DRAMA  

Festival of three plays at the Wendt

A Festival of three popular plays, written and directed by well-known dramatist Rajitha Dissanayake, will be staged at the Lionel Wendt Theatre, Colombo at 7.00 p.m. on January 29, 30 and 31.The three plays, 'Apahu Herenna Behe', 'Siriwardana Pawla' and 'Sihina Horu Aran', have drawn crowds and critical acclaim in performances in Colombo, around the country and even overseas.

The festival starts off with 'Apahu Herenna Behe' (29 Jan.) which is being staged after a lapse of six years. In 2009, it won awards for Best Play, Best Director, Best Actor and Best Supporting Actress at the State Drama Festival. It was also performed at the Cairo International Theatre Festival in 2010. The play deals with the relationship between the State and the public in the dissemination of information during a time of war, and also a man's dilemma in keeping certain aspects of his personal life a secret from his family.

'Siriwardana Pawla' (30 Jan.) is Rajitha's newest play, and this Festival will mark the first year of its run since premiering in January 2015. The play highlights how a profit-driven media manipulates the public, and the predicament of those who pursue the ideals propagated by such institutions. The plot deals with the pressures of a young man who tries to become a popular star in a TV reality show as this is the only way for him and his family to achieve a decent life.

The Festival ends with 'Sihina Horu Aran' (31 Jan.) which has run continuously for 12 years and still features the original cast, except for one character. 'Sihina Horu Aran' was staged at the Bharath Ranga Mahaothsav in Delhi in 2006, and the same year it toured five European countries (France, Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Italy). In 2005 it won State Drama awards for Best Original Play, Best Script and Best Actress. The play revolves around a young man who returns to Sri Lanka after working abroad, and gets entangled in a web of love and politics.

The cast is made up of experienced stage and screen actors and comprises W. Jayasiri, Jayani Senanayake, Gihan Fernando, Dharmapriya Dias, Shyam Fernando, Dayadeva Edirisinghe, Prasad Sooriyarachchi, Nadeeshani Peliarachchi, Priyankara Ratnayake, Pasan Ranaweera, Anuradha Mallawarachchi, Kasun Chathuranga and Devinda Wickremesinghe.

Music for 'Apahu Herenna Behe' is by Teja Buddhika, and for 'Siriwardana Pawla' and 'Sihina Horu Aran' by Kapila Poogalarachchi. The lighting design is by Ranga Samarakoon, make-up by Priyantha Dissanayake and stage management by Vijith Nuwan and Asanka Kodagoda. Tickets priced at Rs 1500, 1000, 800, 600 and 400 (balcony) are available at the Lionel Wendt

Apahu harenna ba

Sihina horu aran