Tab Article

Ratings: ★★★★☆ (4.5/5)
Genre: Drama, Sri Lankan Literature, Theatre, Plays

Book Review:
''Octet: Collected Plays'' by Regi Siriwardena is a landmark publication that brings together the complete dramatic works of one of Sri Lanka's most distinguished writers. This collection of eight plays showcases Siriwardena's remarkable versatility as a playwright, spanning a wide range of dramatic modes and themes.

The plays included are:
''The Critic'' (1995)
''The Blinding'' (1995)
''The Bus to Mulleriyawa'' (1994)
''The Mannequin'' (1994)
''The Almsgiving'' (1994)
''The Temptations of Paradise'' (1993)
''Prometheus'' (1992)
''The Long Day's Task'' (1992)
The collection features two plays on political themes, four comedies with serious overtones, a family drama, and an intellectually argumentative play. Remarkably, all but one of these plays have been successfully performed on the Colombo stage—a testament to their dramatic power and appeal. Four of them, published as ''The Almsgiving and other plays,'' won a Sahitya Award from the Arts Council in 1994.

Siriwardena, who served as Editor of ICES Colombo, has practiced many forms of writing—poetry, translation, criticism, and film scripts—but as he says in his preface: ''nothing else has given me as much pleasure as writing plays.'' He adds: ''I hope that some future obituarist will say of me: 'He found his true vocation only towards the end of his life—as a playwright.'''

This collection is essential reading for anyone interested in Sri Lankan theatre, contemporary drama, or the rich literary tradition of the country. A remarkable achievement from a true master of the craft.