• Stages Theatre Group’s ‘Dear Children, Sincerely’ in collaboration with Mashiirika, Rwanda

Theatre has long been a means where people come together to explore history and culture. It has been a form of both entertainment and education for many. In this educational vein, Stages Theatre Group’s acclaimed production, ‘Dear Children, Sincerely (DCS): 7 Decades of Sri Lanka’, was staged on 19 and 20 September at BMICH’s Kamatha New Theatre. 

Directed by acclaimed Sri Lankan playwright and Stages Theatre Group Artistic Director Ruwanthie De Chickera, the production is a collaboration between Stages Theatre Group, Sri Lanka and Mashirika, Rwanda and first premiered at the inaugural Ubumuntu Arts Festival in Rwanda in 2015. Artists from both countries conducted interviews with senior citizens born in the 1930s who had lived through colonisation and its aftermath. These interviews became the heart of the performance, transformed into stories that blend history, emotion and theatrical creativity.

The play brings to life three interconnected stories. One follows a parallel historical journey between Rwanda and Sri Lanka from 1930 to 1990, capturing colonisation, independence, exile, insurrections and genocide. Another explores traditional wedding customs across the two countries, revealing how older generations navigated family, love, and matrimony with humour and poignancy. The final story examines the physical and psychological collapse a society can face under prolonged periods of anarchy and terror, drawing on Rwanda’s and Sri Lanka’s histories of genocide, pogroms and conflict.

The Daily Morning Brunch took in this momentous staging of DCS, which takes place nearly 10 years after its first run and reunited the international cast for Colombo audiences. Since its first run in Rwanda in 2015, DCS  has been staged in Rwanda, Sri Lanka, India, and Kashmir. The production will immediately tour to New York University, Abu Dhabi, for a performance residency from 24-27 September, presenting five shows: three for students and two public performances. 

A play on power 

Power and the dynamics of power across our history is an oft-explored topic in theatre. DCS was able to intertwine this theme into their performances through their exploration of how those in power shaped the history and future of both Sri Lanka and Rwanda. 

One chapter in the play explored the way in which Belgian colonisers introduced identity cards in Rwanda, growing the divide between the Hutu majority and the Tutsi minority as the Belgian-led administration used the identity cards to sideline the Hutu population and give administrative and government jobs to the Tutsis. The play skillfully explored this theme by having an outsider come in and create two groups called Rabbits and Rats and pit them against each other. 

The play also explored colonial power and the policies implemented by these powers affected Sri Lanka and the thinking of Sri Lankans during and following our independence. With the exploration of the idea that ‘good’ countries gain independence and the celebration of a member of the British aristocracy’s arrival, the play was able to explore the colonial mindset that still persists despite the country gaining its independence over seven decades ago and question to what extent colonial values and structures are still in place and sometimes even glorified. 

Being a play that was produced by examining the stories of those citizens in Sri Lanka and Rwanda born in the 1930s. These citizens have lived through race riots, the gaining and exploitation of power and the obtaining of independence, and it is their stories that the play presents to the audience. 

An exploration of language 

Sri Lanka is a country rich with language and culture. Yet, one of our darker parts of history is the introduction of the Sinhala-Only Act of 1956, which made Sinhala the official language, replacing English and excluding the Tamil language. 

While the Tamil Language (Special Provisions) Act was passed later, which allowed the use of Tamil as a medium of instruction and examination as well as correspondence, the Sinhala-Only Act was recognised as a controversial piece of legislation that polarised the country. 

The play explored this theme by chanting the words ‘Sinhala’ and ‘Tamil’, which over time merged into the word ‘Sinhala’ while ‘Tamil’ was only spoken in whispers. 

The play then turned into a chapter on the conflicts in both Rwanda and Sri Lanka, where race, language, and religion became a focus on dividing a country. The play was able to showcase the themes of racial violence as well as the misery inflicted as a result of war and power. 

The audience was able to get a good picture of how Sri Lankan and Rwandan history is able to teach us lessons for the future while exploring how factors such as race, religion and language were able to divide us to satisfy those in power. 

What the play misses 

While the play exposes themes that any Sri Lankan can relate to, it also lacks an exploration of character and plot that most audiences would expect in a play because of the number of narratives explored. While DCS was presented in the style of an absurdist play, a lack of an identifiable plot, together with the lack of characters and the minimal use of stage props, was confusing to the audience. 

Further, while the segment on ‘love and marriage’ was entertaining, it failed to explore the theme it was set out for, and the lack of a storyline, plot and character, as well as minimal dialogue, may have startled some audience members – especially those who are younger.  

What the play gets right 

Within its 90-minute span, the play was able to broaden our minds while entertaining the audience. 

One of the most positive aspects of the play was the way in which themes of violence, colonisation, and race were interwoven so skillfully that it was impossible for the viewer to miss them. It was a play that made the audience think deeply about the past of their own country as well as the past of other nations and reflect on what we could do better in future. 

Another aspect that we enjoyed was the use of humour. Despite being a play that explored serious and often dark topics, the play was able to make the audience laugh by imitating patterns of speech and animals, introducing some levity and entertaining both adults and children alike.