I found myself sitting in the auditorium of Colombo International School better known as CIS amidst a bunch of enthusiastic youngsters aged between eleven and sixteen. Naturally the kids were loud and had difficulty keeping their voices down but one stern warning from Vinodh Senadeera, the director of their upcoming production titled “The Play of Kes” had them quiet as lambs and quite attentive to each word that Vinodh said.

“The Play of Kes”  is based on the 1968 novel “A Kestrel for a Knave” by Barry Hines which was made into a movie in 1969 and ranked one of the top 50 movies to see by the age of fourteen as well as ranked 7th in the British Film Institute’s top 10 movies.

The play revolves around Billy Casper a young boy who is “bullied and tormented by his brother as well as all those who associate him at school making him quite depressed and troubled,” says Kenura De Alwis, 13 who plays the role of Billy. Billy is an avid lover of nature who manages to find a baby Kestrel in a nest at a farm, takes it home and manages to train the bird of prey which is usually quite a daunting task.

“His relationship with the bird gives Billy new hope in life and earns him the respect of his English teachers,” says Kenura. When questioned further about the intriguing role, not wanting to give away too much of the script, Kenura says, “People should come and watch the show because it gives them a wide insight into the stress and trauma caused by bullying to its victims.

Moving on and speaking about his experience with the production Kenura observed, "It is a truly amazing experience to work with Vinodh; although he is strict, the entire cast knows that he loves us very much and the cast is amazing to work with as well”.

Having a chance to speak to Vinodh for a few brief minutes during the technical run through of the show, I asked him why he decided to go with such a deep play for such a young cast, and he replied, “In many schools in present times bullying happens constantly and this play is acting as a learning curve for the children to understand that it’s not a nice thing to do and has opened their mindsets as well.” He added that he hopes that “people who come to watch the play also understand the message that is embedded within it and spread the word and help the younger generation stand up against bullying while learning that every child has their own unique talent and learn to respect that.”

I spoke to some of the other members of the cast and this is what they had to say about their roles and their experience with the show.

Viren Beruwalage, 15
(Mr Farthing)

Mr. Farthing is Billy’s English teacher and is the only teacher in school who understands what Billy is going through and his plight. I joined this production mainly because I wanted to be directed by Mr. Vinodh because he is one of the best in the field of theatre. I also have my O Levels coming up next year so this is something that can get my mind off of things before exam stress kicks in.

Deyhan Kamalgoda, 13
(Mr. Farthing)

It's tough to play such an old and mature character and it is hard to match up to Viren as well because he has had so much experience but I love the challenge. It’s fun to share the stage with people you know and feel close to.

Eshana Amarasinghe, 13
(Mrs. Gryce)

Mrs. Gryce is the headmistress and is someone who feels superior and powerful, therefore she has the tendency to walk over her students. I think she is quite an important character because the characteristics of the role contribute towards the theme of the play. People should come and watch the play because bullying is a plague in society that needs serious addressing.

Rahel Abayakoon, 13
(Jud)

Jud is Billy’s brother who is very controlling and expects Billy to fall in line with what he wants done. Rehearsals have been fun and liberating and with Mr. Vinodh you always learn something new.

Brindhini Perera, 14
(Mrs. Casper)

I see myself as a useless mother who puts her needs before her children’s needs and that comes out very strongly when the milk runs out at the house, Mrs. Casper finds the need of cigarettes outweighs the need of milk for her children. The show is really amazing and people should come watch it because it opens their minds and helps them understand how bad bullying can be.

The Play of Kes will be staged at the CIS auditorium May 9 at 7.30pm. Tickets and box plan for the show are available at the school reception.

By Reihan Stephen
Pics by Nisal Baduge