- Jehan Aloysius reviving English theatre
In honour of World Theatre Day held recently, playwright Jehan Aloysius announced his latest show. English language theatre returns to the Lionel Wendt Theatre with a groundbreaking new musical by Jehan Aloysius.
The play Venus United, written and composed by Aloysius, features catchy, meaningful songs with witty lyrics and a generous dose of comedy. The three-time Gratiaen Prize shortlisted playwright’s last musical, Rag, received nightly standing ovations and made international headlines, including the BBC in 2012, so this play too, is bound to be a smashing hit.
In conversation with Aloysius on his new play Venus United, he explained that it is a hilarious and poignant theatre experience which is sure to delight his audience. He also revealed to us that Venus United was an experimental musical concept, written and composed by him from the years 2014 to 2018. Over the years, he perfected it and the play is finally ready to be performed to a live audience. “It features strong female characters in a contemporary and universal scenario. It contains bold lyrics and songs that were based on various testimonials,” he added.
The play is set to take place in May at the Lionel Wendt Theatre and is sponsored by Cargills PLC. He also added that the show is suitable for mature audiences (17+).
Sharing a little more insight on Venus United, Aloysius commented that the story revolves around three women in their mid to late 30s who attend a drama therapy workshop – a singer, a dancer, and a performance therapist. The show will portray them stripping away their masks, expressing their deepest vulnerabilities and desires. In doing so, they discover themselves and each other, empowering them through their shared experience. The talented all-female cast of “triple threats” features Devashrie de Silva, Shehara Liyanage, and Ayushka Nugaliyadda. Of course, as any playwright, he playfully eluded our questions on more details on the plot of the play. “The audience will see and understand the message behind the play, and all the plot twists, once they have watched the show,” he said, leaving us all in suspense over what to expect.
This play has been circulating around social media for a few months now, and unfortunately, kept getting postponed due to the various lockdowns and other issues our country is facing right now. Aloysius, ever the perfectionist, held off the show until he deemed the cast, the play, and the music perfect. When speaking on what it’s like to finally go back onstage, after a small hiatus, he shared: “It’s not just me. The show’s cast and director are thrilled to be able to perform for live audiences once more, and hope that theatre lovers will support the performing arts with their presence.” It seems theatre and music is slowly coming back to our city – a welcome distraction from the realities of life.
Talking about the key aspect of the play – the music – he explained that the musical score is an eclectic mix of musical theatre ballads, jazz, Latino rhythms, and even the blues. Aloysius’ musical compositions are performed by his longtime musical partner – Avanti Perera. In fact, Aloysius also revealed that the show was originally intended to be a song cycle exploring the theme of women’s relationships and sisterhood. Sharing his thoughts on what he hopes to achieve with this show, Aloysius added: “I hope the show will inspire audiences to discuss and debate some of the show’s themes after the performance.”
He urged the audience to not miss this musical experience that is packed with songs, hilarious comedy, and some food for thought.
For more information on the play, stay tuned to:
Facebook: Venus United – A Musical by Jehan Aloysius
