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Theatre Review

In The Roman Way

by K S Sivakumaran

This was the second time I had the pleasure of witnessing the school’s theatrical productions in the envious hall of the Colombo International School. March 23 was the day I took the Roman Way, courtesy Damaris Wickramanayake, Camilla Ambuldeniya and Sonia Egan of the staff of the school. 

Before the performance started and during the production itself, an atmosphere of pleasant instrumental music, tantalising as it were, reverberated with a blend of occidental and oriental lilting tunes. Frankly, I didn’t know what that instrument was and echoed to a member of the audience behind me that ‘it must be the zither, the instrument.’ She merely said ‘no’ and couldn’t explain it herself. Nevertheless I enjoyed most the music than cheering Plautus. It’s not that I don’t like the Roman dramatists, but my perennial favourites are the great Greek Tragedians. 

Never mind.‘Amphitryo’ and ‘Pot of Gold’ by Plautus, the Roman dramatist had enough meat for the young people to interprete in their own terms. The dramatic irony, especially in the first play, provoked chuckles of mild laughter here and a visible enjoyment in the turn of events there. However, I wonder whether these plays had any relevance to present day audiences, let it be adults or children. But the main thing is to inculcate a taste of the classics amongst even a choice lot. 

That way the producers and directors and the players need to be encouraged. While the first play, ‘Amphytrio’ was performed well on the stage, I felt the second play, ‘The Pot of Gold’, was seemingly less dramatic and uneventful with long stretches of verbal mouthings. The element of drama was sadly missing and one might say, it was ‘boring’ a little.Now, let’s see what the scholar in Western Classical Civilization, Damaris Wickramanayake, says about this endeavour.“Plautus was regarded by the Romans as their greatest dramatist. 

Like other Roman playwrights he borrowed plots and dramatic techniques from greek authors. His plays written in verse were often farces marked by cases of mistaken identity and opportunities for slapstick and he popularized such character types as the braggart soldier and the cheeky slave... The plays are light hearted and lend themselves for adaptation to a modern audience...”We learn that several senior students including Lakshika Gamage, Niluka Gunawardena, Sonalini Gunasekera, Rithu Fernando and Kesara Ratnavibushana helped in the production. 

The souvenir published on this occasion also had a note on Plautus (c.254-184 B.C.), Background to the Plays and an introduction by Kesara Ratnavibushana and Nishok Goonasekera.Now to the actual playing. Theatre is an actor’s art is the general contention. And here the play has its constraints for a full-fledged acting performance. But the playing by Roshith Perera as Sosia was inimitable. 

I remember seeing him perform well in “South Pacific” too. At the same time Nuwan Ediriwira as Mercury was also scintillating with swift changes in facial expression. Apart from these too, Sadath Iqbal as Jupiter had his own style of delivering his lines. Aruna Dayananda was adequate in his role as Amphitryo. Saira Macan-Markar, though not sensitiveless could have had a little more poise in interpreting her bewilderment. However she drew the attention of the audience with her simplicity.‘Pot of Gold,’ the other production featured students from Form 1 to 3. 

I must admit that I became a little tired witnessing the ‘staginess’ of young people, who did their best. And the list of players includes Rosmany Arrowsmith, Kahil Nooramith, Tarika Jayaratne, Arvinda Atukorala, Aparna Surendra, Viren Dissanayake, Charya de Silva, Thimal Kollure, Edward Samarasekera and Amirally Abdulhussein and a few others.My feeling was that the choice of this play could have been avoided and another hilarious play by Plautus would have been chosen in view of the ages of these players.In conclusion, I wish to suggest that the drama club of the school choose plays by Lorca or Tennessee Williams or even Wole Soyinka which could depict contemporary themes. 

I noticed Haig Karunaratna in the audience, who could even write plays for the school’s needs and even direct them to the joy of serious theatregoers.

