Long before I see them, I hear them. The Namel Malini Punchi Theatre is curiously empty this Saturday afternoon. The golden hued walls, the ever familiar masks giving me their friendly smiles, the lush green foliage all around me seem to be surrounded by a sense of mystery today.
The door to the auditorium is open. I peep in and realize there is no one there either. Then I hear it...the delicate sweet song of a woman, a short musical interlude, followed by a rich, deep baritone. The mesmerizing sound seems to come from above me, from the realms of the gods. It feels as though I am eavesdropping on a celestial performance held in the skies.
When Malini Weeramuni comes towards me, wraps me in a warm embrace and takes me upstairs, I realize I am not far wrong. Yes, the gods and goddesses are singing: Rama, the incarnation of Vishnu, is taking a walk with Sita, the avatar of goddess Lakshmi. The next minute he stops in mid-stride. So does the music. All heads turn towards me – the mere mortal writer among a crowd of angels and yes, demons!
With burning cheeks, I walk across the floor to make my way to Namel Weeramuni who is directing his latest play seated on a chair at the far corner of the hall. Behind him are the other performers and the orchestra led by the veteran musicians Jayantha Aravinda and Lionel Goonetilleke. I kick myself for disrupting the scene unfolding between Sita and Rama with my undramatic entrance. But to my relief, everyone welcomes me into their midst with warm greetings and soon the rehearsals continue: Rama and Sita dance their way through the forest of Panchavati. Their movements graceful, their voices blending in perfect harmony. Here then is the epitome of perfect love.
Before the next act begins Namel Weeramuni turns to me. “The part you just saw is written by Prof. J.B Disanayaka,” he explains. Then he gives me a printout of another script and smiles. “This is the last part of the play. The last part is written by me. So, this play, ‘Ravana Seethabilashaya’ has a collaborative script written by Prof. JB and me.”
Demon king
While Professor Disanayaka’s masterpiece written when he was still a student, vividly and brilliantly brings to life the story all of us know as the Ramayana, regarded as the greatest of all devotional Hindu epics, Namel Weeramuni in the last scenes of the play gives a twist to the story, portraying Ravana, the King of Lanka in a new light – a light that brings out the best in this hitherto blackguarded ‘demon king.’ Needless to say, it takes a brave playwright to rework the epic with the audacity Namel Weeramuni employs. “My version of the Ramayana reveals what Valmiki failed to see”, says Weeramuni.
The combination of these two well-crafted scripts is brought to life with perfection by Rajitha Hevathanthrige. Tall, lithe, outwardly ruthless, inwardly tender and passionately in love with Sita, Rajitha’s tough-shelled but empathetic Ravana stirs the heartstrings of not only the audience but that of another protagonist in the play. The identity of this particular character, however, is for me to know and for you to discover when the play goes on the boards of the Punchi Theatre on 4th, 5th, and 6th October, 2018.
Talking about his role as Ravana, Rajtha raises his head high, adopts a royal stance and gives an evil grin. “I play the Veddha King in Maname. I’m the Lion in Sinhabahu. I thrive on playing the character of the villain. I love being a villain!” If not for the sparkle of laughter in his eyes, it’s easy to end up believing him.
Surangi Kosala’s Sita is in some ways the conventional archetype for all Indian and South Asian women, a role model created by a predominantly patriarchal society. Yet, in “Ravana Seethabilashaya” Sita is also a flesh-and-blood presence, a young woman in distress. Speaking with me during a break, Surangi admits playing the role of Sita was an overwhelming challenge. “I wanted to do justice to the character of Sita and I even sought strength from the celestial powers above. Before I started to play this role I paid a visit to the Sita Amma Kovil in Nuwara Eliya.” Having already acted in Nattukkari and familiar with the way Namel Weeramuni directs his crew, Surangi’s rendering of Sita is enough to renew one’s faith in the future of the local theatre.
Mythical characters
Along with Chaminda Mirihagalla as Rama, Nihari Somasiri, Nilakshi Halapitiya, Kasuni Ranasinghe who intermittently play the role of Ravana’s mother, Saman Liyanarachchi as Lakshman, Guvani Uvindya as Suparnika, Sugath Maithri as Vibhishana, and Amith Prasad as Hanuman the cast of Ravana Seethabilashaya give life to mythical characters in ways we do not ordinarily get to experience in stylized drama. No doubt their performance is enhanced by the choreography of Akila Palipana, the powerful voices of the three narrators: Mahesh Rajaguru who shows signs of another Wijeratne Warakagoda in the making, Nihari Somasiri, Nishantha Ajith Kumara and the chorus: Darshana Perera, Manjula Horawila, Dasun Niranga, Tharanga Dilshan, Ravindu Sandaruvan, Akalanka Welagedera, Devmini Dodangoda, Chamini Shyamali, Kaushi Keshala and Tharushi Shasini as well as the dazzling costumes designed by Jagath Kosmodara and Malini Weeramuni.
As I watch the play unravel I realize the love and camaraderie between the actors, befitting the theme of the play, are as intricately wrought as the gentle transitions from instrumental interludes to sudden, dramatic silences at crucial moments of the play.
Elaborate costumes
Even though Malini Weeramuni who has often been the heroine in a number of plays directed by her husband is not on the stage in Ravana Seethabilashaya, her presence is seen in the elaborate costumes, the picturesque armour and the cheerful, homely atmosphere that prevails on and off the stage. She is, no doubt, as important as the crew, for she is the mother they turn to for comfort and encouragement - she is, mother earth, personified.
Important, too, is this lovely fact: War plays virtually no role in Ravana Seethabilashaya. Because surprise, surprise: Namel Weeramuni does not wish to solve the conflict between Rama and Ravana by making them take up arms against each other. And so, the new saga of the Ramayana ends with hope – hope for humanity, hope for peace and love among all living beings...paving the way for a new kind of hero. To steal a quote from my father who summed up the script so succinctly: “Here is a play that proves real heroes are those who prevent a war”.
By the time the last chords mingle with the gathering dusk and it’s time to end the rehearsals I bid farewell to the amazing cast of this amazing play. There is no doubt in my mind that just when there seems nothing new in the land of the lively arts, along comes something unexpected and wholly different. Dramatic coherence, human integrity, irresistible visual power, are all present in this outstanding work I have seen all year.
Catch you at the Punchi Theatre from 4th to6th October 2018, to witness a mesmerizing performance of a familiar text visibly refreshed by being seen from a humanist angle.
You will carry home a message revealed through a beautiful story co-authored by Prof. J.B Disanayaka and Namel Weeramuni, beautiful acting and beautiful music: a message, simple yet profound: Love has no boundaries.
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