Before Freddy bade goodbye to the nation, he made the audience realize the grave realities they are living in. The performers, Adin Mathitharan, Nisal Katipearachchi, and Dilini Perera took the audience down memory lane, from flashbacks of memories during the ethnic conflict to how people themselves voted in inefficient regimes over the years and the way they have justified their own shortsighted decisions.

Touching base on geopolitics and how Sri Lanka looks up to her Big Sister India to how everything goes well until Sri Lankans are mistaken for Indians in foreign countries to the ever-so-famous school jokes to the typical Sri Lankan goodbyes to how know-it-alls in Colombo’s elite parties discuss about legal topics to the draconian implementation of the Prevention to Terrorism Act the performers did mesmerize the audience with fits of laughter along with points to ponder. The songs added more glamour and context to the performances and it was quite heartening to listen to the tunes of late Sunil Perera’s songs, with few lyrics tweaked to fit the show. The performances were supported by Nishantha Warnakulasuriya, Denham Hakel, Shalintha Rodrigo, and Charith Fernando along with the music. 

Towards the end of the show a few guests had this to say :

Iqbal 

It was a good show and I liked both Dilini and Nisal’s performances.

Shihama

We enjoyed it and it was a lovely show. All performances were good but I loved Dilini’s the most.

Soni 

It was a lovely show and I loved Dilini’s performance the most.

Michelle 

It was really great and very funny. I don’t speak Sinhalese much but I did understand what they were saying. All performers had variety and something different to offer.

Ameerah

I thought it was brilliant and reflective of the situation in the country as well. The three of them were really good but I loved Dilini’s performance the most. I thought the message she delivered was so poignant. In addition to it being standup comedy and the songs and the message of goodbye nation really resonated.

Savithri 

We are truly a paradox isle.  We don’t see beyond our shores literally, we don’t see warts nor that frog-in-the-well attitude that is so much a part of our DNA. In Freddy Goodbye Nation, Feroze Kamardeen laid it all bare, with liberal doses of puns, satire, humour, and clever song compositions.  But writing is one thing, delivery is another.  And this is where the prowess of three young stand-up comedians came to the fore. I’ve seen all three before but this time, they were honed, almost to perfection. Adin Mathitharan’s coma-waking aunt’s astute perspective of a war that never ended paralleled our current day woes, Nisal Katiperachchi’s extraordinary mimics of Sri Lankan leaders we now wish we never had (with a tribute to the much-missed Sunil Perera in a duet with his brother Piyal), and Dilini Perera’s take on the misguided PTA among a host of other chapters in our history seamlessly woven into delightful monologues, had the audience rolling with laughter.  

The venue lent itself to the making of an unforgettable evening, as did The Freddles, whose music was en-pointe.  Thank you Team Freddy – given the never-ending comedy we have on Sri Lanka’s political stage, we look forward to more!”

Freddy 5 : Goodbye Nation is written and directed by Feroze Kamardeen and will be showcased on August 10, 12, 13 and 14 at the Meow Comedy Club, Galadari Hotel from 7.15pm onwards.

Pix by Pradeep Dilrukshana