Portrait

Pardon our French. We’re sorry it didn’t meet your expectations. But if I remember correctly no one actually waged a war against the US for turning English into American. It’s one of those things you learn to live with, so we were never too worried about it in the first place. Non?

“No this was not a well directed or well acted play, and if this can be understood,……” So help me understand. The last time I checked ice cubes or French accents were not included in the essential guide to acting. So what are these basic skills you make reference to? Besides that would leave a huge equation of the cast out. And it would be unfair to label them with a sweeping statement like such quoted above, with too little evidence. Maybe examples or references with a little more substance would have helped prove or in this case, disprove the acting and directing skills.

Our goal was simple - to get a message across. Not to be patronized with “pats on the back”. If you’re looking for pomp and pageantry, you’re not looking in the right place.

You’re right. Criticism, in the constructive form, is important and we fully appreciate and embrace it in the right spirit. After all, it is a fundamental part of growing as actors and individuals. Sadly, I’m having some trouble sieving the constructive part through all the insults and animosity. Could it possibly be that it doesn’t exist??

But thank you - for taking the trouble to attend and give us your views, we hope you will grant us the privilege of your company in future productions too. And next time, Get out there! Show yourself! Like we do, when we have something to say, or the arts scene in Colombo might turn into an even bigger joke than it already is!

Just so there aren’t any mysteries -
… Fazeeha.

the last time i checked, criticism meant saying ‘this play is bad, and this is WHY this play is bad…’. not ‘this is bad.’ the last time i checked, criticism was given in the spirit of generosity, like lending a helping hand to anyone who put any effort into making something work, and helping them fathom why it didnt work, therefore erradicating any chances of the mistakes being made again so as to avoid any of the same mishaps in the future, not downright slandering something from beginning to end without reason or specifications under the pretense of it being criticism.

theatre, especially theatre like fefu and her friends, is complicated. its like poetry, mostly because the overall impact and interpretation of the play depends on an individual. it had different meaning to different people, and different parts of it felt relative and made sense, depending on many things : whether you were male or female, whether you were young or old, whether you’re an adventurer like fefu or a conformist like christina. different people were able to like and dislike different characters in the play, while agreeing with some, and disagreeing with others. that’s natural. each woman in the play is different, drawing likeness to real people. WE are all different.

anon, its sad you didnt like the play. it would probably make more sense to me if you thought that there was room for improvement on certain aspects of the performance, and not that it was downright bad. somehow, having heard varying opinions on the production from very many people (some who loved it, some who weren’t so impressed) you’re still the first person who seemed so totally repelled by it. while not being able to understand that, i must say that when i first read your comment, i thought it must be someone’s idea of a joke. i can’t understand how anyone in their right mind could think fefu and her friends was THAT bad. maybe it wasn’t to your taste, but it wasn’t THAT bad, was it? somehow i wonder if you live in colombo. i honestly can say that, having been to many plays here, fefu and her friends staged some of THE best acting i have seen on a colombo stage in a long time. if nothing else.

hats off, tracy, and the cast and crew of fefu and her friends.