Janakaraliya alias Theatre of the People

After studying drama and theatre in 1974 under the veteran dramatists such as Professor Ediriweera Sarathchandra, Dhamma Jagoda, Gamini Haththotuwegama, Dr. Sunnda Mahendra De Mel and Professor Sucharitha Gamlath, Bandula Jayawardena Parakrama Niriella started his drama career as a pioneer member of the first Sri Lankan Street Drama group led by Gamini Hattottuwegama.

His first drama ‘Sekkuwa’ (Oil Press) was produced in 1976 winning several awards including best script in the State Drama Festival of that year. Since then Parakrama was engaged in creative activities in the fields of Drama and Theatre, Cinema and Television.

With the experience gained and knowledge acquired during these creative activities he submitted a concept of a Mobile Theatre to the Ministry of Cultural Affairs and the Department of Cultural Affairs, Sri Lanka as well as Drama Panel affiliated to the above State organisations in 1999. Due to problems within these State institutions the proposal was not implemented. With undeterred determination, in 2003, he launched the ‘Mobile Theatre’ concept through ‘Janakaraliya Theatre Arts Institute’. Since its initiation in 2003 Janakaraliya continues to accomplish boundless services to drama and theatre arts of Sri Lanka for 13 years.

Creating a precedence for friendly cohabitation and inclusiveness in a society inundated with communal conflicts Janakaraliya maintains a multi ethnic drama group successfully showing excellent result on social integration and inclusiveness during the past more than a decade. The institution has instilled novel trends from the main stream to grass root level of Sri Lankan drama and theatre. Transgressing the traditional proscenium theatre it has introduced ‘New Arena’ and ‘Open Theatre’ concepts attracting hundreds of thousands to drama and theatre. That was the first ever ‘Mobile Theatre’ introduced to Sri Lanka.

All the dramas produced by Janakaraliya are produced in both national languages (Sinhala and Tamil). As a result their dramas could be enjoyed by all Sri Lankans living across the country without language barriers creating a common space for all drama fans irrespective of their communal, religious or cast differences or language barriers. Janakaraliya has transgressed all barriers that divide societies.

Janakaraliya conducts programmes not only using Performance Theatre but also Applied Theatre for empowering marginalised communities across the island with especial attention for psychological development of children traumatised by war and conflicts. Janakaraliya spends two to three months in one district conducting range of activities in the area on development of theatre arts and using them as tools for achieving the goals and objectives of the institution promoting social integration and friendly coexistence.

During its journeys from district to district Janakaraliya has always conducted theatre arts programmes for the schools’ communities in the relevant districts. Programmes on drama performance and appreciation of theatre arts were conducted for school children while drama and theatre arts workshops were conducted for the teaching staff of schools. These theatre arts programmes were conducted in the regions of Anuradhapura (twice), Polonnaruwa, Trincomallee, Batticaloa, Ampara, Puttalam (twice), Hambanthota, Thangalla, Moneragala, Jaffna (twice) Homagama, Vavuniya, Mannar, Thambuttegama, Galle, Badulla (twice) Ampara, Mullaitivu and Chilaw.

Another main role carried out by Janakaraliya is training youth drama groups on all aspects of drama production. Four youth drama groups were trained by Janakaraliya in Hambantota, Nuwara-Eliya (Tamil), Anuradhapura, Batticaloa and Jaffna. They are engaged in drama production and performance regionally. Janakaraliya members are fine examples of training skilled drama groups sometimes engaged as trainer trainees. Most of such Janakaraliya members have become competent and skilled performers, directors, makeup artists and theatre lighting technicians winning highest awards at state drama festivals. They are also trained to work independently in all aspects of drama and theatre as well as to be resource personnel for workshops conducted by Janakaraliya.

Fame and prestige accolade received by Janakaraliya internationally by now is not forgettable. Janakaraliya has represented Sri Lanka twice in 2008 and 2012 at New Delhi International Drama festival performing ‘Charandas’ and ‘Payanihal’ dramas. Another special incident is shipping Janakaraliya Mobile Theatre to India for Kerala International Drama Festival to be used as venue (performing space) during the drama festival in 2014 for performing drama and musical programmes. ‘Janakaraliya’ drama ‘Hunu Wataya’ (Caucasian Chalk Circle) was also performed at the Mobile Theatre in Kerala, India. Janakaraliya represented Sri Lanka in Kolkata, India in ‘4th Kalindi Batayajon International Drama Festival’ and ‘14th Ritswik International Drama Festival performing “Payanihal’ and ‘Porisadaya’ dramas.

In addition Tamil language version of ‘Charandas’ was performed at ‘Chennai Chandralekha Dance Centre, University of Pondichari and ‘Parisei Thambiran Therukkutthu Manram’. Janakaraliya also had the opportunity to perform dramas ‘Payanihal’ and ‘Mandamai Uyeyir Eluppudal’ (Kamankuttu tradition) at the ‘Sakhna Drama Centre’ in Kirgizstan under the Asian Cultural Exchange Programme.

Janakaraliya was selected as one of the 10 best cultural groups in the Asia-Pacific region at the ‘Freedom to Create’ international competition in 2010. Taking into consideration the services rendered by Janakaraliya for the society for a long period of time The International Theatre Institute (ITI) affiliated to UNESCO has granted Cooperate Membership to Janakaraliya. In 2015 Janakaraliya was appointed as the secretariat of the “International Network of Theatre for Social Change” of ITI.