Players without a stage - Editorial

24 June 2012 06:30 pm - 0 - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

A A A

Theatres are for the performers and the audience. It is for them the stage is set. Not for white-clad politicians and their right-hands and left-hands. It is the audience that decides whether a play is good enough for an encore. And once a call comes from the gallery, a dramatist is honour-bound to keep performing, for it is the audience that breaks or makes them. Sadly though, here in the capital which hardly goes without one cultural event or the other, the drama-hungry crowds and the passionate performers are fighting an eternal battle with space due to the limited number of theatres and their pathetic conditions.

The main theatres in Colombo, the Elphinstone, Tower Hall and John de Silva Theatre are managed by the government. While the Tower Hall and Elphinstone come under the ‘Tower Hall Foundation’ the John de Silva Theatre comes under the Cultural Affairs Ministry.

The doors of the Elphinstone were closed to the drama fraternity last July due to repairs that are yet to be completed. As a first step, all the seats were removed. Almost a year has passed and the Elphinstone is conveniently forgotten. The fate of the money allocated for renovations, is entirely another matter.

Tower Hall, on the other hand, cannot accommodate crowds due its air conditioning system that went out of order while a play was progressing. The John de Silva Theatre is no better. Since 2010, its lighting system had been giving trouble and over the past year or so it has been out of order. The government that promised to restore it has so far not made it clear as to when the upgrading will be completed. Lighting is not the only woe when it comes to the much-acclaimed venue, which is no better than an open air theatre. Whenever it rains, the sound of the water hitting the roof compels the actors to stop their plays half way through. Further, plays cannot be held at 3.30 pm because the sun light from outside seeps into the hall.

It is no secret that the recently opened Nelum Pokuna, which charges Rs. 800,000 per show per day, is far beyond the economic reach of dramatists. Built with the aim of promoting ‘local talent’ one wonders what kind of talent it really promotes given the fact that no independent theatre group or director has so far performed at the much hyped-about venue.

This leaves the Wendt, the only reachable option. Due to the state of the other theatres, there is an unending queue for show-dates at the Wendt - putting a strain on the management and staff and resulting in wear and tear of the stage.

At a time, when the audience gathers around theatre groups and good dramas have become a trend, it is sad that the high-heads, who pose with actors and directors at the award ceremonies and swear by their lives to promote local talent, play the statue at the predicament.

The wish, ‘break a leg’ does not seem valid anymore. It has to be modified as ‘break a house’, for to stage a drama, one should either be able to afford impossible theatre fares or needs to be an owner of one.

Order Gifts and Flowers to Sri Lanka. See Kapruka's top selling online shopping categories such as Toys, Grocery, Kids Toys, Birthday Cakes, Fruits, Chocolates, Clothing and Electronics. Also see Kapruka's unique online services such as Money Remittence,Astrology, Courier/Delivery, Medicine Delivery and over 700 top brands. Also get products from Amazon & Ebay via Kapruka Gloabal Shop into Sri Lanka

Comments - 0

Add comment
Comments will be edited (grammar, spelling and slang) and authorized at the discretion of Daily Mirror online. The website also has the right not to publish selected comments.

Players without a stage - Editorial

Comments - 0

Add comment

RECOMMENDED

‘Spike in blast fishing’ poses renewed threats to Sri Lanka’s marine ecosystems

UDA owned land in Thalawathugoda; UDA Minister Prasanna Ranatunga under the spotlight for forceful occupation of reserved land

Loss-making SMIB faces political pressure in recovering loans

Baltimore Bridge Collapse: MV Dali, SL authorities anchored in mystery?

Has Sri Lanka become a potential hub for the illegal wildlife trade?

Spotlight on Moragahakanda Development Project Moragolla villagers lose livelihoods and down to one meal a day

Ambitious Sri Lankan jobseekers ‘trafficked into Ukraine war zones’

Most Viewed in News

Gota fires back at Cardinal, rebuts allegations

Racing event tragedy leaves seven dead including eight-year-old child

Ranil Wickremesinghe caravan moves on despite barking dogs

Man who jumped off Sri Pada Uda Maluwa and went missing, found

Uma Oya Development Project inaugurated

Two racing drivers arrested over Fox Hill tragedy

MIRROR CRICKET

Sahan Arachchige to lead Sri Lanka ‘A’

Is Chamari Athapaththu Sri Lanka’s greatest cricketer ever?

Athapaththu back atop ICC Women’s ODI Batting Rankings

Chamari Athapaththu sets big goal for T20 World Cup

TODAY'S HEADLINES

Sri Lanka to establish new energy sector regulator

Cabinet nod to transfer China-built Mattala airport’s management to Indian, Russian joint venture

Sajith never attends dinners hosted by Ranil Wickremesinghe

One soldier dead, nine injured in road crash

Sahan Arachchige to lead Sri Lanka ‘A’

Dates confirmed for 78th Bradby Shield

SLAS appoints independent committee for investigation

Pakistan lose key players for last two T20Is against New Zealand