Project
Active Theatre Movement (ATM) initially formed in 2002 as a small, UNICEF funded theatre group from Jaffna in the north of Sri Lanka . Their aim was to create and tour a landmine education awareness programme for villagers who had recently returned to their homes after the 2002 ceasefire. Since that time, the group has grown to about 50 young actor members who perform in schools, Internally Displaced People's camps and villages on a weekly basis. Their members are trained in traditional and contemporary performance skills as well as script writing by the two leaders of the organisation: director and dramatist Mr. Thevanath and playwright/theatre teacher Mr. Shanmugalingham. Their repertoire of theatre activities includes several children's plays and street theatre performances. However, they do not only focus on landmine issues; Active Theatre Movement also creates theatre with village based women's groups and has conducted regular theatre workshops for children affected by the 2004 tsunami.
In addition to being recreational, Active Theatre Movement consider theatre an important element of children's educational development, and since 2002, they have performed very high quality children's plays in hundreds of schools in the Jaffna district. The children's plays written by Mr. Shanmugalingham often use animals as the central characters, and are created for the children to enjoy an imaginative and creative theatre experience. Their plays incorporate music, singing, colourful sets and costumes, and the group often begin and end a school performance inviting the young audience members to sing and dance with them. For example, one of the plays that ATM has performed in many schools is that of Panja Nalla Verija (Five coloured fox). Adapted from a fable, the play tells the story of a fox that falls into paint and his tail becomes painted five colours. The story follows his attempts to make the other animals in the forest believe he is another, more special animal.
Active Theatre Movement's performances are an entertaining and impressive theatre experience for children and teachers. They also conduct follow-up programmes for teachers about the use of theatre in schools and education. As a group, ATM's continued work contributes to the development of theatre in education and children's theatre in Jaffna.
