The entire presentation revolves around three households, namely migrant Chandrika (Irene Cardozo) and her daughter Laxmi (Violet D’Souza), migrants Bit’tu (Christopher Menezes) and Maria (Flora Pereira) and a Goan origin, Jerome (Anthony Cardozo) and his two children, Andria (Simonia Cardozo) and Glen (Shawn Lima).
With the blessings of local MLA, Melwin Faria (Assis Cardozo), Chandrika is residing in a makeshift residence on the ‘communidade’ land and she has plans to get her relatives to Goa shortly. Bit’tu, a Muslim vendor, is running a small ‘gaddo’ of tender coconuts. Jerome’s daughter is already in the UK and while his son is still studying, he is also planning to re-unite with his daughter.
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With the help of MLA, Chandrika seeks employment for her college-going daughter. A womanizer that he is, Melwin suggests that Laxmi could pursue her studies in the morning and simultaneously assist him in the office in the evening.
Bit’tu knows tricks of the trade and for quick sale of his tender coconuts, he comes with offers to his buyer Maria (Flora Pereira). It is also a decent way of luring his regular customers.
Initially, Jerome is reluctant to leave his dwelling, sell off a farmhouse and a neighbouring hill he owns and fly to the UK. He encounters Professor Newton (Shivanand Naik), who convinces him not to take foolish and unwise decisions in haste.
As all the migrants settled in Goa are vote banks of the MLAs, Melwin assists Laxmi to find employment. Bit’tu traps his routine customer Maria and as they settle as a couple, the former’s business extends from a simple ‘gaddo’ to a massage parlour and finally a supermarket.
On return from the UK, Andria seeks help from professor Newton to settle everything regarding house and property, but he declines. Instead, he convinces her about the dire consequences. Finally, the deal is made with a Delhi real estate developer Nidhi Agarwal (Valentina Sequeira).
As Chandrika’s relatives arrive in Goa, Jerome along with his son and daughter step out of their house with their luggage to fly to the UK. What follows next in the life and family of Chandrika and Jerome is worth the watch during the second half of the drama.
Tiatr ‘Oh Goa’ throws light on the present scenario in Goa and what is expected next in Goa by 2040. The scary picture about Goans losing their true identity and ‘Goykarponn’ is brought to light and a clarion call is made to all Goans (residents of Goa and those settled abroad), before it is too late.
There’s good casting regarding artistes and characters on stage. Irene stands out as a migrant with a typical accent, while Anthony, Simonia and Shawn dole out true ‘Goaness’ by their acts. Assis is projected as a corrupt politician, while Shivanand fights to preserve Goan identity. Valentine is good as a real estate developer from Delhi. Child artiste Aayan Naik is confident in dialogues and body language.
Christopher and Flora carry a considerable dose of laughter pills and they both entertain the audience with their comic acts.
In the section of songs, the opening choral ‘Tiatr Spordhechi Golden Jubilee’ rendered by 8 singers was appealing. With the exception of one rendition, rest of the songs, in all the categories, were rendered with confidence and gusto.
The stage sets by Antonio Fernandes deserve a mention, but the light effects could have been improved. The background music by Sunny Rawool was satisfactory.
