Muniyandi Kaalidas acts as "Charandas"

Building bridges through drama

Theatre of the People staged "Charandas" at Namel-Manel Punchi Theatre in Colombo on July 3rd 2006. "Charandas" was awarded the best Tamil adaption drama in recently concluded State Literary Festival.

The mobile theatre troupe travels from Colombo to Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa, Jaffna, Mullithivu, Mannar, Puttalam, Vavuniya, Trincomalee, Batticaloa, Ampara, Badulla, Monaragala, Matale, Kandy, Nuwara-Eliya, Kurunegala, Gampaha, Negombo, Chilaw, Kegalle, Ratnapura, Kalutara, Galle, Matara and Hamnatota. They stay in a place for maximum one month and stage dramas.

Dramatists and drama lovers believe that, it is timely to have more multi ethnic oriented drama around the country to create awareness about the other communities in Sri Lanka, and make a better understanding amongst them, and live in harmony.

Sinhala dramatists learnt Tamil language, and have the dialogues in Tamil

Theatre of the People builds bridges among the Tamil,Sinhala and Muslim communities

"I like to act in drama,especially stage dramas.It's a good effort to bring all the artistes from all communities on one stage.We have artistes from all communities in our group, and we have a very good understanding amongst us" says Thaashan Sham Paul,who acts as a Police officer

Thirty artistes participated in the drama

The audience say that,we are ethnically divided.And more dramatists should be brought from all parts of the island to one stage to unite the people

R.Sadagopan,journalist checks his images of the drama

Verni Theresa of Trincomalee acts as Queen

Dramatists from all communities share space on the same stage,without any discrimination

Dramas are being staged in other parts of the island as well

"I learn from my Tamil dramatists.It's a good experience to act together with dramatists form other communities" says Suneth Shanthapriya

"Charandas" won an award at the State Literary Festival

Muniyandi Kaalidas as "Charandas" and Thaashan Sham Paul as "Police Officer"

Dramas are staged in Tamil and Sinhala languages

The dramatists have visited the Tsunami hit areas, and staged dramas there