Evergreen entertainer no more

With Ruwini Jayawardana

If laughter was the best medicine Annasley Dias was a drugstore. The veteran and versatile comedian was not only recognized for his ability to make others laugh but also the fact that he himself was a cheery and bubbly character.

He was well known for his portrayal of the Hamu Mahaththaya in Vinoda Samaya, the renowned radio drama aired years ago. His talent soon took him to the stage as well as the mini screen, and he lost no time in carving a niche for his vitality and vivid acting skills.

Born to Muthukudu Arachchige Pedris Dias as the youngest in the family, he enjoyed a calm and collected even form in his younger days. He was past pupil of St Francis Government School, Dalugama, St. Paul's Waragoda College and St. Joseph College, Colombo where he followed his studies in the English medium. However he was not ignorant in the Sinhala language for he attended Peliyagoda Vidyalankara pirivena where he was taught the language properly, as it was compulsory to be competent in the language to enter Government service employment. Thus Venerable Walpola Rahula, Bambarande Siriseevali and Kotahene Pagngnakiththi Theras were some of those who guided and nurtured the mind of the young lad.
Closest companions

H D Wijedasa, Alfred Perera, Samuel Rodrigo and Berty Gunathilaka were some of his closest companions, all whom he met during his stint at the pirivena. That was when they turned to comedy plays. Iskolayak was their debut attempt of entertaining the public through comedy.

Following Wijedasa's post of relief announcer at Radio Ceylon the rest of Dias' clique entered Radio Ceylon too. The comedy play Vihilu Tahalu was banned as it focused on condemning the politicians of the time. Soon the group had to look elsewhere for a program to take its place. That was when Alfred confided with Annasley, Samuel and Berty to initiate another program. Hence came Vinoda Samaya during Thevis Guruge's period as head of Radio Ceylon. They were unofficially dubbed Raja Thun Kattuwa (triumvirate) as they were able to work wonders and the program soon shot to fame.

The likes of Eddie Jayamanna, Eddie Yapa and Joseph Seneviratna had been conducting comedy programs, but they were more West oriented. Annasley and co introduced local flavour to the comedy which turned a new leaf in the local comedy scene.

Annasley was employed as an English teacher at Gurukula Vidyalaya for a considerable period. He earned Rs100 before joining Moratuwa Municipal Council as a clerk. As a Grade I Translator at Colombo Municipal Council he engaged in all his part time activities in the entertainment field with care because it was prohibited then for government servants to generate income from outer sources.

One significant feature of Annasley is that he when everybody was rolling with laughter at his witty phrases, he himself was able to keep his composure without even a mere hint of a smile. Significantly there was no end to the amusing experiences which added spice to his own levity. During World War II, he had witnessed a British soldier taking the plunge from an aircraft. The village monk nursed him and saw him back to camp.

Being well read he could well analyze most of what happened around him. He possessed an immense knowledge in both local and foreign affairs. Although he was Catholic, he had a good knowledge in Buddhism too.

He published two works: Vinoda Samaye Hamu Mahattaya, based on his own life story and Vinoda Samaya. His humour did not flow into complicated issues. Rather he dealt with simple things and tit bits which made people see the lighter side of life. Popular actress Mercy Edirisinghe joined them later on in the scene. Portraying comedy in the early 1950s was no easy task especially due to the fact that there was no recorded transmission facilities. You have to transmit it live, which required rigorous rehearsals for an allowance of Rs.

According to Annasley, most of the today's humour programs contain obscene meanings. If not, they contain insulting remarks. His vision was to get across a message without hurting others. This feature is inborn for it is more of an instinct rather than something which can be practiced through learning. Furthermore his jokes were not limited for a specific age group. Both young and old were able to join in the merriment.

With the emergence of the Television, life took a different turn. The trio was well known on Rupavahini when they started the program Vinoda Samaya in 1982. Interestingly their humour always comprised a deep philosophy. This is mainly what set them apart form the rest.

Significantly none of the trio wanted to ascend the ladder by overtaking each other. They were the best of friends till the end and there was no competition among them. They were inseparable in their ventures, be it radio, stage, tv or stage.
Exceptional comedian

Though there were times when Annasley could not cope with his duties at work as he was requested to take part in concerts his superiors were quite understanding. They never gave him a hard time because at the end of the day he always made sure that he caught up on his responsibilities. His family, especially his wife Noeline, two sons, Rajendra and Janaka, daughters Jayamali, Nilina, Manori and Samanthi, too were very supportive towards his work.

