Theatre lovers are in for a truly magical experience! The wild fairies are back to tickle, tease and titillate Colombo audiences at Pyramus & Thisby, Jehan Aloysius’ hilarious adaptation of Shakespeare’s, A Midsummer Night’s Dream. These mischievous fairies are busily preparing for a night of magic at the Lionel Wendt Theatre on July 7 at 7.30 p.m. The cast and alumni of Jehan Aloysius’ hit production; ‘Pyramus & Thisby’ will be celebrating the 12th Anniversary of “Pyramus and Thisby”. It is a magical blend of Shakespeare’s verse, exciting dance and music from low-country Sri Lanka. The play boasts a stellar cast of prominent English theatre personalities as well as professional dancers, acrobats and musicians. Jehan Aloysius, the show’s creator states that, “the first three runs of Pyramus & Thisby were a phenomenal success. The cast had worked so hard through months of gruelling pre-work and rehearsals devising the show at workshops, while also learning acrobatics and various styles of Eastern dance. It was humbling that the audiences were unanimous in their appreciation of the work that had gone into the show.”
The plot revolves around a group of artisans, headed by Quince, as they rehearse a play titled Pyramus & Thisby in the forest. A battle between the armies of the Fairy King and Queen over the mystical Indian boy, and the machinations of the mischievous ‘Puck’, lead to chaos in the human world. Meanwhile, ‘Bottom’, the weaver, becomes the unwitting victim of a magical transformation which leads him into the arms of the mesmerised Fairy Queen. In all this mayhem, the artisans wonder if they will ever be able to stage their tragicomedy - Pyramus & Thisby! Jehan adds, “This ‘return’ to fairyland is very specially for our fans who have been literally demanding this repeat show.” So don’t miss this dazzling family experience!
The show has been staged regularly since its first outdoor display at the St. Joseph’s College Quadrangle in November 2006. Over the years, the magic continued at various locations and cities, both, locally and overseas with many new actors and dancers joining the team.
The show received standing ovations in Delhi, Ahmedabad and Kolkata while representing Sri Lanka at the Bharat Rang Mahotsav in 2016 and most recently at the Theatre Olympics this year. The production has been studied by university students since the first staging as well, with many choosing to write their dissertations and assignments on this vibrant production which brings together a variety of local theatrical traditions and music.
Now Colombo audiences will have a chance to experience this spectacular show at a special night of magic on July 7 at the Lionel Wendt Theatre! Some of the show’s original leads are flying down for this special show, which promises comedy, dance and enchantment. The cast includes Jehan Aloysius, Anuk De Silva, Heshan Perera, Dion Nanayakkara, Roshni Gunaratne, Upekha Daniel, Harshana Rathnayake, Prabhath Devindra and Kavishka Perera.