• Aslam Marikar on blending history, mystery, and family in Sri Theatre Company’s latest original production

The past has a habit of refusing to stay buried. Sometimes it resurfaces through old photographs or fading newspaper headlines, sometimes through stories passed down across generations, and, of course, through our own memories. 

In ‘The Reckoning of a Wanderer,’ the latest original production by the Kandy-based Sri Theatre Company, the past returns through a son who comes home after his father’s death, only to find himself questioning everything he thought he knew.

Set in 1959, six months before the assassination of Prime Minister S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike, the play blends political history, mystery, and family drama into a story about identity, memory, and the complicated relationship between fathers and sons.

As the young protagonist Seevali Wickramasinghe investigates what he believes was his father’s murder, he is gradually drawn into the politics of the time and begins to see both his father and himself in a different light.

Finding the right balance

For writer, producer, and Sri Theatre Company Founder Aslam Marikar, the story grew from several long-standing fascinations.

“I’ve always been curious about Bandaranaike’s life and why and how he changed as a person,” he said. “He was an Oxford-educated individual who made that transition towards nationalism, and that always fascinated me.”

At the same time, Marikar found himself returning to a far more personal question. “Self-discovery is a common storyline. We all go through it in different ways. I started thinking about what would happen if someone who didn’t like his father at all suddenly found every reason to admire him.”

That relationship became the emotional heart of the play. While a mystery surrounding the father’s death drives the narrative forward, Marikar wanted audiences to leave with something more than a collection of dramatic moments.

“Father and son relationships are a recurring theme across the world,” he said. “I didn’t want to give audiences a stressful package of human emotion either. I wanted them to laugh, enjoy themselves, and leave talking about the play afterwards.”

To achieve that balance, ‘The Reckoning of a Wanderer’ layers its family drama with conspiracy, political intrigue, and moments of humour. Bandaranaike himself makes a brief appearance, while real historical figures and events intersect with fictional characters in much the same way Quentin Tarantino reimagined Hollywood history in ‘Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood’.

Recreating a bygone era

Rather than retelling history, Marikar uses it to create a richer world for his characters. The period itself holds a particular appeal. Much of that interest stemmed from conversations he shared over the years with the late veteran actor Jith Peiris, who often spoke about life in Colombo during the 1950s and 1960s.

“He used to tell me stories about the good old days whenever I came to Colombo,” Marikar recalled. “Our generation doesn’t always have those conversations with our grandparents anymore. We don’t know much about that life.”

Recreating that era became another objective of the production, offering older audiences a glimpse of a familiar past while introducing younger theatre-goers to a period they may know only through history books.

The production reflects those ambitions in its scale. Featuring a cast and crew of around 17, the story unfolds within the wealthy Wickramasinghe household, where inheritance disputes, family secrets, and political tensions collide.

The production features Anaz Haniffa as protagonist Seevali Wickramasinghe, alongside Hemal Muscreen as Bertrum Wickramasinghe, Nisansala Jayaweera as Ingrid Wickramasinghe, Fazmina Imamudeen as Helena Wickramasinghe, Bharatha Wickramasinghe as Raja, Valupillai Ravindran as the Lawyer, Kanishka Samarasundara as Sinyo, Ahmed Shahni as Ganesh, Prasanna De Mel as the Cult Leader, Chathvara Weerasinghe as Buddharakkitha, Sulekshmie Bambaradeniya as Mrs. Bandaranaike, Amaresh Pereira as Charles, and Marikar himself making a cameo appearance as S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike.

The production also features original music by Jonathan George, lighting by Kaveesh Sirisena, stage management by Ashfaq Ahamed, and editing and graphics by Punsilu Jayasinghe.

Towards a greater goal

Marikar believes different audiences will find different points of connection.

“The younger generation will enjoy the visual aspects, the action, and the conspiracy,” he said. “Academics will pick up on the political undertones, while older audiences will recognise a world that has disappeared.”

Although the play explores historical politics, Marikar sees its appeal as much broader than those familiar with the period. At its core, he believes it remains a story about family, identity, and changing perspectives.

Beyond the production itself lies another ambition. Founded by Marikar as a platform for staging original work, Sri Theatre Company has steadily built a small but committed community of actors and collaborators in Kandy. Some performers, including lead actor Haniffa, have been with the company since its earliest productions, while others join as schedules permit.

For Marikar, each new production is another step towards something much bigger. “I want to develop theatre in Kandy and hopefully one day turn it into a profession where we sell tickets, make money, and actors are properly paid,” he said.

Alongside his work in theatre, Marikar also teaches drama and works as a journalist, balancing those roles while continuing to write and produce original Sri Lankan plays.

With Colombo often dominating the country’s performing arts scene, he hopes audiences will see the journey to Kandy as part of the experience itself.

“Come and be part of something refreshing,” he said. “We stage original, experimental dramas here. Make the trip to Kandy because that becomes part of your own story. Years from now, you’ll be able to say you were there when this production first opened. That’s something you’ll always remember.”

Info box

‘The Reckoning of a Wanderer’ will be staged on 8 and 9 August at 7 p.m. at the Karaliya Convention Centre and Centre for Performing Arts in Kandy. Reservations are now open. For bookings and further information, contact 077 307 1717