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Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Monday, February 7, 2011
Thank you!
Thank you to everyone who came to watch the show on Saturday and Sunday! We hope you enjoyed the performance and please do share your feedback and comments about the show.
Interview on Yes FM
The Director and Producer of the Gaza Mono-Logues were interviewed on 'Speak Easy' on Yes FM on the 5th of February 2011. We discuss the new production, the politics of the monologues, why there is little or no funding for the arts in Sri Lanka, especially when politically sensitive topics are involved and about the topic of children in conflict.
Click here to listen to the interview.
Click here to listen to the interview.
Friday, February 4, 2011
Twenty tickets available for each night
We have added twenty new seats so please buy your tickets from Park Street Mews as soon as possible as they are selling out fast!
Tickets sold out!
Tickets are sold out on both nights! We are trying to add more seats so in case you have not bought your tickets yet, please send an email to iromip@gmail.com and we will get in touch.
Thursday, February 3, 2011
The Gaza Mono-Logues book
Floating Space will be selling The Gaza Mono-Logues book, containing all thirty monologues, at the show. Each book is Rs 400/-.
If you would like to reserve a copy in advance, please email iromip@gmail.com
If you would like to reserve a copy in advance, please email iromip@gmail.com
Monday, January 31, 2011
Few pictures of the cast during rehearsal
Pictures by Pasan Ranaweera
The cast of the Gaza Mono-logues comprises of Chalana Wijesuriya, Vishan Gunawardena, Kumudithe Perera, Amaz Irshad, Eraj Gunewardena, Naveen Nishane, Tazmin Anthoniz, Ruqaiyah Kamil, Zahabiya Adamaly, Roshaya Abbey,Aksha Suares and Vishvanee Heentilake.
Sunday, January 30, 2011
50% off on tickets for students
Floating Space will be selling 20 tickets for each night at Rs 250/- for students. This includes those who are still in school and university, as well as students who are part of theatre groups in Sri Lanka. All you need is a valid student ID from your school, university or theatre group.
Please email iromip@gmail.com to purchase tickets at the student rate.
Please email iromip@gmail.com to purchase tickets at the student rate.
Article in the Sunday Leader about the rerun
The Sunday Leader, January 30th 2011
Rerun Of The Gaza Mono-Logues
We cannot glorify death, whether in the battlefield or otherwise. We, on the other hand, must celebrate life and we are fiercely committed to protecting and securing the sanctity of life, which is the most fundamental value without which all other rights and freedoms become meaningless.”
— Dr. Neelan Tiruchelvam, in Parliament (June 15, 1999)
Dr. Neelan Tiruchelvam was a scholar, a legislator, as well as a practicing lawyer, social scientist and politician who worked to resolve the ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka through non-violent political means, including consensus building, negotiation and constitutional reform. He was the founder director of the International Centre for Ethnic Studies and The Law and Society Trust: two of Sri-Lanka’s leading research and policy organisations. Dr. Tiruchelvam was assassinated on July 29, 1999.
In his career as a public intellectual Dr. Tiruchelvam built bridges and sought common ground in a deeply divided society through scholarship, activism and politics. His thoughts and actions were animated by a personal philosophy of humanism, peace and non-violence. Firmly committed to change and reform for resolving deep-rooted problems of the Sri Lankan society, he sought to spearhead transformation through dialogue, tolerance and deliberation.
In keeping with the values that he lived and worked for – The Neelan Tiruchelvam Trust will commemorate the 67th birth anniversary of the late Dr. Neelan Tiruchelvam with the staging of The Gaza Mono-Logues – which brings into focus the issue of children growing up in contexts of war.Over the last 30 years, the young people and children of Sri Lanka have had varying experiences of war, conflict and violence. Geographic location and individual circumstances have shaped the disparate nature of these experiences and contributed to the varying degrees of understanding of the situation. These varying experiences however do not take away from the fact that while some children were impacted by the direct violence, loss of family and homes, every child’s life and psychology have been altered by being witness to war.
