The Colombo Theatre Festival for Young Audiences, which has brought high-quality theatre to local audiences for the last six years, returns this week with a five-day run at the Lionel Wendt under the theme ‘Emotional well-being through theatre’.

This year’s festival features popular original plays like ‘Vikurthi’ and ‘Kalumaali’, a musical children’s play ‘Hima Kumariya’ and Sinhala translations of popular international plays ‘Sanda Langa Maranaya’ (Blood Wedding) and ‘Bernadage Sipirigeya’ (The House of Bernada Alba). The plays artistically explore themes both unique to Sri Lanka as well as more universal themes like love, motherhood, human freedom and gender issues.

The Lanka Children’s and Youth Theatre Foundation (LCYTF), better known as Play House Kotte, was established in 1981 by veteran dramatist Somalatha Subasinghe with the aim of developing theatre for children and youth, while also promoting other forms of popular theatre in Sri Lanka. In the last three decades the group has toured many children’s plays in Sri Lanka and abroad. In January 2007, LCYTF was incorporated in the parliament under Act No. 3 of 2007. 

The Colombo Theatre Festival aims at helping talented dramatists showcase their work to a wider audience. It also gives local audiences a chance to enjoy high-quality and entertaining dramas in the form of translations, adaptations and original plays.

Audiences young and old will be able to enjoy this festival, which promises quality family entertainment during the coming school holiday season. From December 5 to 9 at the Lionel Wendt Theatre, daily at 3.30 and 6.45 pm.