After almost two years, Clutch Plays Theatre will be bringing the newest production to theatergoers in Colombo with ‘Tiny Beautiful Things’, which incidentally will be the first English play to go on the board at the Wendt in 2022.
This production, which has been brewing over the past ten months will come alive on the stage at the Lionel Wendt from January 28 to 30. The talent behind this production consists of the two co-directors Mayaan Haputantri and Tashiyana Devarajan. The cast includes Tracy Jayasinghe, Tahiri Perera, Saranie Wijesinghe, and Ruvin De Silva.
Asel Karunasinghe is the production’s sound designer, while the graphic designer is Naveed Hashima and lighting designer Hasanga Liyanagunawardena. The writings have been done by Chathma Punchihewa and the stage management will be handled by Aneeq Hashim, and social media management by Pravin Jayasundara.
‘Tiny Beautiful Things’ is a play about reaching when you’re stuck, healing when you’re broken, and finding the courage to take on the questions which have no answers'.
Based on the best-selling book by Cheryl Strayed and adapted for the stage by Nia Vardalos, ‘Tiny Beautiful Things’ presents the questions and answers that personality “Sugar” were publishing online from 2010 to 2012. Sugar essentially taught her ‘advice-seekers’ that what they were feeling was completely understandable in a society that labels such reactions as an ‘overreaction’.
When the writer was asked to take over the unpaid, anonymous position of advice columnist, Strayed used compassion and her personal experiences to help those seeking guidance for obstacles both big and small.
Co-Director Tashiyana Devarajan said the following about ‘Tiny Beautiful Things’: “We’ve all gone through things that are similar and we’ve all at one point felt ashamed to come out and talk about it because we’ve felt it’s not important or people would make fun of it.
Watching this play will make you realise its okay, that everyone has their flaws, everyone is here for you and that’s beautiful.”