Check out CHECKPOINT

One of the most well-known theatre productions of recent times, is scheduled to now make its mark in Kandy, offering theatre-goers a rare dose of constructive criticism on a few telling Sri Lankan social issues. Though having toured abroad on numerous occasions and having fully impressed foreign audiences, this will be the first time the performance will be staged outside Colombo.

CHECKPOINT Three Strangely Normal Plays, a production by the Stages Theatre Group, will be performed at the Trinity College Main Hall, on September 15. There will be a matinee show at 2 p.m. and an evening show at 6 p.m.

Tackling issues related to the Sri Lankan socio-political situation, CHECKPOINT has always been created in difficult times. It was initially performed in Colombo in 2001 during the turbulent times of the pre-ceasefire agreement, and again in 2006 in the midst of great uncertainty and unrest. Having been well received wherever it was performed, audiences in Kandy too are sure to be impressed by this thought-provoking presentation of the complexities of human behaviour. While the show is organised by the Interact Hill Country Zone Committee and the Interact Club of Girls' High School, it is essentially a fundraiser, with the proceeds of the show being channelled to community service projects.

CHECKPOINT, directed by Ruwanthie de Chickera, consists of three plays, namely Last Bus Eke Kathawa, 24 Hrs and Forum Theatre. The production has toured in Lucknow, Varanasi and Bubhaneshwar (2005), Mysore (Bahuroopi National Theatre Festival, 2005), Delhi and Calcutta (Bharat Rang Mahotsav, NSD, 2007) and Chennai (The Hindu, Metro Plus Theatre Festival, 2007). According to Ruwanthie, substantial alterations in the production take place each time it is performed, depending on the size of the stage.

While Last Bus Eke Kathawa is a Sinhala play written by award-winning playwright Dhananjaya Karunaratne, it is translated into English by Shakthi Ranatunga, Gihan de Chickera and Ruwanthie de Chickera. A one man show set during the 1989 JVP insurrection, this contemporary classic conveys the reality of Sri Lanka's socio-political tragedy with remarkable humour and insight. This play has been performed by Gihan de Chickera since 2001 and has been well received in England, India, Japan and Sri Lanka.

24 Hrs was conceived by Ruwanthie de Chickera and the performance texts are compiled by Amal de Chickera, Ruwanthie de Chickera, Ayeshea Perera and Ruhanie Perera. This play is an exploration of incidents and events which took place in Sri Lanka from 7 a.m. on August 14 - 7 a.m. on August 15, 2006. Written within the discipline of Verbatim Theatre, 24 Hrs is a word-for-word reproduction of what was reported in the media (radio, newspapers and internet) during this day.

The third performance for the night will be Forum Theatre, which was devised by the director and the cast. Forum Theatre offers the theatre audience an opportunity to get involved in the making of a play as never before. The concept is simple - the actors perform a scene which is taken to a state of crisis and then stopped. The resolution to the problem is then in the hands of the audience.

The rest of the play unfolds according to the suggestions of the audience, made then and there. The ability of the audience to engage creatively and honestly with the characters and issues concerned, largely determines the success of the piece.

Stages Theatre Group first introduced Sri Lankan audiences to Forum Theatre in the 2001 production of CHECKPOINT. In the past, the issues addressed by Stages Theatre Group have included domestic violence, the ethnic conflict, bribery and corruption, mental illness and homosexuality.

The Stages Theatre group was formed by Ruwanthie de Chickera in 2000. The group works to expand Sri Lankan theatre through original plays, translations, bilingual plays, devised plays, tours and workshops. Stages strives to constantly push the boundaries of theatre, exploring new ways to create theatre, exploring new audiences for theatre and discovering new creators of theatre. Some of their past productions include "Two times Two is Two", "The Last Elephant", "Filling the Blanks", "The Mirror Making Factory", and "A Poet a Puppet and Papadam".

Going by some of the reviews from their most recent Chennai 2007 Show, audiences in Kandy can expect nothing less from this versatile and innovative theatre group:“To me, CHECKPOINT staged by the Stages Theatre Group brought to mind three stages of a canvas that an artist would work on. Last Bus Eke Kathawa was minimalist in its use of sets, lighting and the number of actors. The performance was indeed potent. 24 Hours was the next stage in the canvas where the artist tried different colours (lighting), sets (form) and characters. Dialogues and visual imagery began to take shape. In the third phase of the Forum Theatre, the canvas was completed by the artist. A crisis situation was presented to the audience for interaction.”