Sugathapala de Silva

Sugathapala De Silva
Born Avalikkara Gallappattige Sugathapala De Silva
August 8, 1928(1928-08-08)
Nawalapitiya, Sri Lanka
Died October 28, 2002(2002-10-28) (aged 74)
Colombo, Sri Lanka
Nationality Sri Lankan
Other names

Lovable Dictator

( Sonduru Aknyadayakaya)
Spouse Sheela De Silva
Children Dimuthu Prasada Gallappatti , Vanamali Kaushalya Gallappatti , Sudesh Prabudda Gallappatti , Harindra Pragathi Gallappatti

Sugathapala De Silva (August 8, 1928 – October 28, 2002) is an acclaimed Sri Lankan dramatist and novelist, translator, radio play producer, and Sinhala Radio Play writer.[1]

Contents

Biography

Early life

Sugathapala De Silva was born in 04th of August 1928 Midigama (Weligama, Matara), downsouth town 130 kilometers from of Colombo to the son of a small trader.[2] He grew up there, among Sinhala, Tamil and Muslim traders. His childhood experiences would later influence him to write the novels Ikbithi Siyalloma Sathutin Jeevathvuha and Esewenam Minisune Me Asaw. According to other writing he was born in Weligama and After studied in a few schools in Galle and from tenth grade studied Jinaraja College, Gampola, and came to Colombo.[3] Sugathapala de Silva worked as a salesman at K.V.G. de Silva's bookstall at Wellawatte. . He made this environment read book using free time. That habit amassed in him to gain knowledge which becomes a free thinker, a creator, an innovator, a radical and non-conformist.[4]

1960

De Silva came to Colombo, Sri Lanka in the 1960s, and became engaged in the political and cultural movement, taking place there at that time. Nicknamed the "lovable dictator", he formed the drama group "Apey Kattiya" there, and started to translate and adapt plays by Tennessee Williams and Pirandello, like Cat On a Hot Tin Roof and Six Characters in Search of an Author, to wide acclaim. He followed these plays with original ones, like Thattu Geval and Boarding Karayo which captured the mood of the new city-bred middle classes of the time. Among his other creations are Eka Walle Pol, Boodin Karayo, Hithahonda Ammandi, Harima Badu Hayak, Mutu Kumari, Esala Sanda, Marasad and Snthuvara sebalano.

1970

De Silva's best play is considered by many to be Dunna Dunu Gamuwe, which was written just after the 1971 insurrection in Sri Lanka. Although centered on a trade union struggle, it had an admixture of politics and art expertly mixed with technique and aided by some superb acting by the late U. Ariyawimal and Wilson Jayasiri was the precursor of the serious political theatre which followed at the end of the decade.

De Silva worked for long time at the Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation as a producer, and in the late 1960s was in charge of the weekly radio play, and the weekly short story programs on the station, which were the first "stamping grounds" of writers and dramatists who are today well-known in their own right.[5]

De Silva was bed-ridden since 1997, and after being admitted to a hospital, died on October 28, 2002.[6]

Produced Plays

  • 1972 Dunna Dunu Gamuwe
  • 1977 Nandivisala
  • 1979 Mutu Kumari
  • 1981 Thuranga Sanniya
  • 1983 Esala Sanda Avanhala (The Tea House of the August Moon, Ingmar Bergman )
  • 1987 Maratsad( Marat/Sade, Peter Weiss)
  • 1991 Santhuvara sebalano

Published works

  • Biththi Hatara (novel)
  • Asura Nikakaya (novel)
  • Ikbithi Siyaloloma Sathutin Jeewath uha(novel)
  • Ballo Bath kathi (novel)
  • Ese veenam Minisune Asav (novel)
  • Hitler Ellla marai (novel)
  • Pavara nirindeku viya bambadath (novel)
  • Ata messa- The Gadfly By Ethel Lilian Voynich (Translation novel)
  • Hathara veni Thattuva (Translation)
  • Deiyampa Sahathika Eththa (Translation )
  • Re bo ikbithi -When nights fall (Translation )
  • Amuthu Ilandariya Funny Boy By Shyam Selvadurai’ (Translation novel)
  • Ginidalu mal (Translation )
  • Nil katrol mal ( Original Play))
  • Dunna dunu gamuve ( Original Play)
  • Thuranga Sanniya ( Original Play)
  • Marasadh ( Marat/Sade by Peter Weiss Translation play)
  • Godo Unnhehe Enakal ( Waiting for Godot By Samuel Beckett Translation play)
  • Harima badu hayak ( Six Characters in Search of an Author, By Luigi PirandelloTranslation play)
  • Sonduru Akna dayaka Hevath Natya nishpadaka ( Academic)
  • Handa Naluva Hevath Guvan viduli Nattya ( Academic)
  • Anoo navaya ( humor )
  • Saibu nana ( humor )
  • Ane Devdath Noditi mokpura ( Poem )

Awards

Scholarships

British government scholarship for study drama.[11]

Picture

External links

References

  1. ^ [1] ,Shabdarasaya, The Architect Of The Modern Sinhala Theatre(/2008/08/10),
  2. ^ [2] The Sunday Observer, Ajith Samaranayake (03 November 2002), " The Curtain falls on an era",
  3. ^ [3] The Sunday Times, By Madhubhashini Disanayaka(March 16, 1997), " Ape kattiya dared to differ",
  4. ^ [4] daily news, by by Namel Weeramuni (02 november 2002), " The rebel who shed new light on the stage",
  5. ^ [5] The Sunday Observer, By Indeewara Thilakarathne (23 August 2009), " Sri Lankan Theatre ",
  6. ^ [6] The Sunday Observer, Ajith Samaranayake (03 November 2002), " The Curtain falls on an era",
  7. ^ [7] daily news, Author unknown (October 29, 2002), " 'Lovable dictator' dies at 74 ",
  8. ^ [8] The Sunday Times, By By henry Jayasena(November 08, 206), " Offer of a job by a State Minister ",
  9. ^ [9] The Sunday Observer, by Prof. Ariya Rajakaruna(December 12, 2006), " 'Actor is one who is made and not one who is born' ",
  10. ^ [10] daily news, by Somachandre Wijesuriya (13 November 2002), " Sugathapala de Silva : Dramatist of the people ",
  11. ^ [11] daily news, by Somachandre Wijesuriya (13 November 2002), " Sugathapala de Silva : Dramatist of the people ",