Ihalagama - the self taught artist

by Arundathie Abeysinghe

Hailing from Pothuhera in Kurunegala K.C. Ihalagama had a fascination for art from his childhood and developed the talent being a self-taught artist. His ambition was to choose Fine Arts as his career but there was objections from his parents (His father was a lawyer) who wanted him to choose an Administratative job.But even while he was employed at Ceylon Mineral Sands Corporation (where he worked for 30 years) he devoted his leisure in painting and improved his talent.In 1977, he had the opportunity to exhibit his paintings in San Francisco and in 1979 in Zurich and in Frankfurt where his paintings were admired by many leading personalities.Ihalagama has held five exhibitions in Sri Lanka, first exhibition in 1975 at Taj Samudra followed by four exhibitions at National Art Gallery and at Alliance Francaise. 

His first exhibition abroad was in San Francisco in 1977 followed by another in California at the Vaconza Cultural Association in the same year. In 1979 Mr. Hanz Werner (Art Director of Zollikon High School in Zurich) organised an exhibition and it was very successful. 

The same year he had another exhibition organised by another friend in Frankfurt and it too was successful attended by a large gathering of art lovers.His medium of painting is only water colours and his art is influenced by Buddhist and Hindu culture; his areas of interest being temples, dagobas, statues etc.His works of art are mostly in France and Germany and at present he works for a Private Art Gallery - Rubeya Fine Arts Gallery in Berlin.In Sri Lanka, Ihalagama exhibits his arts at Hilton Art Gallery (Mr. Senaka Senanayake has permitted him to display his paintings there). 

Most of the critics of art are of the opinion that he follows the style of George Keyt and his paintings are influenced by Keyt paintings.According to Ihalagama Keyt’s paintings had a turning point in his life but he doesn’t like to absorb his tradition completely, although he has a lot of regard for him as a world-acclaimed artist.

Ihalagama is of the opinion that Sri Lanka does not have a good environment for artists and we have only one Art Gallery (although there are many private galleries which are limited only to the affluent artists). Therefore our artists need a lot of encouragement and their talents should be recognized.

Cosmic sexuality

Patrick’s paintings exhibition is now on at the Barefoot Gallery till April 7 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

“The whole universe is both Siva and Shakti. The supreme essence of the universe made everything male and female, feeling and action,

Life is the result of this universal act

Those who cannot understand this, cannot comprehend Lingham.”- Sivagnanasittyar

Patrick Morin has been living in Sri Lanka since 1986. He was born on 1962 in Brittany, Western France and is of Celtic origin. He studied English from Rennes University and graduated in Tamil language and Indian culture from the National Institute of Oriental Languages in Paris. He started painting in his twenties, after he arrived in Sri Lanka. He did not receive any formal education in art.Patrick considers painting as a way of searching and trying to reach the divine. 

His painting space involves Hindu and Buddhist religious philosophies, especially Tantric philosophies.Tantrism is a collection of unconstrained symbols. It explores the body in its physical and spiritual meanings and forms. Sex and sexuality are prime symbols in Tantric philosophy. It considers copulation as the symbol of worship of the supra nature or supreme bliss. Sivalingham is considered to symbolize copulation as cosmic sexuality. Patrick mostly handles the Tantric symbols of Lingham (Siva/Male), Yoni (Nature/Shakthi) and Snake (Kundaliny) in his paintings.

These were represented through physical forms in his earlier paintings, especially in the mask series. Patric’s paintings now express them through their formless symbols (‘Pancha lingham,’ ‘Om shahti Om’).Supra nature’s mantra body (world of energy) and physiological body (world of matter) are important parts of the tantric philosophy. Patrick expresses the vibrating sounds of the incantations (mantra) through the use of Tamil and Sinhalese scripts into the painting space. 

They are usually represented as the Kundalini and as the Yoni. (‘Siva lingham with lingha mantra as yoni’).These symbols of incantations are placed in the painting space using a lot of colors and ornamental details. They become an important part of the decorative patterns. Patrick’s Celtic background may be the reason for the dominance of such decorative patterns as Celtic art is a pattern-centered form of art. 

Celtic art brings many symbols into painting including letters. Where the colors are concerned Patrick does not seem to depend only on the primary colors of tantrism (violet, red, white, etc.). We may say his attraction for bright Celtic patterns as well as his attraction for Indian tribal arts have directed his handling of colours.

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