"I have a story to tell the society I live in'' is what Gaimini Ranasinghe says in his message to his audience that gathered at the Kelwatson theatre to watch his plays on Saturday night (06th Oct).

I liked those words, because they indicate this man's dedication to his medium.

I have not written about drama for nearly four decades now, and have no intention of turning into a critic of drama overnight. However, I thought of penning some thougts that occurred to me as I was enjoying the four plays staged that day.

We have to draw inspiration from our motherland in most of the activities we involve ourselves in the name of culture. That is a practice we may have to continue for quite some time. That is the reason why we have to get down Sinahala plays from Sri Lanka now and then. 'S. Karu', or to give his full name, the well known Sri Lankan playwright and producer S. Karunaratne, on an earlier visit to Melbourne said something we ought to remember, in importing from our motherland. He says that we should be selective in getting down Sri Lankan productions. I think he made a very valid point there, for I have wondered myself why useless plays are occasionally brought here for our consumption.

I hope S. Karu's current operation will set an example in this regard.

Coming back to Trividha, I did notice some encouraging signs for the deveolopment of a Sinhala dramatic tradition in Melbourne.

First, of course, is the dedication and the enthusiasm shown by the group, which calls itself the Casey-Lanka Art Group. I woould like to give this factor priority for the simple reason that the mere existence talented young men and women would not produce good drama. The second encouraging sign is the emergence, as I could see it, new talent in addition to the experienced actors we have seen on Melbourne stage - actors of the calibre of Ratna Gurusinghe, Nelum Amunugama, Vipul Nayananda, Ajith de Silva, Dharmasisi Jayasinghe, and Gamini Ranasinghe. I placed Gamini last because I am pretty certain that he would put his actors first.

There are two points I want to emphasise on the subject. As Gamini and his comrades no doubt, think of dramatic presentations relevant to our life and times, I like to suggest that they look around the people we live with and our own surroundings, rather than sticking to the same old themes we were used to back in Sri Lanka. I say this not because it is objectionable, but if, as Gamini rightly observed, we want to tell a story to the society we live in, why not pick up theme that is directly connected to that society ?
There have been quite a few novels written by our writers on the life of Sri Lankans living in Ausralia - and some of them in Melbourne itself. I remember watching a play by some of young men and women about eight years ago, at the Alexandra Theartre. It was by a grooup of SCATS youths, if I remember right. they tackled a very topical theme, really home-made. Not from our homeland.

I wonder whether our artists are aware of the fact that at least a few of our youngsters are doing their university studies in the field of Performing Arts. whatever our allgiences and preferences are, we cannot ignore the obvious fact that drama is a far more deveolped art form here in Australia than in our motherland. What I want to point out, is that our budding dramatists should make full use of the opportunities available in this country, whether they want to stage English plays or Sinhala plays.

D. B. Kuruppu