Bandaranaike reveals that the society in turmoil after the 1971 insurrection had influenced him to write the play. He goes on to say that time was equivalent to now where an election was announced.
A dire flood strikes the country ruled by the Fascist ruler, Macclum. But he remains totally ignorant of the victimized and tries to secure his power. He gives orders to cut a finger of every citizen. A young boy, Antonio, was also imprisoned by him. Antonio was used by his brother, Walter to raise awareness of the plight of flood victims. The tyrant also poisons his army chief and confers the title to his son.
Antonio's flood-affected family members were brought before the tyrant accused of gathering in public. He lets his generals enjoy with the daughter of the family and she dies of their harassments. The family's head is also murdered there.
But Walter, with the valour of his tongue, challenges Macclum showing his own and his officers' inefficiency. The humiliated tyrant then entrusts Walter the almost-impossible tasks of stopping the flood and rehabilitating the flood-affected lives in 6 months time to save his life. Walter readily takes the challenge and with the help of nothing-to-lose people like him, does a remarkable job in four months. So, the masses gather around him.
Meanwhile, disaster strikes for the tyrant; one of his guests makes his wife pregnant. The predictions reveal the birth of the child will be the end of his rule and the revival of leftists. Since then, the tyrant and his son are fully committed to irrational blunders.
They arrest Walter and torture him. This news makes the masses to stand tall against him. Malcolm, the tyrant's son, even calls Walter's wife to sleep with him if she wants to save her husband's life. But her silence and indecision in the most poignant of moments, makes Malcolm shoot Walter and kill him. News arrives that Macclum's wife had died in childbirth.
Meanwhile, the rebels attack the castle with the help of soldiers. They insist on killing the tyrant and his son despite the protests of Walter's wife, Olga, who is all against bloodshed.
The poignancy of the moment heightens as the little Antonio suddenly appears playing a sorrowful tune with his violin. The play ends here with the bent heads of the tyrant and his son, giving vent for the audience's imagination.
There's certainly a lot to laugh about the play. It is full of subtle political sarcasm and even crude jokes at times.
But it's not a mere political satire. It is a humorous and symbolic exploration of the contemporary Sri Lankan society in the most ironic terms. In fact there is much food for thought in it.
Eka Adipathi clearly brings out the predicament of the people and religious institutions under the iron hand of totalitarian regimes, and their nothing-to-lose struggle to shake off the manacles which suffocate them. The unsurpassed strength of humanity, togetherness and forgiveness are also successfully dramatized.
Dharmasiri Bandaranaike, playing the tyrant's role himself, really does a marvellous piece of acting. He exploits facial expressions and intonation admirably and perfectly shows the anxiety, insecurity and fear hidden in the subconscious minds of every unmerited ruler. With him on the lead, the entire cast and crew also do a commendable job making the full use of the set, props, music and lightening, making him not 'Ekadipathi' of the play.
Somebody threw a potato chip to the Elphinstone theatre's fish pond when I was coming out. Even though it was too large for him, a big Gourami dashed to grab it and disappeared. But suddenly a group of small fish gathered from nowhere started giving him a chase.
They cornered him, and the next second I saw them nibbling the potato chip together. The big Gourami looked at them from a safe distance.
http://www.dailynews.lk/2009/12/16/art02.asp
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