Sandika Madushan

Sinhalese Play At
Ladies' College

THE Ladies' College Sinhalese Dramatic Society are to be congratulated on their production of "Kuveni", an adaptation of a play by Dr. A. P. de Zoysa, at the School Hall on Friday night. The main theme was that of Kuveni, woman not Yakkini, who was in love with Vijaya, and the portrayal of her subjects' reactions to her marriage with a foreign prince provided admirable comic relief.

It is not often that a Colombo school attempts to produce a Sinhalese play, perhaps owing to the unfortunate disadvantage of their pupils not generally being able to speak Sinhalese naturally and fluently; so it was a brave attempt, and the girls acquitted themselves very creditably. Kuveni (Manel Nanayakkara), was delightfully shy, tender and earnest, and she was so lovely to look at that one couldn't help feeling slightly disappointed at Vijaya's lack of appreciation. Anandi Kumarasinghe, as Vijaya, acted a difficult role commendably, but she was perhaps just a shade less impressive than she might have been.

Kuveni's match-making uncle was convincingly portrayed by Iranganie Goonesinghe, but to me the most enjoyable scenes of the play were those in which the village men and women gathered to gossip about their Queen's marriage. They were most natural on the stage, and it was a pleasure merely to look at the bevy of pretty village maidens. Ranjini Jayasuriya provoked
many a laugh by her excellent acting as the old man of the village who yet wished to be thought young by girls. The best piece of acting, however, was to my mind that of Indrani Samarasinghe (also a villager), who really entered into the spirit of her role of gay bachelor. Christine Dias made an awe-inspiring priest.

The songs (specially written for the play by Sunil Shanti), had been skilfully introduced so that they fitted in quite naturally, and the dance in the coronation scene was gracefully performed.

8.2.48 62 A. A.