Somalatha Subasinghe

The sixth death anniversary of legendary actress, playwright, directress Somalatha Subasinghe fell yesterday, May 30. Ms. Subasinghe made outstanding contributions to children’s and youth theatre while contributing to the stage and cinema as an outstanding actress. Initially when she joined the theatre about 55 years ago, she was mesmerized by the satisfaction it gave her. After some time she realized that drama was an ideal tool to interact with the society. At a time when women hardly chose arts, she worked with dramatists like Gunasena Galappaththi, Ranjith Dharmakeerthi, Dhamma Jagoda, Namel Weeramuni, Henry Jayasena and others. She also served as a teacher and an actress for quite a long period and the urge to make dramas was playing up in her mind. There was a need and dialogue for children’s drama but she was not that conversant about the subject, until she was exposed to children’s theatre in countries like England, France and Czechoslovakia following a semi scholarship accorded by the UNICEF.

She produced plays like Vikurthi (Distortion), Para Haraha (Across the Road), Sanda Kinduru (Buddhist theme),  Mudu Putthu (Yerma by Garcia Lorca), Pawara Nuwarak (city of Fame),  Opera Wanyosi of Wole Soyinka, The Trial of Dedan Kimathi, Yadam (Chains),  Antigone , Mavakage Sangramaya, Punchi Apata dan Therei (We Know It Now),  Thoppi Welenda (Hat Seller), Gamarala Divya Loketa (Gamarala Going to Heaven), Rathmalee (adaptation of Red Riding Hood), Ottooi (Challenge), Hima Kumariya (adaptation of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs) and Walas Pawula.
She passed away on May 30, 2015.