Jayalath Manoratne is an established brand name in the Sri Lankan visual industry. Amateurs as well as newcomers to the industry have quite a lot to learn from this senior thespian. In his recent stage productions, Manoratne always tried to educate the audience. Having recently obtained his doctorate, Manoratne continues in his attempt with his latest stage drama 'Handa Nihanda' (Voice and Silence). The production focuses on Sri Lankan singers since Gramophone era and the conflicts they have been experiencing. The play will be staged at the Lionel Wendt on March 2, 3 and 4.
Q: Unlike most busy artistes, you somehow come up with a new production from time to time. How do you manage to do so?
A: As sensitive artistes, we feel so many things. And as artistes, we need to express it. That said, however busy we are, we somehow find time to express our feelings. I have always enjoyed the writing part. When I get into grip with something, I need to put it into writing. I am determined to perform a new stage play at least every two years.
While being occupied in the industry, I try to find time to research for my creative projects. So despite my schedule, I find time for research and writing.
Q: Stage is a flourishing industry, despite the popular claim that it is not lucrative. What is your interpretation?
A: I have been in the industry for about 45 years. During that period, we could experience fluctuations of the stage drama industry. Crucial factors such as war took a toll on the industry. If you say that the industry is not lucrative, that means you have a commercial motif. True enough, the stage play industry is not lucrative. But you don't run into losses either.
For example when we take our stage plays to rural areas, we perform to an almost packed audience. There are people in rural areas who still enjoy going to theatre. On the other hand the Colombo also has an audience for the theatre. We had two performances of the 'Socrates' remake at the Lionel Wendt. And the audience is quite satisfactory.
Q: You are into classical theatre. Sri Lankan theatre is abound with laughter-based plays. They are subject to harsh criticism especially from the likes of you. Do you agree with it?
A: I do not think Sri Lanka has a proper criticism system. They just find faults with something and that is it. Nothing beyond it.
Q: Do you accept those laughter-based plays?
A: It is like this. In theatre, you come across three types: awful, general and masterpiece. In most western countries both comedies and laughter-based plays have standards. We also have that tradition. Mahasara and Mayadevi evoke laughter, and it leaves you enough room to think at the same time. On the contrary, most present laughter-based stage plays do not even have a proper script. The dialogues are mostly obscene. You laugh at that moment, and later you won't remember why you laughed in the first place.
Q: Like your previous play 'Sellam Nirindu', your latest production also focuses on knowledge. Why?
A: I believe that theatre should educate its audience. You should never leave the theatre empty-handed. Right now, the music industry and the musicians of this country face a crisis. We need to review the history of the industry. The audience gets a chance to be familiar with the history through aesthetic means such as music and dance. When you pass down knowledge through aesthetic means, it is quite effective. I am simply trying that strategy to educate the audience.
Q: Explain a bit more about 'Handa Nihanda'.
A: We used to have a rich music industry, especially since the Gramophone era - that is between 1900 and 1930. But then as time evolved, the musicians had to face many tragedies. The radio entered. The television entered. And today, we are in a whirlpool of media. Money becomes the most important thing over and above everything else. Where can the ingenious musician stand? The really talented musician cannot stand alone. I try to express my observation of this tragedy in the play.
Q: You always depend on your own script.
A: Like I said before, I enjoy writing. And also we are short of proper scriptwriters. Not that translated scripts are bad. But we need to have an identity of our own. Our theatre should reflect the identity of our own culture.
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