Dikkumbura’s ‘Kolam Karayo’ to take stage on Nov 21

Drama director and actor Sarath Dikkumbura keeps coming up with great ideas for dramas. This time, he has done an adaptation of the play ‘Marriage’ written by Ukrainian writer Nikolai Gogol. He has named the adaptation ‘Kolam Karayo’.

In the play, Dikkumbura highlights the issues faced by society due to the presence of homosexuality and other sexual orientations, which are considered outside the norm. “In the drama ‘Kolam Karayo’, I’m underscoring the need to propagate the study of sex education,” said Dikkumbura. 

The maiden show of the drama ‘Kolam Karayo’ will be staged at the Nawaloka Hospital auditorium (14th floor) on November 21 (Friday), starting at 6.30 pm. 

Sarath Dikkumbura

He said that there is a need to do adaptations of foreign dramas because the line-up of the old Sinhala dramas shown to children here in Sri Lanka is fast getting outdated and boring to audiences. He said that this is the feeling when old dramas are shown to schoolchildren, undergraduates and general audiences around the island. “I’m not saying that old dramas must be removed, but a new drama, never shown before, which is chosen to be presented, can refresh the minds of the youth and seasoned drama viewers, too,” he explained. 

Dikkumbura said that he has used comedy to enhance the appeal of his newest production. According to Dikkumbura, ‘Kolam Karayo’ revolves around four characters who portray people with different sexual orientations. 

The cast for the drama includes Cletus Mendis, Nayomi Thakshila, Shalika Edirisinghe, Medha Jayarathne, Ishan Mendis and Lasantha Dikkumbura. According to Dikkumbura, the drama is produced by Sudath Rohana, who lives in Italy. According to Dikkumbura, his drama also marks the first occasion when a ‘digital stage’ will be used for a Sri Lankan theatrical production. 

Dikkumbura maintains that dramas will never lose their value. “Dramas are so powerful that they can be used as great political weapons. A drama has the potential to even topple a regime,” he said.