Citations

The One Who Loves You So by Arun Welandawe-Prematilleke

2018 Gratiaen Prize Jury Citation

A play in two acts, “The one who loves you so’’ is a consummate work of art in one of the hardest of genres to realise success - both on the page and on the stage. An evocative dramatization of two young men navigating their relationships and sexualities in today’s Sri Lanka may seem like a story about a casual sexual encounter in a harsh world. However, its frank and bold telling of a transient and largely physical relationship, and the expression of hope for something more is both poignant and revealing. The strength of the dramatic dialogue between the two actors is underpinned by the detail and subtlety of the stage directions. Arun Welandawe-Prematilleke has clearly mastered the art form – both in form and content, he understands the power of what is said, and what remains unsaid, what is seen and what is surmised.