A dramatic global theatre jam
A dramatic global theatre jam
By Nirasha Piyawadani Pinnawala
Adramatist who has rendered yeoman service to the promotion of local stage drama, M. Shafeer, has a cherished wish and that is to be able to hold an international drama festival in Sri Lanka. Our protagonist M. Safeer, strove to make this dream a reality and thanks to his untiring efforts the first ever international drama festival in Sri Lanka, will be held this month. Airing his views to LAKBIMAnEWS, M. Safeer had this to say on his latest endeavour: “This drama festival will be the first of its kind to be held in this country as it has an international flavour to it. According to my knowledge, this is the first ever drama festival of this kind to be staged.”
“An international drama festival is still uncommon to us in this country. This international drama festival will be represented by six foreign countries.
Those countries would be India, Pakistan, Australia, Germany, Indonesia and Iran. The gathering of artistes of seven countries including hosts Sri Lanka will be a significant achievement. The holding of an international drama festival will also be significant from a cultural perspective as well.” Safeer continued, “It is through its culture that a country’s history is evaluated -- and dramas help to promote any country’s standing in the world.’
However, one of the saddest aspects is that no one has yet understood the value of staging such festivals in Sri Lanka. Take for example, that there are eight international drama festivals taking place in India each year, in Pakistan two – the same in Bangladesh. Even Nepal, one of the world’s poorest countries, holds one such festival but alas there is none in Sri Lanka.
“All of these reasons compelled me to go ahead and stage an international drama festival here in Sri Lanka.,” he says. Talking of his own drama career M. Safeer had this to say: “This is the 22nd year that I have spent in this field. What I have understood through my career is that through the field of arts, society could be changed. More often than not through dramas one is able to form general platforms where everybody contributes to a production’s success. The theatre plays an important role in that regard. About 10 years ago I was able to produce a drama having gained the support of both Sinhalese and Muslims. I managed to prove that drama or the field of arts is able to cut through barriers of cast, creed and nationality.
Dramas in the North and East
There are many such examples that I could give in this connection such as staging dramas in the North-East during the height of the war.
There is no better tool than drama to bring communities together and for them to co-exist in peace. This is the reason I state that staging an international drama festival in this country would be of such enormous benefit to Sri Lanka. Staging such a festival will also open doors to many Sri Lankan artistes in the future and its benefits are too numerous to be mentioned here.”
M. Safeer said that he considers himself to be a loafer, in the sense, that he has travelled the entire country. “It will not be an easy task but I hope to accomplish this task to the best of my ability.
There are three different languages spoken in Sri Lanka - Sinhala, Tamil and English and to hold an international drama festival appealing to such segments will be a challenge, which I look forward to tackle to the best of my ability.
I have already done dramas catering to the Tamil people of Nuwara Eliya and Deniyaya and through such a festival I am dreaming of bringing each of these communities together. This international drama festival will also help to resuscitate the now stagnant Tamil drama, contrary to the Sinhala dramas, which are vibrant and thriving. ‘
He says that the local drama sphere which had its inception in the mid 1950s had suffered during the late 1980s due to the JVP insurgency. Before that in the early 1980s, July riots also delivered a death blow to its journey. M. Safeer is also the pioneer who introduced Black Box Theatre, to Sri Lanka, which provides a whole new range of drama viewing experiences to the local theatre goers. But he expressed his disappointment at not having received any support from the 
veterans of the industry, so far, towards his theatre venture. “You can call either Jackson Anthony or Sriyantha Mendis and inquire from them as to what support they have given to my enterprise – simply nothing. But I harbour no ill-feeling towards them as they too are helpless and unable to support a fellow dramatist in his hour of need and that is the truth,” he said.
No state support
He also bemoaned the fact that no financial assistance has come his way either through the Minister or Ministry of Cultural Affairs or through the Director of Cultural Affairs. Safeer had also sought the support of the National Youth Services Council but had not received any monetary or other support towards this international drama festival.
However, undaunted by this challenge he maintained that somehow he will get it off the ground with the assistance of the German Cultural Institute, the British Council, Sirasa and other media as well as Seylan Bank.
Six foreign dramatists
All six foreign dramatists will be in Sri Lanka flying in at cost to themselves. The German drama group (see page 29 for story) will have disabled stars making it a new experience for local theatre goers. He added that the drama festival will not be a competitive one and is being staged with the sole aim of introducing Sri Lankan audiences of all communities and races to quality productions.
Safeer also intends to run Dance Theatre workshops during the festival as well as seminars, which will be staged concurrently on the eight-day long festival, providing university students with a chance to hone in on their talent and craft.
Finally when asked as to what benefit he would get personally from this festival, Safeer noted that it will be personal satisfaction and paralysis. “My only aim is to take Sri Lanka’s drama sphere to the international world and I will not rest till that is done.” He sounded optimistic for a man who is carrying a heavy workload on his shoulders, and that which should have been borne by a government.{jcomments on}
