A fine array of plays depicting universal themes
By Anuradha Kodagoda
The Colombo Theatre Festival for Young Audiences will be held at the
Lionel Wendt from December 5 to 9. The official media sponsor is the
Sunday Observer.
The Festival will present Snow White, Vikurthi, Kalumaali, The House
of Bernarda Alba and Blood Wedding.
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Somalatha Subasinghe |
The plays depict universal themes such as love, freedom, motherhood,
education, family relationships and fairy tales. The Lanka Children's
and Youth Theatre Foundation (LCYTF), better known as Play House Kotte,
was established in 1981 by veteran dramatist Somalatha Subasinghe with
the aim of developing theatre for children and youth, while also
promoting other forms of popular theatre in Sri Lanka. In the past three
decades the group staged many children's plays here and abroad.
The festival aims at helping talented dramatists to showcase their
work to a wider audience. It also gives local audiences a chance to
enjoy high-quality and entertaining dramas in the form of translations,
adaptations and original plays.
Vikurthi
Somalatha Subasinghe's Vikurthi is a semi-musical drama that
highlights the conflicts among the younger generation. The play, through
the use of satire explores the pressure on the younger generation by the
consequences of parents trying to achieve social status through their
children.
The cast includes Kaushalya Fernando, Prasannajith Abeysooriya,
Geetha Alahakoon, Mayura Kanchana Perera, Sanjaya Hettiarachchi, Dilum
Buddhika, Thilina Perera, Harsha Tennekoon and Vikrama Senevirathne. The
music is composed by M.R. Chulasinghe. Choreography is by Somalatha
Subasinghe and Chandana Aluthge, make-up by Rukman Wimarshana and
lighting design by Chandana Aluthge.
Hima Kumariya is based on the fairy tale 'Snow White and the Seven
Dwarfs'. It is a musical play with morals and educational value created
for children. The music is composed by M.R. Chulasinghe. Choreography
and light design are by Chandana Aluthge.
Kaushalya Fernando's Sanda Langa Maranaya is based on the translation
of Spanish playwright Garcia Lorca's Blood Wedding. It is also a
semi-musical drama. The play is about the complexity of 'love' among the
youth.
Sanda Langa Maranaya won eight awards at the 2005 National Drama
Festival. The cast includes Kaushalya Fernando, Sampath Jayaweera,
Lucian Bulathsinghala, Sulochana Weerasinghe, Mayura Kanchana Perera,
Nadee Kammallaweera, Nayomi Gunasiri and Lakmini Senevirathne. The music
is composed by Nadeeka Guruge. Choreography and light design are by
Chandana Aluthge.
Kalumaali
Ruwanthie De Chickera's Kalumaali is based on a fairy tale. It
highlights issues and complications faced by middle-class Sri Lankan
parents in an ever changing world. The cast includes Peter d' Almeida,
Kaushalya Fernando, Nadie Kammallaweera, Lakmini Seneviratne, Juanita
Beiling and Gihan de Chickera.
Priyantha Sirikumara's Bernadage Sipirigeya is based on the
translation of the world renowned play The House of Bernada Alba by
Spanish playwright Garcia Lorca. The play depicts love, passion,
freedom, familial love, despair, jealousy and the complexity of human
emotion and fate.
Lorca's play discusses lives imprisoned by religion and tradition.
The cast includes Kaushalya Fernando, Chandini Senevirathne, Nadee
Kammallaweera, Chamila Peiris, Malkanthi Jayasinghe, Duleeka Marapana,
Nilmini Buwaneka and Sudarshi star in Bernadage Sipirigeya. |