In 2010, supported by UNICEF, a group of Palestinian youth between the ages of 14 and 18 were trained in workshops using drama therapy and creative writing techniques. The first three months of workshop focused on the wounds of the Gaza attack of December 2008-January 2009, the individual experiences of each youth, their dreams, fears and hopes. The youth in these workshops documented their stories and experiences that led to creation of The Gaza Mono-Logues.
The Gaza Mono-Logues later developed into a global initiative for peace and non-violence with Ashtar Theatre in Palestine inviting theatre companies from its global artistic network to produce performances of the text with youth groups in 30 world cities. In October 2010, the Floating Space Theatre Company, based in Colombo joined the New York Theatre Workshop, The Pegasus, Oxford and companies based in Gaza Ramallah, Jenin, Hebron and Nazareth among others to produce the monologues.
Directed by Jake Oorloff, the performance highlighted the issues, experiences and tragedy of children caught in situations of war all over the world. Two sold out shows at the Goethe Institut in October 2010 was followed by positive feedback about the production and the awareness raised about the experiences of children in conflict.
For the second stage of the project, one cast member from the Colombo production, Tasmin Anthonisz of Ladies College joined an international cast which performed The Gaza Mono-Logues in New York at the General Assembly of the United Nations for its annual meeting on The Question of Palestine. At the UN, the 22 young international participants performed in 12 languages at noon at the Conference Hall, facing an audience of ambassadors, country representatives and NGO leaders, who gathered on November 29, 2010 to debate the inalienable rights of the Palestinian People. Various media channels covered the event. Another performance of The Gaza Mono-Logues took place that evening at the Lobby of the United Nations, during the inauguration of the photo exhibition of UNRWA Summer Camp in Gaza.
Floating Space believes that the process of children in Colombo working on the text and production – and the subsequent performance with the international cast – was an expression of solidarity with children in similar situations as experienced by children in Sri Lanka, and those who support initiatives for peace and non-violence. “As Sri Lanka seeks to recover from our haunting past, its recognition acknowledgment and validation is significant in an attempt to heal,” says Oorloff.
Directed by Jake Oorloff and produced by Iromi Perera, the rerun of The Gaza Mono-Logues will be staged at the Park Street Mews, at 50/1 Park Street, Colombo 2 on February 5th and 6th at 7.30 p.m. Tickets priced at Rs 500 are available at the Park Street Mews.
“The war ended on the ground but it’s still there in my head. I want to be like any other child in this world…” – Mahmud (Born 1995, Al Saftawi Street)
Rerun Of The Gaza Mono-Logues
We cannot glorify death, whether in the battlefield or otherwise. We, on the other hand, must celebrate life and we are fiercely committed to protecting and securing the sanctity of life, which is the most fundamental value without which all other rights and freedoms become meaningless.”
— Dr. Neelan Tiruchelvam, in Parliament (June 15, 1999)
Dr. Neelan Tiruchelvam was a scholar, a legislator, as well as a practicing lawyer, social scientist and politician who worked to resolve the ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka through non-violent political means, including consensus building, negotiation and constitutional reform. He was the founder director of the International Centre for Ethnic Studies and The Law and Society Trust: two of Sri-Lanka’s leading research and policy organisations. Dr. Tiruchelvam was assassinated on July 29, 1999.
In his career as a public intellectual Dr. Tiruchelvam built bridges and sought common ground in a deeply divided society through scholarship, activism and politics. His thoughts and actions were animated by a personal philosophy of humanism, peace and non-violence. Firmly committed to change and reform for resolving deep-rooted problems of the Sri Lankan society, he sought to spearhead transformation through dialogue, tolerance and deliberation.
