“Deck the What?”: Holiday humour with meaningful cause

Saturday, 11 January 2025 00:15 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

By Michelle Therese Alles

If there was any reason to complain about “Deck the What?”, it would be the length of the play.

With a duration of two and a half hours, many in the audience were unprepared for such an extensive show. But apart from that, the performances were full of heart and humour.

Presented via the different mediums of stand-up comedy, stylised readings, comedy skits, poetry and storytelling, Deck the What? – A Christmas comedy sketch delivered multiple jabs at the ridiculous expectations of a secular Christmas.

Staged as a charity initiative supporting 2,000 children affected by sexual abuse, the play by Anonymous Productions featured an exceptional lineup of performers, each adding a unique flavour to the evening.

Stand-up comedians Divakar David, Sathees Nadesan, Taniya Lewwanduwage and Yoshan Perera set the tone with witty jabs at the holiday season’s quirks and commercialism.

Acclaimed theatre personalities Indu Dharmasena, Sanwada Dharmasena, Sagari Wijesundara, Sean Amarasekera, Shanuki De Alwis, Reihan Stephen, and Marissa Jansz joined forces with fashion icon Gayantha Perera for stylised readings. They brought children’s letters to Santa to life with humorous interpretations, poking fun at life’s absurdities and Christmas wishes.

Veteran stage actor Arj Wignaraja delivered a poignant recital of a timeless poem about the Christmas truce during World War I, where warring soldiers paused to celebrate humanity. Media personality Danu Innasithamby added levity with a tongue-in-cheek reading about a Christmas UFO sighting, while World Vision Lanka National Director Dhanan Senathirajah explored the historical roots of Santa Claus, offering insights that were both educational and surprising.

A standout moment came from public figure and legal practitioner Aritha Wickramasinghe, who recounted the Director Angelo Pereira’s deeply personal story of the 2004 tsunami. This incredible story, blending humour and reflection, touched the hearts of the audience, who were called to observe a moment of silence – a unique gesture in a theatrical production.

The night also featured eight comedy skits, performed by Thushara Hettihamu, Kumudini David, Angelo Pereira, Shayne Brad, Salman Anverally, Sajini Shabbir, Achala Abayaratne, Amandha Amarasekera, Omesh Wijeratne, Thanurshan Rajarajan, Suren Mirchandani, Kovindu de Seram, and the four stand-up comedians mentioned before, along with six child actors Vicky, Odette, Vathsuka, Shamil, Ruvee and Kyle. The comical scenes sparked uproarious laughter from the audience.

All in all, the show delivered what it set out to do – liven up the Christmas mood. But at the same time, it gave us all something to think about as we reevaluate our priorities in life.

“This was an amazing opportunity to bring people together, and also for a lot of performers to step out of their comfort zone and perform in areas they were not used to. We got to have some performers – who have been in the theatre industry, but not considered acting on stage – tread the boards with this production. It was a tremendous moment for us to put together a group of like-minded people to engage in future productions. I consider “Deck the What?” to be a foundation laid for the future of Anonymous Productions,” said Anonymous Productions Founder and show Director Angelo Pereira.