[2][3][4] De Silva was influenced by the work of C. Don Bastian (1852-1921), the creator of the ‘Nurthi’, who was also the editor of the first daily Sinhala news paper.
[4][3][5] De Silva wrote and produced several historical and religious plays drawing from nurti and nadagam traditions.
These include Siri Sangabo (1903), Sri Vickrama Rajasingha (1906), Devanampiya Tissa (1914), Vihara Maha Devi (1916) and Dutugemunu.
He also scripted Ramayana, Sakuntala, Vessanatara, Uttara Ramacharitaya, Ratnavali and Nagananda.
[2][3][4] De Silva staged his early plays at the Public Hall (later the site of Empire Cinema) with the Sinhala Arya Subodha Natya society.