In keeping with the values that he lived and worked for – The Neelan Tiruchelvam Trust will commemorate the 67th birth anniversary of the late Dr. Neelan Tiruchelvam with the staging of The Gaza Mono-Logues – which brings into focus the issue of children growing up in contexts of war.Over the last 30 years, the young people and children of Sri Lanka have had varying experiences of war, conflict and violence. Geographic location and individual circumstances have shaped the disparate nature of these experiences and contributed to the varying degrees of understanding of the situation. These varying experiences however do not take away from the fact that while some children were impacted by the direct violence, loss of family and homes, every child’s life and psychology have been altered by being witness to war.
In 2010, supported by UNICEF, a group of Palestinian youth between the ages of 14 and 18 were trained in workshops using drama therapy and creative writing techniques. The first three months of workshop focused on the wounds of the Gaza attack of December 2008-January 2009, the individual experiences of each youth, their dreams, fears and hopes. The youth in these workshops documented their stories and experiences that led to creation of The Gaza Mono-Logues.
The Gaza Mono-Logues later developed into a global initiative for peace and non-violence with Ashtar Theatre in Palestine inviting theatre companies from its global artistic network to produce performances of the text with youth groups in 30 world cities. In October 2010, the Floating Space Theatre Company, based in Colombo joined the New York Theatre Workshop, The Pegasus, Oxford and companies based in Gaza Ramallah, Jenin, Hebron and Nazareth among others to produce the monologues.
Directed by Jake Oorloff, the performance highlighted the issues, experiences and tragedy of children caught in situations of war all over the world. Two sold out shows at the Goethe Institut in October 2010 was followed by positive feedback about the production and the awareness raised about the experiences of children in conflict.
For the second stage of the project, one cast member from the Colombo production, Tasmin Anthonisz of Ladies College joined an international cast which performed The Gaza Mono-Logues in New York at the General Assembly of the United Nations for its annual meeting on The Question of Palestine. At the UN, the 22 young international participants performed in 12 languages at noon at the Conference Hall, facing an audience of ambassadors, country representatives and NGO leaders, who gathered on November 29, 2010 to debate the inalienable rights of the Palestinian People. Various media channels covered the event. Another performance of The Gaza Mono-Logues took place that evening at the Lobby of the United Nations, during the inauguration of the photo exhibition of UNRWA Summer Camp in Gaza.
Floating Space believes that the process of children in Colombo working on the text and production – and the subsequent performance with the international cast – was an expression of solidarity with children in similar situations as experienced by children in Sri Lanka, and those who support initiatives for peace and non-violence. “As Sri Lanka seeks to recover from our haunting past, its recognition acknowledgment and validation is significant in an attempt to heal,” says Oorloff.
Directed by Jake Oorloff and produced by Iromi Perera, the rerun of The Gaza Mono-Logues will be staged at the Park Street Mews, at 50/1 Park Street, Colombo 2 on February 5th and 6th at 7.30 p.m. Tickets priced at Rs 500 are available at the Park Street Mews.
“The war ended on the ground but it’s still there in my head. I want to be like any other child in this world…” – Mahmud (Born 1995, Al Saftawi Street)
Smriti Daniel's article about the Gaza Mono-Logues
Mirror magazine, Sunday Times January 30th 2011.
Floating Space gives more than voice to Gaza Mono-Logues
By Smriti Daniel
Before the war I was a child… But after the war I discovered I’m not a child any more, and that Gaza, unlike all cities of the world, doesn’t have children in it– Mahmud (Born 1994, Al Jalaa’ Street)
What comes of a childhood spent in a warzone, one fraught with so much loss and pain?
In ‘The Gaza Mono-Logues’ Palestinian children speak of bombs killing relatives, destroyed homes, electricity and food shortages but they are still children, and so it is not the politics that is the focus of their narrative.
One child speaks of running back into a house to grab her teddy bear, another of how her mother will not stop repeating herself, a third about her grandmother searching for missing false teeth. Written by young adults aged between 14 – 18 years, these narratives are so revealing, says the play’s producer Iromi Perera, each is filled with innocence, and even humour as these children navigate an extremely perilous landscape.
