Sarachchandra open air theatre
Encyclopedia
Sarachchandra open air theatre is a theatre located in the University of Peradeniya
, about one kilometre from the Galaha
junction in Galaha-Peradeniya road. It is popularly known as the Wala, among university students and the drama enthusiasts. Theatre is named in memory of Prof.
Ediriweera Sarachchandra
, Sri Lanka's premium playwright. Built in early 1950s, it is considered to be the only theatre
of its kind in Sri Lanka
. It was built according to the architectural style of ancient Greek theatres
The performance space is a simple semi-circular one in the middle. It is called the orchestra. Spectators sit in the stone steps created at a slope of which produced a natural theatron, literally "watching place". It can accommodate a very large number of people. Acoustics
play a vital role in its construction. Even the spectators in the extreme back row can hear the sounds clearly. Still, most of the dramas shown in the University of Peradeniya
use Sarachchandra open air theatre as their venue. Ediriwira Sarachchandra’s ground-breaking Sinhala play, Maname was first presented at this very theatre.
University of Peradeniya
The University of Peradeniya is a world renowned state university in Sri Lanka, funded by the University Grants Commission...
, about one kilometre from the Galaha
Galaha
Galaha is a small town located in central Sri Lanka. It is one of the first tea planted areas in Sri Lanka 20 km south of Kandy. Galaha is a mountain area with green hills and natural water sources. This is a cold and rainy area. Most of the people living in Galaha are Tamil....
junction in Galaha-Peradeniya road. It is popularly known as the Wala, among university students and the drama enthusiasts. Theatre is named in memory of Prof.
Professor
A professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...
Ediriweera Sarachchandra
Ediriweera Sarachchandra
Ediriweera Sarachchandra was an Sri Lankan playwright, novelist, poet, literary critic, essayist and social commentator. Considered Sri Lanka's premier playwright, he was a senior lecturer at the University of Peradeniya for many years and served as Sri Lankan Ambassador to France .- Early...
, Sri Lanka's premium playwright. Built in early 1950s, it is considered to be the only theatre
Theatre
Theatre is a collaborative form of fine art that uses live performers to present the experience of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place. The performers may communicate this experience to the audience through combinations of gesture, speech, song, music or dance...
of its kind in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
. It was built according to the architectural style of ancient Greek theatres
Theatre of Ancient Greece
The theatre of Ancient Greece, or ancient Greek drama, is a theatrical culture that flourished in ancient Greece between c. 550 and c. 220 BC. The city-state of Athens, which became a significant cultural, political and military power during this period, was its centre, where it was...
The performance space is a simple semi-circular one in the middle. It is called the orchestra. Spectators sit in the stone steps created at a slope of which produced a natural theatron, literally "watching place". It can accommodate a very large number of people. Acoustics
Acoustics
Acoustics is the interdisciplinary science that deals with the study of all mechanical waves in gases, liquids, and solids including vibration, sound, ultrasound and infrasound. A scientist who works in the field of acoustics is an acoustician while someone working in the field of acoustics...
play a vital role in its construction. Even the spectators in the extreme back row can hear the sounds clearly. Still, most of the dramas shown in the University of Peradeniya
University of Peradeniya
The University of Peradeniya is a world renowned state university in Sri Lanka, funded by the University Grants Commission...
use Sarachchandra open air theatre as their venue. Ediriwira Sarachchandra’s ground-breaking Sinhala play, Maname was first presented at this very theatre.