Jessica Haines is a South African actor and artist currently living in Sri Lanka. She is best known for her leading role opposite John Malkovich in the dlm adaptation “Disgrace.”  Jessica has an honours degree in English literature and performance theatre and has a relentless passion for storytelling. After many years working  in the dlm and television industry, Jessica has returned to the stage with a story that she wrote while studying shadow theatre with Norbet Gotz in Germany last year. This one handed play, called “The tale of  a Shadow and a girl called Violet” is directed by, Le Coq trained, James Cuningham and performed by Jessica. Together they devised and workshopped the story using light and shadow as their primary vehicle to bring the play to life.

“The tale of a Shadow and a girl called Violet” tells the story of a young girl growing up in Africa, charged with youth, imagination and a quest for adventure but soon falls victim to the inevitable pressure of growing up and meeting the social expectations and demands of society. Her mental health is compromised and she soon dnds herself in a dark and unpredictable place, only to be rescued by the notion of home and the memories of her childhood.

The play will be opening on Thursday, the 7th of November at the Namel Malini Punchi Theatre in Colombo for one night only.