theater: the return of pyramus & thisby

By Jehan Aloysius
It’s true! The wild fairies are back to tickle, tease and titillate Colombo audiences at Pyramus & Thisby, Jehan Aloysius’ hilarious adaptation of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. These outrageous fairies have been sighted around Colombo as they prepare for their spectacular show at the Lionel Wendt Theatre from 31st October – 2nd November at 7.30 p.m. This groundbreaking show that has wowed audiences since it was first performed two years ago is presented by CentreStage Productions.

The Cast

The play is a magical blend of Shakespeare’s verse, exciting dance and music from low-country Sri Lanka. Pyramus & Thisby boasts a stellar cast of prominent English theatre personalities as well as professional dancers, acrobats and musicians. Jehan Aloysius, the show’s creator states that, “the first run of Pyramus & Thisby was a phenomenal success. The cast had worked so hard over five months of gruelling pre-work and rehearsals devising the show at workshops, while also learning acrobatics and various styles of Eastern dance. The critics, academics, foreigners, veteran thespians and theatre lovers unanimously appreciated the work that had gone into the show.”

The Plot

The plot revolves around a group of artisans, headed by Quince, as they rehearse a play titled Pyramus & Thisby in the forest. A battle between the armies of the Fairy King and Queen over the mystical Indian boy, and the machinations of the mischievous ‘Puck’, lead to chaos in the human world. Meanwhile, ‘Bottom’, the weaver, becomes the unwitting victim of a magical transformation which leads him into the arms of the mesmerised Fairy Queen. In all this mayhem, the artisans wonder if they will ever be able to stage their tragicomedy - Pyramus & Thisby!

Jehan Adds:

“This ‘return’ to fairyland is very specially for our fans who have been literally demanding this repeat show. We promise them something better and hope everyone who missed it previously gets a chance to see it.”
So make a date with Pyramus & Thisby from 31st October – 2nd November at the Lionel Wendt Theatre and experience a night to remember. The Box Plan and tickets will be available at the Wendt from 10th October.