Mind Adventures Brings The Travelling Circus To Town

Ten years ago, three young women decided to add a new dimension to English theatre in Sri Lanka, feeling that an alternative was necessary to the staple commercial musicals and drawing room comedies that dominated the local stages. So began the Mind Adventures Theatre Company, whose mission was to experiment with theatrical genres and alternate venues. With a definite plan to shake things up, they staged David Hare’s Slag (1999) a nihilistic black comedy staged at the Legends Nightclub.

Since then, the company has been pushing the boundaries of the how, what and where of theatre ever outward, introducing Sri Lankan audiences to new genres and locations all the time. Whether it be the first instance of promenade theatre in the country (Fefu And Her Friends) which had the audience rotating between four different stages, or the first physical theatre show (Ubu Rex) in which, amidst the mayhem, the audience and actors engaged in a water balloon fight, this theatre company has always sought to be provocative. They have also been challenging the idea of safe theatre with shows like 3 Star K, Death And The Maiden and Chatroom which have dealt with uncomfortable truths about society and politics that we’d rather not talk about.

Mind Adventures is led by Tracy Holsinger and Akhry Ameer, who’s partnership of conceptual genius coupled with top organisational skills have been the driving force behind the company for so many years.

For its 10th anniversary production, the company ventures for the first time into the realm of devised theatre. With no script to rely on, the actors and director collaborate to create the dialogue, characters and plot using story-telling and improvisation techniques. So when the Travelling Circus comes to town this November, its best to expect the unexpected. The hour-long production is inspired by a short story titled The Boy Who Spoke In Numbers by Mike Masilamani (MASii). Beginning in the Small Village of Fat Hopes and following the fortunes of its inhabitants, the play is a darkly humorous, allegorical piece which examines the plight of displaced and alienated people.

The Circus consists of a group of experienced and versatile actors who’ll sing, dance and tell a rather unusual story about a rather unusual boy. The ensemble cast includes Tracy Holsinger, Gihan de Chickera, Prasad Pereira, Ryan Holsinger, Brandon Ingram, Tehani Chitty, Subha Wijesiriwardena, Ruvin de Silva, Tracy Jayasinghe and Nuzreth Jalaldeen.

The Circus will perform from November 26 to November 30 at the Nuga Sevana, located on the Cathedral grounds at Bauddhaloka Mawatha. This is the first major theatrical production to be staged at this intimate and awe-inspiring venue. The brainchild of Bishop Duleep de Chickera, it is an open air amphitheatre that has been created in the shade of a massive Nuga tree.

More details about The Travelling Circus and the Mind Adventures Theatre Company will be revealed every week this month in The Sunday Leader.