"Tiatr" by name alone

THIS "Tin Paixancho Tiatr" is totally unrelated to the traditional Konkani tiatr, which we are accustomed to witnessing for several years on the trot. This particular play, penned by Vishnu Surya Wagh and directed by Shridhar Kamat Bambolkar, indulges in mixing several theatre forms, to put the a social message across through lively entertainment.

The play, laced with a pucca underworld setting, was enacted by the repertory company of the Kala Akademy's school of art. It involved a power-packed parody inspired by Bertolt Brecht's "The Threepenny Opera". The performers spared no style or language to make the most of the little time they are let loose on the stage.

The narrative blasts the politician and the every hypocrite in society in its own pretty way. The type of songs sung could be from the tiatr, Hindi films, Marathi natya geet, etc. The pithy language of the cutting dialogue, took sharp impromptu turns, changing tracks from Konkani to Marathi to Hindi to English. Well, we were facing the underworld, an educated lot trained by a queer master the art of acting, nay putting up the right act as highly professional beggars.

The performance of the budding actors was terrific, to say the least. The play should be watched, and intently too, by those desirous of presenting better performances on the commercial circuit. I just loved the crowd scenes, which must have taken a lot of doing, with several characters present on the stage simultaneously all the while.

Tomazinho's "Orth"

Tomazinho Cardozo, free at the moment from the political harness, was back at doing what he is adept a--the tiatr. He had he Kala Mogi troupe enacting another of his social pot-poilers "Orth".

Tomazinho too dabbled in unconventional theatre forms while trying to get at the politician, the communalist and the two-tongued. He try to portray the source of all the violence and cheating that the unscrupulous elements indulge in, while all he while putting up the most honourable front.

God sees through the game the guys and girls play. He makes them stand at the last Judgement in front of him with the documentation of all their evil deeds, done knowingly. Some, who taught that they had pleased God in life, had only managed to paved their way to hell. Others were innocent, perhaps naïve, but their deeds weren't born out of wicked convictions.

The difficult process of blending the real and the make-belief, were executed with finesse by the playwright-director-actor Tomazinho Cardozo. The entire cast rose to the occasion, exhibiting their best, in the tiatr, for the Kala Academy's just concluded Tiatr Competition.

Entertainment was woven in good measure through lively songs wherein the two little children of Young Chico gave evidence that they are a chip of the old block. The two-some has a bright future on the stage, hailing as they from a very music-minded home.

Willy's "Apa-Lipa"

Willy Goes, the wellknown former press photographer and now a lecturer at the Goa College of Art, too had a simple theme but with powerful thrust. Of course, there was the adroit Pravin Sabnis, doing the pivotal role, of a misguided soul, who seems to have nothing to lose by indulging in what fancies him.

The chap from Belgaum, squatting all the while too did a wonderful job, emoting on the cue, and lending so much meaning to the performance. Bernadette Gomes to had a small role in the rather short play.

The side show of the play was entertaining too with many a lovely songs. We suddenly saw Alister Miranda along with Savio singing a good ole duo. And was it a surprise to listen to the marvellous combination of the two.

Unlike Tomazinho's place, "Apa-Lipa" did not succeed in bagging any significant honours in the form of prizes. The play was a little beyond the traditional tiatr setting. Perhaps, though it went bang-bang all the while, with terrific emoting by Pravin, it should have started on a dramatic note.

Flutterfly

A lovely nature play, directed by Ms Isabel Santa Rita Vaz, was staged by the Mustard Seed Company at the rehearsal stage of the Kala Academy last month. The message involved was quite powerful. Men seem to be fit to fight and create endless trouble, sometimes without any valid reason.

Two lovely butterflies are born in the free wilderness. The moment they emerge from their coccoons, they are surprised, shocked and terribly pained by what the two-legged, harebrained humans do most of the time.

The adventurous butterflies take a human for conversion, to happier living being, able to enjoy the freshness of pure environment. With enough cajoling, the butterfly sibblings eventually manage to convert the human into a bubbly big butterfly, finally capable of enjoying life without violence.

As usual, Ms Vaz did a marvellous job at direction. Harvey de Souza and his butterfly partner put up a commendable performance, as did the rest of the energetic troupe.

Following the show, Nirmal Kulkarni of the Green Cross, and Harvey and Neil Alvares of the Southern Birdwing did their usual thing--talking ever so passionately and with conviction on the need for the preservation of the wild life. They put up a beautiful presentation of photographs and slides on the topic they were on.

Joel D'Souza