Theatre for Children 18th and 19th April At Elphinstone Theatre
Somalatha Subasinghe Playhouse, the leading children’s play producer, presents a two-day Theatre Festival for the young audiences on 18th and 19th April at Elphinstone theatre. The latest creation of the Playhouse, Kathandara Potha (The Story Book) and another well received play ‘Walas Pawula’ (The three Bears and Goldilocks) are showcased. To reserve tickets online please contact Hasitha: 077 4157763 or Krishani: 076 9823644.
Walas Pawula is written by Somalatha Subasinghe while Kathandara Potha is written by Nilanka Dahanayake. Both plays are choreographed and directed by Chandana Aluthge. Both Nilanka and Chandana are new generation artistes groomed at Playhouse. The music for Walas Pawula and Kathandara Potha is by Tharupathi Munasinghe and Thilanka Gamage respectively.
Walas Pawula is the Sinhala adaptation of The Three Bears and Goldilocks. In the adaptations, new characters and situations have been incorporated particularly to communicate with the Sri Lankan child. Kathandara Potha is an original play written in Sinhala. When the pages are turned the book comes to life with wild animals and exciting adventures on stage. The readers must be brave, smart, and kind to find their way back home. Both plays are surrealistic semi musicals to provide the young audiences as well as the whole family with an aesthetic journey of entertainment. Choreography, lighting, costumes, stage props, and music of the dramas have been carefully crafted to convey the children a sense of basic art forms and meaningful entertainment.
The composition of music of these dramas is based also on our traditional melodies which are modified and adapted into the present context. The language of these two theatre pieces is both musical and performance based. They have been developed in a manner to inculcate in children a sense of pride in our own culture as well as to promote the importance of the institution of family and its values. The lessons of love, humanity and care for nature refreshingly presented in the plays are thought-provoking, which in turn facilitate an intellectual and entertaining discourse with children.
The professional theatre group of the Somalatha Subasinghe Playhouse brings the stories to life on stage. For decades, the Playhouse has inspired young hearts through meaningful, musical, and magical performances and this year the wonder continues!
The cast includes Mayura Kanchana, Sanjaya Hettiarachchi, Yashoda Rasanduni, Thivanka Don Ranasinghe, Dhanushka Dias, Manushi Tanya, Liseni Fernando, Sudheera Rathnamalala, Neelaka Bandara, Upeksha N. Liyanage, Heli Amarakoon, Rashmi Balasooriya, Thakshila Upamali, Dilushi Liyanage, Tharukee Kiriella, Kasun Kalupahana, Arosha Madushanka, Rumesh Kodithuwakku, Srimal Gallawaduge and many others trained at playhouse.
Stage props and Costumes are by Namal Jayssinghe and Thisara Imbulana respectively while lighting is designed by Ranga Kariyawasam, Pasan Nalinda and Chandana Aluthge.
Somalatha Subasinghe playhouse was established by the late Somalatha Subasinghe in 1981, a veteran playwright and actress, to promote the modern Sri Lankan theatre for Children. The institution was incorporated (as Lanka Children’s and Youth Theatre Foundation) in January 2007 under Act no. 3 of 2007 enabling it to expand its mandate.
In its journey over the past 40 plus years the Playhouse has been able to produce a repertoire of plays for children and youth with a high artistic quality. Some of these productions have been represented Sri Lanka at international theatre festivals in India, Bangladesh, South Korea, France and Australia and were acclaimed by the audiences. Three of the playhouse plays are prescribed texts for Sinhala language and Drama and Theatre of the National School curriculum for grade 5, 6, 7 and 12.