‘The Mudaliyar’ returns to the Lionel Wendt!

Thursday, 22 March 2018 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Theatre lovers in Colombo are in for a vintage treat with the return of H.C.N de Lanerolle and Sooty Banda’s much-loved comedy ‘Well, Mudaliyar!’ to the Lionel Wendt stage – this time as an Amphitheatre production directed by Jaliya Wijewardene.

‘Well, Mudaliyar!’ is one of the best known English-language plays of Sri Lanka, alongside Prof. E.F.C. Ludowyk’s ‘He Comes From Jaffna’. First performed in 1933, it remains a firm favourite among the theatre-going public, with the lead roles having featured celebrated actors E.C.B. Wijesinghe and P.C. Thambugala, and more recently, Indu Dharmasena and Anuruddha Fernando.

H.C.N. de Lanerolle (1899-1990) was educated at Richmond College, Galle and received his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from Springfield College, Massachusetts. He wrote and produced several critically acclaimed comedies including ‘Fifty-Fifty,’ ‘The Senator’ and ‘The Return of Ralahamy’.

‘Well, Mudaliyar!’ was one of his early works, written in collaboration with renowned columnist and cartoonist E.M.W. Joseph (1914-1987). Joseph is best known for his columns ‘Take It Easy’ in the Sunday Times of Ceylon and ‘Think It Over’ in the Sunday edition of the Ceylon Observer, both written under his nom de plume “Sooty Banda”.

‘Well, Mudaliyar!’ focuses on the lives of a cash-strapped Mudaliyar (village headman) and his family in early 20th-century Ceylon. His son (a brief-less barrister) and daughter (a modern ‘varsity girl’) have both been educated on borrowed money. For the Mudaliyar, there is only one way to get out of debt - arrange good marriages for his children. But while he remains preoccupied with rank, Abraham the village notary – an old friend and creditor – has plans of his own. Equal parts diplomat, financier, marriage broker and humorist, it is he who plots, plans and creates the startling climax of the play. The production features Kavinda Gunasekara as the Mudaliyar, Yasal Ruhunage as Alwis, Shenilka Perera as the Mudaliyar’s wife, Barana Waidyatilake as Freddy, Sahan Wijewardene as Bandara, Anaz Badurdeen as Chandra, Shiwanthi Kahandaliyanage as Phyllis, Minoli Peiris as Emely and Jaliya Wijewardene as Abraham.

‘Well, Mudaliyar!’ goes on the boards at the Lionel Wendt Theatre from 23-25 March, from 7:30 p.m. onwards. Print and Online Media sponsors for the event are the Sunday Times, Daily FT, Daily Mirror and Life Online. Electronic media sponsors are Yes FM and Legends 96.6. Promotional partners are Drama Sri Lanka and decibel.lk and the corporate partners are FUJI Filters and SH Advertising. Tickets priced at Rs. 3,000, Rs. 2,000 and Rs. 1,000 (reserved) and Rs. 800 (balcony – unreserved) are now available at the Lionel Wendt box office and online via www.lionelwendt.org.