For those who missed it last year, this February Floating Space will be staging a rerun of the monologues, this time in honour of the 67th birth anniversary of Dr. Neelan Tiruchelvam – but they’re also hoping that the production will spark interest in a Sri Lankan version of the production.
While these are stories very specific to Gaza, theatre companies around the world have staged ‘The Gaza Mono-Logues’ not only to show solidarity for Palestine but also for children growing up in warzones everywhere. Iromi explains that the monologues were written during a yearlong drama therapy and creative writing workshop held by Ashtar Theatre in that region. Floating Space selected just under half of the 30 monologues that Ashtar offered them. And while most companies have opted to do simple readings of the monologues, the directors’ decision to dramatize it adds to the impact of each individual story. (Jake Oorloff and Ruhanie Perera serve as directors for this production and Tracy Jayasinghe is an assistant director.)
For the audience itself, Iromi imagines that it takes a moment for it to really sink in that these are true stories. Unsurprisingly, when a 13-year-old goes out to buy a loaf of bread, only to see his brother thrown 100 feet by an explosion, it is a tragedy that is hard to come to terms with. But the play doesn’t allow you to disconnect, especially since it is told in the voices of those most vulnerable.
The company is so taken with the concept, that later this year they hope to take the framework of ‘The Gaza Mono-Logues’ and work with children in Sri Lanka, says Iromi, adding that they hope to include children not only those who grew up in the warzone but those who were indirectly affected by bombs that claimed civilians in the city, and those who have family members serving in the army.
Also essential to the success of the production is the choice of young actors to portray their counterparts in Gaza. However, that decision presents its own set of challenges. Iromi, who was deeply involved with the previous production as well, says that this time the youngest actor is 12, the eldest 20. “We wanted the cast to really understand the gravity of the topic,” she explains, adding that we wanted them to see that it was not just about the war in Gaza but about children caught in conflict zones all over the world. “In fact, some of the monologues could have been written by children here,” she says.
The Gaza Mono-Logues will be staged on February 5 and 6 at 7.30 p.m. at Park Street Mews. This production stars Chalana Wijesuriya, Vishan Gunawardena, Kumudithe Perera, Amaz Irshad, Eraj Gunewardena, Naveen Nishane, Tazmin Anthoniz, Ruqaiyah Kamil, Zahabiya Adamaly, Roshaya Abbey, Megan, Aksha Suares, and Vishvanee Heentilake. Tickets priced at Rs. 500 are available at the venue.
Floating Space gives more than voice to Gaza Mono-Logues
By Smriti Daniel
Before the war I was a child… But after the war I discovered I’m not a child any more, and that Gaza, unlike all cities of the world, doesn’t have children in it– Mahmud (Born 1994, Al Jalaa’ Street)
What comes of a childhood spent in a warzone, one fraught with so much loss and pain?
In ‘The Gaza Mono-Logues’ Palestinian children speak of bombs killing relatives, destroyed homes, electricity and food shortages but they are still children, and so it is not the politics that is the focus of their narrative.
One child speaks of running back into a house to grab her teddy bear, another of how her mother will not stop repeating herself, a third about her grandmother searching for missing false teeth. Written by young adults aged between 14 – 18 years, these narratives are so revealing, says the play’s producer Iromi Perera, each is filled with innocence, and even humour as these children navigate an extremely perilous landscape.
For those who missed it last year, this February Floating Space will be staging a rerun of the monologues, this time in honour of the 67th birth anniversary of Dr. Neelan Tiruchelvam – but they’re also hoping that the production will spark interest in a Sri Lankan version of the production.
