After a gap of almost two years on account of the pandemic, some of the tiatr
directors are all set to take a plunge in the tiatr field with their new
productions during Easter. Some of them have already announced their Easter
releases, while others are on the waiting list.
Those tiatr directors who have already
made the announcement on social media include Mario Menezes, comedian Sally,
Pascoal de Chicalim, Prince Jacob, Menino de Bandar and comedian Ambe. A
handful of directors are coming to the tiatr lovers with their new productions,
hoping that they will get good audience response and support as before.
If you enjoyed reading this article, you can help support our journalism by adding OHeraldo as a preferred source.
The new releases include Prince Jacob’s
tiatr ‘Apunn Apnnank Dev Somestank’, Mario Menezes’ production ‘Thank You’,
comedian Sally’s ‘Mhaka Ghoddlam Tem’, Pascoal de Chicalim’s tiatr ‘Hanv
Goencho Saiba…’ Menino de Bandar’s ‘Besanv Na Pesanv’, Roseferns Tiatr ‘Jevnant
Fator’ and comedian Ambe’s tiatr ‘Kuddo, Mono vo Bhero…’.
Usually, soon after the 40 days of Lenten season and the
celebration of Easter, the noted tiatr directors would step out with their new
releases, thus entertaining the tiatr audience with their tiatr, songs and
comedy. But with the virus still in the air, some of them have decided to stay
on hold and watch the situation closely.
For fear of running into a loss due to poor response from the
audience, be it in the cities or the villages, a good number of tiatr directors
wouldn’t like to take a risk as it involves big money as far as payment for the
auditorium, musicians, artistes, transport and other expenses are concerned.
Despite the scare of pandemic, the folk plays during this
Carnival festival were a big success. Several ‘zomnivhele fell’ directors
received bookings for their shows well in advance and the presentations in
several villages in Salcete moved smoothly, with good attendance from the
audience.
What went amiss from the tiatrs during the pandemic got easily
covered up by the ‘zomnivhele fell’ during the four-day entertainment at
Carnival this year. The village folk, who were hungry for entertainment,
flocked to those areas where the folk plays were staged and they brought cheer
to the directors and their entire troupe.
Now with the declaration of some Easter releases, will the
audience be drawn towards tiatrs, be it in the city auditoriums or village
shows? Although the fear of the pandemic prevails in the hearts of the people,
yet the relaxation that’s guaranteed through entertainment via tiatrs cannot be
equally ignored by the tiatr audience.
Prince Jacob had announced his Easter release ‘Apunn Apnnank Dev
Somestank’ in 2019 and was all set to entertain the audience after the
rehearsals, but unfortunately, on account of the pandemic, it was not staged.
“Now, it’s up to the government to decide whether to fully open the auditorium
for tiatrs or again seek 50 percent capacity as declared earlier,” he said.
Rafael Pereira from Fontainhas, Panjim, who would never miss out
on tiatrs when staged at Kala Academy, said, “when weddings, liturgical
celebrations, Carnival can be held with full attendance, why only restrictions
on staging of tiatrs?” “When stepping out for entertainment, people should
strictly follow all the SOPs,” he said, “and by maintaining social distancing
enjoy the show.”
“If all norms are followed, then there’s no fear of the virus,”
staid another tiatr buff. “As before,” he said, “let the show go on with the
tiatrs as well. It’s been too long that people have been deprived of
entertainment through tiatrs and for the Goan community tiatr is the only live
entertainment, once in a while.”
“It’s been a long break for some of our tiatrists, who have
depended solely on tiatrs to earn livelihood and support the family,” mentioned
another tiatrist, who spoke in anonymity. “Due to the pandemic, we had to pick
up odd jobs to survive and we did not decline in that task as well. When we can
entertain and earn, why not get into the business all over again?,” he asked.
Menino de Bandar, the president of Tiatr Academy of Goa (TAG),
who is also in the race of staging his new tiatr this Easter said that the
tiatr fraternity has to come out forcefully with their new productions or else
there could be fear of tiatrs going into extinction. Although he doesn’t expect
much response from the audience in the auditoriums, he is hopeful that parishes
across Goa will support the tiatrists and their efforts.
Along with the tiatr directors, the musicians too are equally
excited to make a comeback in tiatrs after a gap of almost two years. Some of
them did find a brief entry in some of the folk plays staged by directors
during the Carnival festival.
Seby
Moraes, who will be performing in Prince Jacob’s troupe as the band leader and
trumpeter, said that it all depends on the audience response for the success of
tiatrs released for Easter. “Despite 50 percent capacity, there’s hardly any
crowd in the auditoriums today,” he grieved, “but since the shows are booked in
the parishes for various feasts, let’s hope for the success of tiatrs.”
