What’s in a name?

Veteran dramatist Rajitha Dissanayaka says that the name of a play makes a huge impact

 

Pic by Chandana Wijesinghe

Witnessing a stage drama is different from all other aesthetic experiences. It’s live and a fine theater production is capable of speaking to the heart as well as the brain of the audience. “Once a person experiences this wonderful feeling he or she will never abandon theater. This is why there is always a good turnout for a fine stage performance and why there is a group who looks out for a good stage play at all times,” said veteran dramatist Rajitha Dissanayaka speaking to ‘The Notebook of an Achiever’, about his voyage in the field of theater.

Dissanayaka passed his Advanced Level examinations in 1989 yet couldn’t enter the university the same year as the universities were closed due to conflicts that existed at the time. He believes that these experiences during this period of violence might have had an influence on his work. “Schools were closed for months and it was a period people feared for their lives. As students we had despised the government’s attempts to stamp down the riot,” he recalled. Rajitha had developed an interest in drama from schooldays at St. Mary's College, Chilaw. “When the schools were reopened, we wanted to seek a method to vent our frustrations. Drama seemed the ideal medium,” he said. Although he wrote a script, young Rajitha and his group of friends were not allowed to stage the drama in school under the circumstances.

However, during this period while killing time at home till the universities were reopened, he continuously wrote drama scripts and studied the subject. His first public performance, Sakwadawala was directed when he was a student at the Colombo University. His debut stage script was awarded the title ‘Best Drama Script’ in the Youth Drama Festival in 1994.

The young dramatist, motivated by this achievement, was able to give hope to the audience in an era they were losing their faith on stage plays, through Hansayintath Mang Asai (I Love Swans Also - 1996) and Mata Wedi Thiyanne Nadda (1999). Dissanayaka assured the audience of his capabilities when he staged Weeraya Marila staged in 2002. “Our drama team began to receive attention with Weeraya Marila. It was a career milestone. We were able to stage this drama over 100 times in the first round,” he reminisced. Weeraya Marila is the most staged drama among his creations and was awarded the best drama, best Director, Choreographer, Lighting and best script titles at the State Drama Festival 2002. His other plays, Sihina Horu Aran (Dreams Robbed -2004) and Apahu Harenna Ba (No return - 2009) were also selected as the best in many categories at the State Drama Festivals. Bakamuna Weedi Basiy (Owl on the street) was first staged in 2011 and his latest play Adara Wasathuwa (Love Object) will mark its first anniversary this year. Early in his career he also served as a program producer and a script writer for Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation.

Adara Wasthuwa

He believes that the name of a play has a huge impact on attracting a large audience. “I think that we can send the society a message through the title of the drama alone. It was during a period in which the integrity, corporation and peacefulness were absent from the society that we first staged Weeraya Marila. It was a frightful period that our idols turned out to be greedy, needy, swallowed by consumerism,” he explained how the name they used spoke of the existing situation in brief while the drama spoke about it in depth. “Sihana Horu Arang was directed in a period in which our dreams were actually robbed. The title states the obvious, yet when you watch the drama you’ll start to think whether you should just stay frozen while your dreams are robbed or whether you should make an attempt to secure your dreams,” he explained.

According to Dissanayaka the main responsibilities of a dramatist are to help the spectator look into their lives in depth, understand their lives, society and impart knowledge so that they will be intelligent enough to identify the changes in the process. “A dramatist can create a window through which to look out for what is happening. Looking out and taking actions is in the hands of the spectator. The dramatist can only set the background required for this understanding,” he iterated. When asked about the freedom of expressing their views on stage, he said that the dramatist cannot expect the society to grant complete freedom at all times. “There will be limitations. The support will not be the same, always. The dramatist has to understand this and work to the best of his abilities,” he said.

Commenting on the current limitations in society he said, “One cannot say that there aren’t any limitations to freedom of expression today. Although there are certain limitations, I believe, that the artiste should understand the circumstances and do their maximum within this frame.” He further said that an artiste should have the ability to produce outstanding creations, even within these limitations if they use their maximum creativity. “That is what we are trying to do,” he emphasized.

