Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat directed by Jehan Bastians, Neidra Williams and Charith De Silva will be a one-of-a-kind musical for all theatre lovers. The story of Joseph and the eleven brothers in action will be unveiled next week at the Wendt. 

We spoke to some characters in the main cast including the narrator, Joseph, Pharaoh, and a few brothers, Naphtali, Reuben, Simeon, Issachar, Asher and an Ishmaelite played by Demintha Fonseka, Devin Randeniya, Sanith De Silva Wijeyerathne, Johann Perera, Mahesh Senaratne, Naresh Anthony, Julian Anderson, Ivan Saverus and Fabian Ananth respectively. 

   

(L-R) Demintha, Devin, Fabian 

Give a brief introduction about you. 

Demintha: I have been doing drama for about five years now in college. 

Devin: I have been involved in Peterite drama for eight years. 

Sanith: Back in school Jehan and I started the English Literature Drama Society and that’s when Jerome De Silva also started working with us. Out of that movement the Workshop Players were born and I worked with them in Phantom of the Opera, Oliver, Lion King and many other plays. The experience you get here on stage helps you in the long term. 

Fabian: I acted last in 2010 but I started drama by acting in Shakespearean plays. 

   

(L-R) Ivan, Johann, Julian 

Tell us about your role. 

Demintha: This is the first time I’m doing the role of the narrator and it’s very different because I am in the middle of the play and the audience. This play got me to appreciate theatre much more than the plays that I have done. It’s been a play of a lifetime. 

Devin: In this production I play the role of Joseph and the story circulates around me. From the beginning to the end my father loves me and it doesn’t occur to me that my brothers are jealous of me. I never realise any of this but after all the obstacles I had to face I finally realise that they have changed and have become more humble. I also realise that I too have changed in my attitudes and personality. 

Sanith: I play the role of the pharaoh. It is more or less a cameo role but the pharaoh is believed to be the most powerful man in Egypt. So when Joseph interprets his dreams, I promote him to one of the highest positions in my government. 

Johann: I’m Naphtali, the third brother. My character is basically a drunkard and while all the brothers work to get rid of Joseph I don’t really bother a lot. Some brothers don’t like the fact that Joseph is getting prominence. 

Mahesh: I play the role of the eldest brother, Reuben and I’m the most evil one. I’m also quite manipulative because I make all the other brothers to support me because I want to get rid of Joseph. 

Naresh: My character is Simeon, the second brother. I’m trying to be in good terms with everyone but whenever I hear the name Joseph I just hate it. Whenever I see him I want to punch him in the face. 

Julian: I play the role of Issachar who is a stereotypical muscle man who has a hidden agenda. I have hidden passion for magic but fails at it. The way I play it is that I’m the guy who gets persuaded by Reuben. My motivation is magic and I want to show it to my brothers. Then I get pulled in to Reuben’s ideas and turns out that I really don’t like Joseph too. 

Fabian: I’m involved in a couple of small roles in the play. I play the role of an Ishmaelite who buys Joseph from the brothers. We are looking at Joseph and we hope we were in his place. 

Ivan: I play the role of Asher and I have a very clumsy role. The general role for all the brothers is to have a character arc but I play a bit of a comical role. 

   

(L-R) Mahesh, Naresh, Sanith 

What are the other plays you have been involved in? 

Demintha: I have been involved with Shakespeare competition and the last production I was involved in was the ‘Christmas Wish’. I was nominated twice for the best performing actor role.  This play is fun and very eclectic. We get to enjoy different types of music genres and it’s very interesting. 

Devin: My very first production was ‘A Christmas Carol’ which was also directed by Jehan back in 2010. Then in 2011 I took part in a small concert produced by Indu Dharmasena and again I participated in Indu’s ‘Beauty and the Beast’ in 2012. In 2013 I took part in ‘A Christmas Wish’ which was a musical directed by Jehan and Neidra where I played the role of Peter. Then in 2013 and 2014 I participated in many Shakespearean plays and in 2015 I took part in the Royal Drama Comp and won the Best Actor Award. Last year I was a nominee for the Best Actor Award in the Shakespeare Drama competition. 

Sanith: What I’m mostly remembered for is my role as ‘Pumbaa’ in Lion King in addition to a few other major roles in other plays. That production was quite remarkable and people still come up to me and talk about it. I’m really happy to see my son following our footsteps and his first production was with the Workshop Players a couple of years back. 

Johann: I have worked with Jehan in the ‘Christmas Wish’. This play is quite fun with all the fun. Sometimes it’s tiring but it’s really fun. It’s nice to work with some good actors. 

Naresh: Before this there were two other productions done by Peterites, ‘The Christmas Wish’ and ‘The Christmas Carol’ where I too acted in. Besides that I have been a part of few other productions as well. 

Julian: I have been in Swan Lake, Bengal Bungalow which was my first speaking role. 

Ivan: The last time I got on stage was with Julian and Midsummer Night’s Dream, Les Miserables and Shakespeare in the park. 

What do you like about theatre? 

Demintha: Being part of something special makes me special and that’s why I decided to stay in drama. 

Devin: Theatre is a place where I leave my inhibitions and all my other obligations aside and be myself. I enjoy being with the cast where I get to meet people with different personalities. After all it’s fun and what I get to learn from attitudes to change of emotions and human nature is quite interesting. 

Sanith: Drama for me is madness. We do this for many months but we don’t get any incentives. But it’s a stress reliever and allows you to shut yourself away from the rest of the world and just be here and walk in somebody else’s shoes. 

Johann: I’m not a person who appears a lot in plays but it’s nice to come back to college again. 

Mahesh: It’s something we do for the college and we are trying to give back something for the younger generations. I don’t think all of us can teach them something but this opportunity is great. 

Naresh: Drama is more than a hobby and it made me who I am today and it has played a huge role in my life. 

Julian: Drama is my passion. 

Fabian: Drama for me is something more than acting. It is where we learn teamwork and a place where we appreciate each other’s work. 

Ivan: I find theatre to be a place where we can forget about reality and get in to another’s shoes. 

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When: January 25 - 29 
Time: 7:30PM onwards 
Where: Lionel Wendt 

PHOTOGRAPHS by Kushan Pathiraja