CentreStage Productions staged their smash hit comedy Bengal Bungalow at the Lionel Wendt on 31 November and 1 December. As expected, the play was an absolute hit, and the cast did not miss a beat. It was a fantastic performance before a surprisingly packed auditorium – considering that this is after all, the fifth time the show is returning to the theatre. The audience was left in stitches, as the cast comprising both young and prominent thespians put on a grand show. More importantly, CentreStage ensured that any and all audience members truly had a great experience – from the ushering to the exiting of the theatre, one was immersed in Bengal Bungalow’s hilarious and maddening world of ridiculousness and it was a real joy. Next steps As a non-profit, amateur theatre troupe specialising in producing and promoting original theatre, the focus for CentreStage has always been on fostering theatre skills in young people in all areas - from scriptwriting to acting, direction and production. And since the initiation of their humanitarian ‘StageHands Project’ in 2005, the troupe has had many ground-breaking theatre achievements to its name – including work with children affected by poverty, natural disaster and the war, as well as physical theatre productions with those living with mental and physical challenges. They are dedicated to the use of theatre for initiating social change that can develop, empower and mobilise communities to grapple with social and personal issues. CentreStage regularly conducts theatre workshops with schools, theatre troupes, and amateur dramatists both of the English and Sinhala theatre circles and they are often volunteer workshops and humanitarian endeavours, usually funded by the proceeds from their plays. Holiday workshop for kids This year, they will be conducting a holiday workshop for kids by Jehan Aloysius; full-time theatre practitioner and visiting lecturer at the University of Visual and Performing Arts, on December 9 (today) at Colombo 03, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. It is open to kids aged 9-14 years. The participants will have the opportunity to learn theatre based activities such as creative expression, acting techniques, story making, improvisation, making props and costumes from re-purposed items, movement, group activities and much more. CentreStage is also hoping to go carolling for the festive season! As for upcoming projects, rehearsals have already begun for their tour of the Bharat Rang Mahotsav Festival in February; the annual theatre festival of National School of Drama, New Delhi, India's premier theatre training institute of the government of India. The troupe will be taking Stormy Weather, written and directed by their founder Jehan Aloysius. The play, which is in the style of film noir and which delves into a mixed medium presentation of film and theatre is technically impressive production. “We’ll predominantly be working on new projects and work in the coming year, and welcome performers and artistes to join us in our endeavours,” beams CentreStage productions team in their message to the passionate theatre enthusiast. By Dimithri Wijesinghe