Bakamuna Weedi Basiy

Intellectuals criticize contemporary society for not giving priority to cultural activities, in their schedules. They say that this could devalue human life. Dissanayake too, lamented that abandoning the aesthetic activities will make a negative impact on society. “Most among us do not consider reading a book, watching a movie, going out for a drama or listening to good music as a human need. It is very unfortunate that these values are being ignored,” Dissanayake pointed out. He said that the society is made to believe that experiencing art is watching the television at night. “However we do not have state of the art facilities to experience fine aesthetics either. Not only western countries, even India has better facilities in each of its states. India has given priority to establishing good libraries, galleries and theaters,” he added.

He also said that none of the governments that came into power to date have given priority to nurturing these needs. However, according to him people of the country show a lukewarm interest on the subject that they don’t make demands on behalf of cultural requirements. “They can’t be accused of not demanding too when they have bigger problems to look into,” he exclaimed. “I believe that it’s essential that we demand cultural needs in parallel with other demands, or it will be too late if we wait until we find answers for our basic demands,” he said. “It is the duty of the institutions established to oversee cultural activities in the country. They don’t seem to do their duty,” he alleged.

He pointed out that this situation has a huge impact on theater and dramatists. He suggested that setting up mini theaters is one viable solution for lack of proper theaters. “We need at least three more fine theaters in Colombo and at least one theater in each major city,” he suggested. “There should be a proper plan to maintain these theaters in good condition while giving the dramatist the opportunity to issue tickets at a lower price,” he opined. As he explained, if there is a system to secure sponsorships and reduce the cost paid for the stage, the ticket prices will automatically drop. Theaters should be maintained. Watching a drama should be a pleasant experience. It would not become pleasant if the hall is too hot or lighting is poor,” he added.

“There should also be more space for aesthetics in the education system where children can be taught to be more sensitive to arts,” he said. He also emphasized the importance of encouraging dramatists to produce new autonomous and creative scripts and the effect of fine criticism and appreciation. “When I entered the field, the awards presented at the Youth Drama Festival as well as the State Drama Festival conferred recognition on budding dramatists. Today, it’s different,” he said. “If something can be done to give a hand to budding dramatists we recognize through drama festivals and award ceremonies to sponsor their theater productions, they will be motivated to produce better scripts,” he opined. He also mentioned that seeking sponsors is a challenge for not only amateurs, but veterans in the field. “This is why many veterans leave the field for other careers,” he said.

He also expressed his contentment on the participation of youth as audience. “I have been to many countries including France, Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Italy. The majority of their audiences are people who are well past their middle-age. Youth representation is very low,” he said. “Surprisingly, youth representation in our audience is very high. In fact the majority audience here is youth. A similar situation is noted outside Colombo,” he said. However, as he mentioned, their participation decreases when they mature in age and when they are faced with life’s challenges. “When they are young and free they can spend time as they please. When they get married and start families they are forced to drop their ‘cultural habits’ although they don’t want to. I have met many who complain that they can’t find time to go out for a play,” he said.

Sihinna Horu Arang

Speaking about the drama festival which is to be held no August 1, 2 and 3, Dissanayaka said that the theater lovers will be able to experience three dramas with three different themes at the festival. “However, all these themes are woven around contemporary society,” he said. “My latest play, Adara Wasthuwa which premiered a year ago at the same venue will be staged on August 2 celebrating its first year anniversary and also the tenth anniversary of Sihina Horu Aran,” he added. Adara Wasthuwa is a well-crafted drama that explores the ins and outs of human relationships in a society where political and economic gains override ethical concerns. “I think that the warmest wishes I received were for this drama Adara Wasthuwa. The audience loved it better than they liked the others. However, we plan to take a small break after a limited number of runs,” he mentioned.

Reminiscing ups and downs along his path, he said that he has tried his best to give the best and he still believes that the drama is the strongest medium he can use to convey his messages to society. Speaking about his future goals he said that he will make an effort to enhance the aesthetic quality in his plays and will try to find a way and provide the experience of stage plays to a larger audience. “Theater should be improved so that it becomes a better place to experience life, to become more content,” he concluded saying that he will continue to write better scripts as long as there is an audience to appreciate his work.