Bringing passion play culture to Colombo

‘Alokayano’ or ‘Light of the World’, passion play presented by Parishioners in and around Kotte will go on the boards, at 7 pm on Sunday, March 26 at the St Thomas’ College play ground as an outdoor performance.

Scripted and directed by award winning teledrama director Sunil Costa, the passion play is played by well-known artistes like Jehan Appuhamy (as Jesus) and Veena Jayakody as Mary Magdalene.

Featuring over 100-member cast representing Catholics and Buddhists from Kotte and neighbouring parishes like Rajagiriya, Nugegoda and Malabe, this is the second time that ‘Alokayano’ passion play is performed in Kotte.

Started by former parish priest of St Thomas’s Church, Kotte, Rev. Dr. Anthony Fernandopulle, the first ‘Alokayano’ passion play was performed in 2015. Following the success eight years later ‘Alokayano’ is to be performed with the guidance of the present parish priest Rev. Fr. Indrajith Perera.

‘Started nearly 400 years ago, the culture of performing passion plays on Good Friday or during the Lent period still continues in areas like Negombo, Doowa, Pitipana, Boraless and Chilaw.

But it is essential that this important cultural and religious heritage is preserved and promoted closer to the capital Colombo or to have a ‘Kolamba Paaskuwa’ (A passion play in Colombo). What we need is to make a Colombo based passion play and the passion play in Kotte will fill this void,’ said award winning director Sunil Costa, who started his artistic career directing the passion play ‘Yaagaya’ at Kandawala, Negombo years ago.

He said that passion play is a cultural heritage that needed to be preserved and in this regard Rev. Indrajith Perera, the parish priest of St. Thomas’ Church, Kotte and the devotees of Kotte and neighbouring parishes have taken commendable interest.

‘Another important feature of the Passion play performed in Kotte is the entire cast and crew are comprised of Buddhists and Christian and also different ethnic groups like Sinhalese and Tamils. This cultural, religious and ethnic combination is a blessing to this project’ he said. Influenced by the world renowned Oberammergau Passion Play in Germany, ‘Alokayano’ is produced capturing the social, political and economic crisis our country is going through and placing them juxtaposing the time of Jesus Christ in Judea and Jerusalem.

“In this world leaders are trying to win this struggle by defeating others through wars and destructions’ says Sunil.

Sunil Costa also explained that organising a passion play at St Thomas’ Church which located closer to the historical Kotte Rajamahavihara and Nagaviharaya, two venerated Buddhist temples in the country is important and this cultural and religious co-existence is a wonderful example for the entire country.

Behind the screen, ‘Alokayano’ is joined by well-known artistes from Sri Lankan theatre, mini-screen and cinema. Experienced actor Malith Peiris is the Production Manager of the passion play while AjanthaAlahakone is the art director.

Veteran choreographer Manupandu Vidyapathy handles the choreography of ‘Alokayano’ while Ajith Kumarasiri, Namini Panchali and Gayan Ganakadhara handle music, award winning makeup artiste Wasantha Vittachchi joins the project, while Jayantha Amarasinghe handles stage management.