Revealing Adrian's secret diary
By Ruwanthi Herat Gunaratne
Thirteen is not the easiest of ages as most young people will tell you.
For, it is the rough bridge between being a kid and a young adult. In the
case of Adrian Mole, 13, life was just simply 'tough'. But add to that
complex parents who find it difficult to believe that Adrian is 'theirs'
and the fact that Adrian himself is a hypochondriac and you've got the
perfect recipe for a drama full of laughs.
In the guise of a hilarious comedy, this play presented by the Elizabeth
Moir School which will shortly go on the boards at the Lionel Wendt deals
with the neglect, separation and the trauma this can bring to a young person.
But it is Adrian's search for intellectual status that is the play's main
focus. Romance wanders intermittently around Adrian, his parents split
up and cause absolute chaos  in
the home front - so for Adrian his outlet comes in the form of a diary.
"That truly is quite a different concept," says Simon Forshaw, the director
of the play, "for the story revolves around the entries that Adrian makes."
But Adrian's problems do not end there. The school bully Barry Kent
decides to haunt him, Adrian's first love Pandora starts going out with
his best friend, Nigel and stress appears in his life in the form of a
crusty old age pensioner whom he meets in the school's Good Samatarian
Scheme.
The cast itself though small and comparatively young, have immersed
themselves in the script. Adrian is played by Luke McDonnell while his
parents are played by Nadishka Weerasuriya (Pauline Mole) and Shaun Perera
(George Mole). "I basically play a classic nerd," laughs Luke, "comedy
is in the fact that the entire family is so very different from each other."
The entire play though originally set in England has been transported
to Colombo to give it that local edge. "We've altered the script to suit
Sri Lanka to some extent," said Simon. Judging by the school's past performances
- Oliver, The Crucible and A Few Good Men, the play should be a guaranteed
success.
'The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole' based on Sue Townsend's original book
will be on November 16 and 17 at 7:30 p.m. at the Lionel Wendt Theatre.
It is sponsored by Uswatte Confectionery Works and tickets are available
at The Elizabeth Moir Senior School, 15 Guildford Crescent, Colombo 7. |
