Most Wanted

Kaushalya Fernando’s ‘Dutu Thena Allanu’ also most thought provoking:

by Anuradha Kodagoda

The ‘Most Wanted’ is an ignominious list nobody wants to get into. Made famous by USA’s FBI, the two-word poster brings to mind visions of hardened criminals with long rap sheets, evading the law and being hunted down by law enforcement officials.

‘Dutu Thena Allanu’ (WANTED), the latest theatre production by eminent actress and theatre director Kaushalya Fernando, on the contrary is not so much about the hunt for murderers, rapists, rogues and racketeers as it is about a socio-political reality and the said criminals basking in the freedom to roam the streets and consort with law enforcement officials because of their political clout.

A satirical representation of a decadent, socio-political scenario, ‘Dutu Thana Allanu’ is an adaptation of Nobel Prize-winning Nigerian dramatist and poet, Wole Soyinka’s 1977 farcical political read titled ‘Opera Wonyosi’. Soyinka’s backdrop to creating ‘Opera Wonyosi’ was the post- civil war military regime in Nigeria and the economic upsurge created by oil extraction that resulted in social, political, and cultural decadence.

Opera Wonyosi was in turn an Africanised version of Bertolt Brecht’s ‘Three Penny Opera’ and John Gay’s 18th century ballad, ‘The Beggar’s Opera’, which also influenced Brecht’s work.

Opera Wonyosi was a theatrical attempt by Soyinka to awaken his fellow citizens who were in a stupor, letting themselves be abused and taken advantage of. The opera made them initially laugh at the abused victims, before waking up to the realisation of their own sad plight.

“By referring to Brecht’s ‘Three Penny Opera’ and Soyinka’s Opera Wonyosi, I recreated the story to suit the Sri Lankan socio-political scenario,” says Kaushalya, explaining the background to ‘Dutu Thana Allanu’.

The play was first translated to Sinhala from Opera Wonyosi by the late Somalatha Subasinghe. Kaushalya, who has made few amendments to make it suitable for the Sri Lankan context, sees no difference between the original or translated plays, as long as it is adapted finely to the environment that it’s being presented in.

Pointing out that different directors can generate different readings and different ideas for the same story based on their perceptions, she says although Opera Wonyosi and ‘Three Penny Opera’ were written and produced a few decades ago in different countries, when reading them, she saw lot of similarities with the present socio-political scenario of Sri Lanka.

However, she admits she edited and rewrote some parts of the original Sinhala translation of her mother and also incorporated some song, especially written for the play by Nilanka Dahanayaka, who is also part of the cast.

The 17-member cast of Dutu Thena Allanu includes Danushka Dias in the leading role as Captain Mackheath, Thilakshini Rathnayake as Polly, Shanaka Fernando as Anikura, Kumudu Wickramathanthri as De Madam, Nilanka Dahanayaka as Matar, Saviour Kanishka as Dare and Lawyer Altaco ,Chamara Prasad as Baba, Sameera Lakmal as Jake, Thiwanka Ranasinghe as Reverent Jeruvel, Gayathri Ekanayake as Lucy, Ruchi Abeywarna as Suki, Dilum Buddhika as Colonel Moses, Mayura Perera as Commissioner Brown, Pujana Dandeniya as Emperor Bokasa , Duminda Sandaruwan as the jail guard, Thilina Perera as Ahamed and Aravinda Kesara as the beggar.

Music for the play is composed by Chinthaka Jayakody, with set and costumes designed by Thisara Imbulana, and stage lighting and choreography by Chandana Aluthge.

Dutu Thana Allanu presented by Somalatha Subhasinghe Play House, will go on the boards at Lionel Wendt Theatre, Colombo, at 3.30 p.m. and 7.00 p.m. on December 12 and 13.