While these are stories very specific to Gaza, theatre companies around the world have staged ‘The Gaza Mono-Logues’ not only to show solidarity for Palestine but also for children growing up in warzones everywhere. Iromi explains that the monologues were written during a yearlong drama therapy and creative writing workshop held by Ashtar Theatre in that region. Floating Space selected just under half of the 30 monologues that Ashtar offered them. And while most companies have opted to do simple readings of the monologues, the directors’ decision to dramatize it adds to the impact of each individual story. (Jake Oorloff and Ruhanie Perera serve as directors for this production and Tracy Jayasinghe is an assistant director.)
For the audience itself, Iromi imagines that it takes a moment for it to really sink in that these are true stories. Unsurprisingly, when a 13-year-old goes out to buy a loaf of bread, only to see his brother thrown 100 feet by an explosion, it is a tragedy that is hard to come to terms with. But the play doesn’t allow you to disconnect, especially since it is told in the voices of those most vulnerable.
The company is so taken with the concept, that later this year they hope to take the framework of ‘The Gaza Mono-Logues’ and work with children in Sri Lanka, says Iromi, adding that they hope to include children not only those who grew up in the warzone but those who were indirectly affected by bombs that claimed civilians in the city, and those who have family members serving in the army.
Also essential to the success of the production is the choice of young actors to portray their counterparts in Gaza. However, that decision presents its own set of challenges. Iromi, who was deeply involved with the previous production as well, says that this time the youngest actor is 12, the eldest 20. “We wanted the cast to really understand the gravity of the topic,” she explains, adding that we wanted them to see that it was not just about the war in Gaza but about children caught in conflict zones all over the world. “In fact, some of the monologues could have been written by children here,” she says.
The Gaza Mono-Logues will be staged on February 5 and 6 at 7.30 p.m. at Park Street Mews. This production stars Chalana Wijesuriya, Vishan Gunawardena, Kumudithe Perera, Amaz Irshad, Eraj Gunewardena, Naveen Nishane, Tazmin Anthoniz, Ruqaiyah Kamil, Zahabiya Adamaly, Roshaya Abbey, Megan, Aksha Suares, and Vishvanee Heentilake. Tickets priced at Rs. 500 are available at the venue.
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Tickets now available!
Tickets priced at Rs 500/- are available at Park Street Mews, 50/1 Park Street, Colombo 2.
Park Street Mews is open from 8am - 11pm on weekdays and till midnight on Friday and Saturday.
Park Street Mews is open from 8am - 11pm on weekdays and till midnight on Friday and Saturday.
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Daily Mirror interviews Floating Space about the re-run
Click here to read the interview which appeared in the Daily Mirror on the 18th of January 2011.
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Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Re run of the Gaza Mono-Logues in February
Good news for everyone who missed out on the Gaza Mono-Logues in October and have been repeatedly asking us for a rerun!
The Gaza Mono-Logues will be re-staged on the 5th and 6th of February 2011 at the Park Street Mews. On invitation by the Neelan Tiruchelvam Trust, this production is being held to commemorate the 67th birth anniversary of Dr Neelan Tiruchelvam.
Tickets priced at Rs 500/- will be available at Park Street Mews from Monday 24th January 2011.
The production held in October was sold out on on both nights and we received a lot of interesting and positive feedback from our audience. Reviews of the production can be viewed on this blog. 3 members of the original cast along with 9 others make up the cast for the rerun.
Purchase your tickets early and avoid missing out on this production!
The Gaza Mono-Logues will be re-staged on the 5th and 6th of February 2011 at the Park Street Mews. On invitation by the Neelan Tiruchelvam Trust, this production is being held to commemorate the 67th birth anniversary of Dr Neelan Tiruchelvam.
Tickets priced at Rs 500/- will be available at Park Street Mews from Monday 24th January 2011.
The production held in October was sold out on on both nights and we received a lot of interesting and positive feedback from our audience. Reviews of the production can be viewed on this blog. 3 members of the original cast along with 9 others make up the cast for the rerun.
Purchase your tickets early and avoid missing out on this production!
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