Colourful, side-splitting and racy, the distinctive combination of plays by Indu Dharmasena will be served up at the Lionel Wendt soon. Snow Knight and the Seven Chicks, promises to be as amusing as it sounds and it will be Indu’s second play built on a popular fairytale.
This production is a mish-mash of several fairytales, and the tale of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table, tied up with bits of relevant political issues in Sri Lanka.
The play is based on Gunther, who is the rightful heir to the throne of Bangalot, and his quest to claim his position as ruler, from his step-father. To find out if Gunther succeeds in claiming his throne, be sure to make your way to the Lionel Wendt on December10, 11 or 12 at 7. 30 p.m.
The show on December 11 will be presented by the Rotary Club Regal and the proceeds are in aid of their Community Service Projects. Media sponsors for the event are Daily Mirror and The Sunday Times, Channel One MTV and YES FM.
Retelling the story of that old favourite Christmas Carol
By Tahnee Hopman
On December 19 this year, Charles Dickens’ The Christmas Carol will have been in print for 167 years.
It is apt then, that on December 17, 18 and 19 the thespians of St. Peter’s College promise to show their audience why the story of Ebenezer Scrooge is still relevant today. Considering the immediate adaptation of the story in countless scripts and screenplays- the most recent being in 2009 by Robert Zemeckis- needless to say the Peterites have a daunting task ahead of them in bringing something new to the story.
When in 1843 the newly printed novel appeared on bookstands it made an instant impact on the Victorian audience who after a period of sobriety were experiencing a nostalgic interest in forgotten Christmas traditions and were only just cottoning on to the idea of Christmas trees and Christmas cards. The story has since been credited with restoring merriment and festivity to the Christmas season.
For the cast of the Peterite Christmas Carol however, the impact of the story they hope to tell will be somewhat different. Kanishka Heart, (19), and Iranga Mendis Wickramasinghe, (19), who take on the roles of Scrooge and Bob Cratchit respectively, look at the challenge as one which involves significant emphasis on characterization.
“A lot of thought has been given to how Scrooge has evolved as a character,” says Kanishka, explaining that the process has taught him a great deal about the influences which would have worked on the young Scrooge, resulting in his bitter, miserly attitude towards Christmas. “Portraying the role has been very interesting and challenging at times because of the varying emotions and the fact that Scrooge’s character is not a straightforward one.”
“Throughout the drama,” adds Iranga, “we also point out how even characters such as Bob Cratchit are instrumental in showing Scrooge how and where he should change; and that this is not done only by the ghosts or the shadows of what Scrooge is made to see.”
Directed by Jehan Bastians and Neidra Williams, The Christmas Carol takes the stage of the Lionel Wendt on December 17, 18 and 19. Tickets for the show are priced at Rs. 1000, 750, 500 and 300. The box plan is available at St. Peter’s College, and will be at the Lionel Wendt from December 1.
The Peradeniya Singers present Concertaid XI -Who Is The Baby?
Concertaid XI presented by the Peradeniya Singers is, as its name implies, for a worthy cause. The proceeds from these concerts will be devoted entirely to two charities—The Deaf and Blind School at Dodanwela, Kandy and the Retired Music Teachers’ Fund.
The concerts will be presented in Kandy on Saturday, December 4 at 6.30 p.m. at Girls’ High School Hall and in Colombo on Saturday, December 18 at 7 p.m. at St. Paul’s Church, Kynsey Road Colombo 8.
The concerts offer a satisfying experience for both choirs and audiences, with a wide range of choral music from ancient to contemporary, from the ethereal Sjolund arrangement of Silent Night to two exciting Christmas Spirituals with an Afro-American flavour, Go, Tell It On The Mountain! and Who Is The Baby?, a Native American Huron Carol, the appealing Shepherd’s Farewell by Berlioz, three pieces sung by the Kandy Junior Singers alone accompanying themselves with Japanese percussion instruments, and a challenging Trio by Saint-Saëns.
The Peradeniya Singers are joined in this concert by the Kandy Junior Singers, a group created for young people by Bridget Halpé and directed by her.
Carnatic arangetram
The Carnatic vocal music arangetram of teenage students Vijei Abindan and Apayakaran will be held at the New Kathiresan Hall, Bambalapitiya on December 4 at 5.30 p.m.
The boys are students of well-known Tamil vocalist Arunathy Aarooran.
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