Playwright Piyal Kariyawasam’s latest theatre production ‘Rahas Udaviya’ is to be premiered at the Lionel Wendt Theatre on 12 and 13 June at 7p.m.

Cast with national award winning actors Kaushalya Fernando, Chamila Peiris, Anasuya Subasinghe and Gihan Fernando, it explores aspects of contemporary urban middle class society in a post war condition.

After 30 years of war, we as a society still feel the impact of the conflict situation and are plagued by many incidents that resonate violence. Isolation, discrimination, elimination, disappearance, and disposal seem to be ingrained parts of society. Para-military groups and related activities continue unhindered.

Women’s condition subsequent to the war has propelled, if at all, to a more vulnerable state. Under this backdrop, members of an upper middle class family try to find solutions to their personal, inner conflicts as well as the social conflict as experienced in an urban context.

With emphasis on the aesthetics of theatre and richly interwoven with traditional songs as well as new verse, the drama uses aspects of magical realism as it attempts to discuss contemporary issues transcending the barriers and limitations placed by various social institutions and structures that control free thought. ‘Rahas Udaviya’ is co-funded by the Sunethra Bandaranaike Trust.

The cast and crew of the drama are as follows:

Cast:

Kanchana 1: Chamila Peiris

Kanchana 2: Kaushalya Fernando

Kanchana 3: Anasuya Subasinghe

Tissa: Gihan Fernando

Music: Nadeeka Guruge

Set Design: Ruwan Bandara Narasinghe

Song Movement Design: Namal Jayasinghe

Lighting Design: Bandula Hewage

Make up: Priyantha Siri Kumara

Stage Management: Sanjaya Hettiarachchi

Stage Management Assistance: Sumedha Haggalle

Prompting: Poojana Dandeniya and Ruwan Deshapriya

Still Photography: Rasika Surasena

Videography and Design of Publicity Material: Madhawa Nagahawatta

Costume Design and Production Management: Gaya Nagahawatta

Script and Direction: Piyal Kariyawasam