artistes brought to the stage back then, through their commitment cannot be seen today. And back then we had some superlative actors as well.”

The focus of the conversation developed on the aspect of the cast of the very first production of Nattukkari.

“It was Somalatha Subasinghe who played Madam Alexandra. The very first Colombe in Nattukkari was Prema Ganegoda.

They really did justice as actors. And the roles of the sons were played by Upali Attanayake, Dhamma Jagoda, Wickrama Bogoda and myself. We also had actors such as Lionel Fernando, G. T. Wickremasinghe. Piyasena Ahangama, Wimal Kumara de Costa, W. Jayasiri, Jayantha Karunaratne, Cyril Wickramage. My wife Malini played the role of the seamstress.

The music was by the late Premasiri Khemadasa.

The output was immensely rewarding to us when we saw how well it was received.” I could see that Weeramuni was rekindling memories that perhaps helped him to at least gently feel reliving the euphoria of those glory days.

“Another great honour that came for our production was to stage it as a special show to the members of the legislature on March 2, 1970.

It was at the Ladies' College hall. The then Governor General William Gopallawa, Dudley Senanayake, the Speaker of the House Shirley Corea were all there. That was a historic occasion.”

Nattukkari also enthralled audiences overseas when it did a round of shows in England.

London had received the artistic efforts endeavoured by Weeramuni rather well. “In 1976 we did our first show of Nattukkari in London.

"The venue was the Commonwealth Institute. Thereafter it was the Shaw Theatre.

"Altogether we did five shows, and the response was excellent.” Knowing full well that there is hardly any ‘money in theatre’, when one sets out to put on a show, I ventured to ask how the finances were covered for this England tour back in 1976? “Well, theatre is not a profitable avenue as you may know. So it was mainly self funded, through me. I had a good law practice in England at that time, so I was able to handle a good part of the expenses.

But it was overall a combined effort I must mention with all the others helping in this regard to make the tour a possibility. ”

As the day draws closer to the festival that runs from August 29- 31 at the Punchi Theatre, Weeramuni’s feats as a drama director will return for the pleasure of theatregoers.

I asked how he feels the upcoming productions will turn out to be. “It is turning out to be satisfactory.

But of course if someone who had seen the production we put on in the 70s were to compare with what can be seen today, they may say today’s production don’t live up to what we were able to achieve back then. Then again that is something common to nearly all revivals of old plays.

"It’s the level of commitment that is lacking in general from the present generation.

However, as the director it is my duty to bring out the best under the prevailing conditions.”

Weeramuni said in a lighter vein, which did not in any way divorce his seriousness as an artiste to deliver a qualitatively satisfactory production.

He does, one can say, hold true to his credo of being a ‘serious artiste’ who desperately desires to see theatre flourish in Sri Lanka in this day and age, for the sake of the art, which had embraced him and had in turn come to define him.

As he reaches his 80th birthday the efforts he undertakes, to reoffer as the best as he can to theatregoers, stage dramas that bear his directorial mark, are perhaps his public restatement of how he had, many years ago made an altar of the stage, and made a vow to be bound to the art of theatre, for all time.