The hope fulfilled

For a play to have a continuous run for 60 years is indeed an achievement. The players naturally change from time to time but the play goes on. This is the record of ‘Maname’, the epoch-making production by Dr. Ediriweera Sarachcnadra, who has been generally acclaimed as the pioneer of modern Sinhala theatre. 

The university don from the days of University College in the 1930s, he joined Professor of English, E.F.C. Ludowyke to give the local theatregoer something new, something more meaningful than the Minerva plays which were dominating the theatre. 

From A-F in the English alphabet – ‘Apparition’ (‘Avataraya’) to ‘Fanatic Faith’ (‘Umathu Vishvasaya’) – Minerva Theatre-group headed by B.A.W. Jayamanne gave the theatregoers something different from the Tower Hall dramas based on historical themes. Critics in the latter period did not consider Minerva plays as ‘real theatre’. The void was filled by the Sarachchandra/Ludowyke combine.

In the early 1940s, Sinhala adaptations of well-known Western drama were staged. ‘Mudalalige Peraliya’ based on Moliere’s ‘La Bourgeois Gentleman’ was followed by ‘ Kapuwa Kapothi’ (1945) based on Gogol’s ‘The Marriage’. E.C.B. Wijesinghe who had made a name for himself in English theatre made his presence felt in the Sinhala theatre in ‘Kapuva Kapothi’ with a fine performance. Among the other players of repute in that era were A.P. Gunaratne, Richard Thenabadu, W.J. Fernando, Eileen Sarachchandra and Damayanthi Dunuwila.

After several other plays that got a mixed reception, Sarachchandra produced ‘Pabavathi’ (1952), the story in Kusa Jathaka. The play had a touch of folk drama like ‘nadagam’ and ‘sokari’ though it had straight dialogues. That was also where Sarachchandra met Charles de Silva Gurunnanse from Ampe who was to help him in producing ‘Maname’. He produced ‘Mamne’ in consultation with Gurunnanse who also provided the traditional melodies.

Four years later came ‘Maname’ which reputed critic Reggie Siriwardena hailed as “A hope for Sinhala theatre”. As a regular playgoer who had seen most Sinhala drams he confessed that his hope that someday something would turn up which would give him hope for the future of Sinhalese theatre was fulfilled. 

“As far as I am concerned, this is it,” he wrote in a review in the Daily News three days after the first performance of ‘Maname’ at the Lionel Wendt on 3 November 1956. There weren’t many who did not agree with him.

As stated in a note in the souvenir, the production was an attempt to make use of the popular story in the Culla Dhanuggaha Jataka not as a Kavi Nadagam or Kolam, two types of village folk plays, but for another traditional dramatic form known as the Nadagama, which is operatic throughout with a definite convention and style of its own. “Though rooted in the basic conventions of the Kavi Nadagam and Kolam, it is yet too sophisticated to be called a folk form,” the note said.

It added: “The aim of our experiment is both to explore whatever potentialities a traditional form may possess in our search for an indigenous traditional in drama, as well as to bring to light another type of play which may be enjoyed on its own merits. It is so hoped that in the process, a body of music which could lay more claims to being national than the music of Nurtiyas would also be preserved and enjoyed by people of today.”

‘Maname’ has not only been the talking point in the years that followed but also academics were to delve deep into it. Delivering the Sarachchandra Memorial Oration once on the music of Sarachchandra plays, Professor Walter Marasinghe recalled how he kept Gurunannse at home and got him to sing songs from numerous nadagamas. He then picked the melodies he liked. However, the tune of the most popular song in ‘Maname’, ‘Premayen mana ranjitave nandita ve’ was borrowed from a Christian hymn. The song ‘Diriyen yuda kala’ was an improvement of a tune from Sandakinduru kavi nadagama. 

I have not seen the recent versions of the play but judging from its unbroken run, obviously the crowds still enjoy ‘Maname’ as we did 60 years ago.