Nov 22 2012.
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The cast and crew of Ariel Dorfman’s “Widows,” directed by Feroze Kamardeen are rehearsing in full swing for the play that is set to go on the boards from the 23rd to the 25th of this month.
To say the play deals with topical and overriding issues in the land, to say it is a succinct starting point for conversation would be a definite understatement! In a post-war backdrop that captures the traumatizing disappearance of men and the agony it elicits in their loved ones, “Widows” is a play that directs its audience to certainly not the most obvious remedies, but perhaps the most effective ones.
To an undisclosed community of women, claiming the distorted and tortured bodies that start floating down their river is the sole means of the closure that they desperately need.
On the contrary, allowing them to take possession of these corpses might give rise to an uncomfortable and dissident pressure on the influential oligarchy that commanded the war. Amid this collision of interests, arrives a captain, subservient to them in terms of rank, but with ideas that prove to be disturbingly deviant.
Set in this upheaval of political interests, the individual’s emotional pain and how it contributes to the larger context, is briefly, what Feroze’s production deals with. 
Feroze believes (cliché though it may sound!) that his determination is to make a statement rather than just entertaining. The issue discussed is relevant to not just Sri Lanka, but even in the global arena where military interests fail to coincide with political ones, and the emotional trauma of those alive becomes the easiest concern to overlook.
Feroze explains, “Like in this play, where the captain arrives and declares that his idea of rebuilding has much to do with fertilizers, crops and animal husbandry, confusing reconstruction with reconciliation is the most evident yet recurrent mistake that is made.”
Simply, what the women featured in the play want is something far more basic, “We need to recognize that the healing process can’t be short-circuited. A widow will hurt as much as anyone else who has any luxuries” he added.
Furthermore, closure is what the play deals with in a central way, “As human beings, we’re all aware of mortality. Death is difficult, but we eventually deal with it. But to not know whether or not it is death that you have to deal with is the ordeal.”
The claiming of the bodies, disfigured they may be, is conceivably the termination of this agony that the women undergo and the play attempts to arrest this emotional, yet politically motivated scenario.
Those who play leading roles spoke to Daily Mirror Life about the experience.
Wasaam Ismail - Acknowledges that it is a severely emotionally draining role to play, apart from being stressful. “It is by far the most challenging role that I have played. In fact, it is a
role that transforms within the play. From arriving with a past that I regret, I try to be revolutionary only to end up being something else.”
Wasaam, a fan of dark theatre revels in his cup of tea this time around despite his specific role being stressful, “There are thirty one-odd scenes and even if you are coming in just to speak a few lines, it is very emotionally demanding.”
Swasha Malalasekera - an old woman in her sixties who resorts to the riverside at the play’s beginning, only to be thought peculiar by the others, but is the first to spot the body that comes down floating.
“The main difficulty is the complete transformation of mind, body, gestures and delivering dialogue within the frame of this wasted woman. I love the role because I’m representing a whole lot of widows out there who don’t have a voice. Along those lines, it is a fulfilling role to play.”
Gehan Blok - who is decidedly opposed to the views of the new Captain. “I’m a political appointee in the play, and an incompatibility with the new guy could be detrimental.” As if on cue, he too admits that it’s an emotionally draining play to be part of, “I’m trying to portray as many dimensions as possible to this character,” one that could otherwise be thought of as exclusively arbitrary and manipulative.
“Nevertheless, I love the experience because it gives you the freedom to do whatever you want to. It is an aggressive role and I’m a fan of such. Being part of Dorfman’s play is a fantastic experience, this one in particular has tested areas that have never been tested before.”
Kimaya de Silva plays the role of Fidelia, - Granddaughter of Sophia. “It’s the youngest character in the play and she’s not a widow. Although not as emotionally attached to the cause, she’s very supportive of her grandmother’s claim.”
The nature of the role makes it an enjoyable one to Kimaya, “She’s a bold character willing to defy orders.” She finds the role emotionally draining as well, but attests she loves the writer, “The play is sort of symbolic and good for a Sri Lankan audience.”
Araliya Thevapalan - a character that has been drafted to make the play wholistic and downright realistic. Victim of an abusive, alcoholic husband who has been missing for the last seven months, she’s the only woman in the play who turns the situation around for her own advantage. And for such an attitude of infidelity, she becomes the outcast among the widows.
“Ironically though, I don’t get where I want to,” she enthuses. “Although it’s quite traumatic to put yourself into that role, it is one that makes the audience realise what some of these women go through. It adds a touch of reality and prevents any illusions.”
A fully geared cast is waiting to give their best shot at the play to be staged at the Lionel Wendt Theatre from November 23 to 25 with Dino Corera as narrator, along with Bimsara Premaratne, Sulochana Perera, Haseeb Ahamed, Viranthi Cooray, Shiwanthi Kahandaliyanage, Dinoo Wikramage, Shanila Jayasinghe, Sonali Fernando, Amali Fernando, Nisi Moonesinghe, Rebecca Munasinghe, Neluka Silva, Yashoda Suriyapperuma, Feroze Ahamed, Sashane Perera and Niren Neydorf.
“Widows” is produced by Sirraj Abdul Hameed and is an amateur production by StageLight&Magic Inc., under licence from Samuel French of U.K.
“Widows” is strictly for adults only. Box plan and tickets are available at the Lionel Wendt. The play is sponsored by South Asian Technologies. Yes FM is the official Radio partner. The Sunday Times, Daily Mirror and Daily FT are the Print Media sponsors of the event.
By Nivedha Jeyaseelan
0 Comments
santhush says:
Nov 23, 2012 at 11:45 amSo are these porn actors and actresses for it to be "strictly" for adults?
Gunapala says:
Nov 23, 2012 at 06:54 pmVery interesting. Mr. Dorfman, best known for the suspense drama “Death and the Maiden,” is among the more politically engaged playwrights and novelists of the last few decades.Once a member of Salvador Allende’s administration in Chile, he went into exile when Gen. Augusto Pinochet seized power. In his writings since, he has evinced a profound sympathy for the suffering of the oppressed in countries ruled by totalitarian regimes.“Widows,” adapted from his 1983 novel of the same name, depicts th
Gunapala says:
Nov 24, 2012 at 05:31 am#santhush - Your comment is very juvenile & vulgar. This is a serious play, not suitable for children & they would not comprehend the subject matter, this is meant for adults.. In the story a brutal conflict has come to an end, with the ruling class victorious and the military in firm control. In a country village women await news of the dozens of men taken captive by the army, supposedly for being involved in the rebellion or for holding dissident views. But the only sign of the lost is a corps
manpei says:
Nov 25, 2012 at 11:35 pmNo but the story has an adult theme and is not very suitable for children.
sanju says:
Nov 26, 2012 at 06:10 amextracted from a 2008 New York Times review review of this play Ariel Dorfman’s “Widows,” having its New York premiere at 59E59 Theaters, is the kind of play that makes you feel bad for being bored.
Mr. Dorfman’s compassion for the suffering of the women is palpable, as is his contempt for the brutal tactics of the military men. But he has failed to translate his moral and emotional responses to these historically inspired events into compelling or even convincingly truthful drama.
Th
Gunapala says:
Nov 29, 2012 at 08:41 pm#sanju; What do you expect from a NY theater critic but a somewhat negative review of this play. Now with the freedom of information act, we all know that the CIA was complicit in most of what happend in the South American countries, where right wing dictatorships overthrew democratically elected governments and installed pro American military governments such as in Chile, Guatemala etc. There were massive human rights abuses in these countries. Right at this moment there are court hearings in A