PANJIM: Tiatr enthusiasts who had packed the renovated air-conditioned Dinanath Mangueshkar Auditorium at Kala Academy (KA) in Panjim on Thursday were in for a rude shock during the intermission as no canteen facility was provided.
Around 900 spectators who were watching the 3.30 pm performance of the first professional tiatr in three years – Lawry Travasso’s ‘Kalzantlim Fullam’ – were literally left in the lurch during the break as they were couldn’t but help stare in shock at the bare canteen counter. Children were seen pleading with their parents for something to eat and drink, while many had huddled in groups and were heard cursing the KA authorities for the insipid treatment meted out to them.
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“This is shocking! How does one not provide a canteen for a three-hour tiatr? They should have at least sold tea and water. If contacted, any small chaiwala from Panjim would have happily done the needful. I can’t help but wonder whether it is purposely done to discourage tiatr goers and tiatrist and stop the tiatr performances in government-run auditoriums,” said Lucas Monteiro from Calangute, who pointed out that this was the first time in three decades that he has encountered such a “ridiculous situation”.
While a KA official, who requested not to be quoted, told O Heraldo that he was not aware why the canteen was not made operational, Art and Culture Minister Govind Gaude had this to say: “During recently held tiatr competitions, canteen facility was made available. