Ravana Sithabhilashaya – a Musical, will go on the boards at the Lionel Wendt Theatre on January 18 at 3:45pm and 7pm.The play is jointly scripted by Professor J. B. Dissanayake and Namel Weeramuni. The latter has directed the play.
Music compositions and training are done by two award winning veterans, Jayantha Aravinda and Lionel Gunatillake. Choreography is brilliantly created by young and talented Akila Palipana. Cast is of veteran actors of great heights – they are being Rajitha Hevathantrige, Surangi Kosala, Chaminda Mirihagalle, Nihari Somasiri, Nilaksi Helapitiya, Guvani Uvindya, Saman Liyanarchchi, Mahesh Rajaguru, Sriyani Rupasinghe, Nishanta Ajith, Amith Prasad and a host of others, altogether thirty-one in the play. Malini Weeramuni created appropriate costumes for the cast to enhance the dignity of the play.
“There is a vigour and newness about Weeramuni’s production. The head dress of turbans commonly used in Sinhala stylized plays is eschewed. The long flowing costumes of the chorus are more ancient than Sinhabahu and are appealing. The handling of the chorus was impressive. The lighting was managed beautifully. The creation of the impression of fire was spectacular. Visually the production was not merely pleasing; it was a treat.
The grandeur of Ravana reduced images of Rama and Sita. The musical direction by Jayantha Aravinda and Lionel Goonatillake was beyond praise. Song, dance and spectacle – the production used the resources available to stagecraft in 2018 with consummate skill. Ravana Sithabhilashaya is likely to go down in the history of Sinhala drama as a landmark stylised play of our times,” states Prof.D. C. R. A. Goonatilleke in a recent review of the musical.
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