Celebrating the passion for theatre

by Dilshan Boange

‘The Academic Thespians’ are all set for the annual theatre festival, scheduled to commence on August 31 and continue till September 5. This is the third consecutive year the Thespians are organising the festival.

Announcing this at what transpired to be their first ever press conference last week, the thespian group, a student association comprising undergraduates of the University of the Visual and Performing Arts, said one of the primary objectives of the event was to bridge students of drama and theatre with the larger theatregoing public as well as raise funds for final year students in the University who need financial assistance for their productions.

The press conference commenced with a creative video clip being shown to introduce the theme of the festival. President of The Academic Thespians, Duminda Prasad, giving an overview of the upcoming festival explained its purpose, the background of organisation, what they hoped to achieved at culmination of this annual event, and what they have achieved so far.

Launched two years ago as a two-day affair, the festival is now set to run for 6 days. He also urged theatregoers to come and watch their performances taking place from August 31 to September 5.

The talents that will unfold as acting performances, choreography, lighting, makeup artistry, set and costume design are entirely the efforts of the undergrads who wish to better highlight their multifaceted skills and talents in theatre to the public. And thereby they wish to achieve the objective of taking their ‘works’ beyond the confines of the university community to make aesthetic engagements with society at large.

This year’s festival will present 8 short plays, 3 lengthy plays and a miming ballet. The schedule is as follows:

August 31: Four Short Plays (Saya, Nibbuthanoona Saanari, Mama Adakumbai and Isthuthi Nevatha Enna),

September 1: Beneath The Death

(Miming ballet)

September2:

Prometheus Pemvathiya

September 3: Party Time

September 4:

Love & Life (A nonverbal play)

September 5: Four Short Plays –Mara Upan Kumara, Fred, Vijjulatha and Api Thama Lobby Eke.

The festival will showcase versatility in many ways. While a nonverbal narrative is to be performed there are also several one actor plays in the form of monologues to unfold as well.

A screenplay of Harold Pinter has been transformed for theatre, and thereby transcending boundaries of art mediums too can be witnessed.

When asked if there was a selection process by which the performances were chosen for the festival, president of The Academic Thespians said a decision was taken at a meeting to select the final year projects which have passed evaluation as well as calling for submissions through a general notice to the student body. Twenty four scripts had undergone a selection process by a panel of lecturers after which the selectees were finalised on.

Therefore the directors whose works will be performed at this year’s festival are –Duminda Prasad, Nipuni Sharada, Devinda Wickramasinghe, Pradeep Ramawickrama, Vishwa Chinthaka, Kasun Manawaduge, I.S. Samarakkody, Devinda Wickramasinghe, Ranga Manupriya, Gihan Dhananjaya, and Chathura Dasanayake.

The third annual theatre festival of The Academic Thespians will come alive at the Panibharatha Theatre and Old Lecture Hall of the Faculty of Dance and Drama of The University of the Visual and Performing Arts, with shows at 3.30p.m. and 6.30 p.m. from August 31 to September 5. Tickets priced at 100/-, 300/-, 500/- and 1000/- will be available at the entrance.