The exceptional comedian recently bid adieu to the nation at the age of 81. The final rituals will take place at Roman Catholic Cemetery in Dalugama today. His remains are lying at his residence at No. 378, Old Kandy Road, Kelaniya.

http://www.dailynews.lk/2009/06/17/art02.asp

Good bye, Tissa Uncle!

Sad tidings of his death make us contemplate the legacy Dr Tissa Abeysekara has left behind. It is but a deep contemplation, for he was a genius – with a distilled halo: journalist, scripter, filmmaker, actor, presenter, novelist and above all a brilliant bilingual. In fact he is a rare species of all times let alone his own.

Even at his age – would have been a septuagenarian next month – when most of his contemporaries dined on ashes, his hands had still been full. He could still speak without blabbering. He could still write sharp and witty. When most of his contemporaries left our shores for a comfortable life, he stayed with us to share his thoughts.

Abeysekara had two turfs which he could tread on with much ease: cinema and literature. His literary life started with a teenhood short story for Dinamina and the filmic life started with a tea man’s job. It was a journey from the tea tray to the grandstand. He belongs to the camp of Martin Wickramasinghe who did not have university credentials. Yet Abeysekara was a gifted idol, who didn’t care a heck about doctorates.

Looking back at his life, he seems to have had that Midas touch in whatever the field he stepped in. When he joined Lester James Peries for the first time in 1964 it was almost a miracle. It was when Peries employed young Abeysekara as the dialogue writer and the first assistant director for Gamperaliya. He was later to see the movie clinch the Golden Peacock award for the best feature film. His scripting then followed up with Nidhanaya, a much precious reelwork now.

He had faith in aesthetic beauty more than spirituality. His powerful pathos in portraying the militant spiritual personage of Kudapola Hamuduruwo in Lester’s Puran Appu was natural. The role was relatively short-spanned but it won Abeysekara the Presidential award for the best supporting actor. The way he reacts to white man’s gunshot in the film still remains haunting in our hearts.

Abeysekara was very enthusiastic about the culture he grew up with. Anything you inquire, he could spell it out in his own inimitable eloquent accent. On culture and related areas, only a few other than Abeysekara will claim such a vast storage of knowledge.

Abeysekara had a strong bilingual backing from his family; paradoxically though his mother spoke only Sinhala. He handled both languages with equal mastery, which is rare in our generation. His vocabulary was vast at times, but he used the right idiom at the right place. His sentences were roaming on long routes at times, but they had rich meanings.

Language’s creative use was his concern, on top of everything else – even more than cinema. He spoke high of reworking the language towards his last days. He had much to say on narrative style. He reminisced his childhood days which influenced him with sound patterns.

“If I die and am born again as you say I will be, is that, which is reborn, the same me?” queried the man from the Buddha, and the Buddha replied, “Neither you, nor yet any other.

Likewise what follows in this book, being truth recreated through memory, is neither true, nor untrue. But then, does it matter?”

So starts his latest – did he ever fathom it would be his last? – book ‘Bringing Tony Home and other stories’ (published as part of a partnership between North Atlantic Books and Scala House Press; available at leading bookshops). We are happy we could give the first coverage on his book (see December 3, 2008 Daily News Artscope).

Thinking of you, Uncle Tissa – for I am very much younger than you, and you didn’t like to be called ‘Dr’ or ‘Sir’ either – I need to go back, stroke gently, those lines you have conceived in your ‘requiem’. I glance them on a mirror that reflects your thoughts clearer than ever:

“We need to sit down and have that long frank talk, just the two of us. You must tell me everything. I will listen. I have the time now.” (Poor Young Man, A Requiem: Bringing Tony Home)

Good bye charming wizard of our times, we know it must come to pass. But death should have spared you for a few more years – at least for that long frank talk. Death should have spared you!

Sir Ivor Jennings: The multifaceted educationist

The 42nd death anniversary of Sir Ivor Jennings, an author of Ceylon constitution and the first Vice Chancellor of Peradeniya University, falls today.

History presents Ceylon under the British yoke as a somewhat gloomy period. The same history, however, shows us the accounts of good-hearted Englishmen who had a great respect towards Ceylon's culture; the likes of John D'Oyly await an academic to go down into their souls.

Continue reading.