[usr 3]
THE JUNGLE AND THE SEA is written and directed by S. Shakhidharan, an Australian-Sri Lankan. Together with Belvoir’s artistic director Eamon Flack, Shakhidaran created this story about one family’s attempt to remain together during the fifteen years of the horrific Sri Lankan civil war. The father and one of the daughters come to Australia. When the war is finally over, the daughter, now a lawyer, returns in the hopes of bringing all the family to Australia, now firmly her home.
In 2019 Shakthidhara and Flack created the successful play, Counting and Cracking. That play concerned four generations of the one Tamil family across Sri Lanka and Australia.
The script won the Victorian Premier’s Literature Prize and the NSW Premier’s Nick Enright Prize for Playwriting.
Is the THE JUNGLE AND THE SEA the tour de force some reviewers believe it to be? Or, has the ‘sequel’ to the 2019 play offered something less powerful? THE JUNGLE AND THE SEA may be too long for some in the audience. There is little new to tell us about the horrors of war. Anti-war plays began with The TROJAN WOMEN, continued with HAIR and many hundreds more.
Theatre lovers should see THE JUNGLE AND THE SEA for the experience of the wonderful set, the powerful and masterful acting, the props, the music, costumes and lighting – all excellent. All the musicians, actors and the other creatives have long theatre credits and accolades.
The set and costume designers are Dale Ferguson and Anandavalli. The musicians are Indu Balachandran, Arjunan Puveendran (also the composer), Alan John (the musical supervisor), Veronique Benett (composer). These wonderful performers played intermittently throughout, bringing the Sri Lankan atmosphere and culture to the play.
The Sri Lankan mother is played by Anandavalli, a world acclaimed dancer. In the play, the mother is also a dancer, instructing her daughters in the graceful art.
In 1989 Anandavalli was presented with Australian Citizenship in recognition of her contribution to the arts in Australia. Others in the cast were Prakash Belawadi, Emma Harvie, Nadie Kammallaweera, Jacob Rajan, Kaliesawari Srinivasan Abi, Rajan Velu and Biman Wamalaratne.
THE JUNGLE AND THE SEA is playing upstairs at Belvoir Street Theatre, 25 Belvoir Street, Surry Hills, NSW until Friday 18th December 2022.
https://belvoir.com.au/productions/the-jungle-and-the-sea-2/
Production photos
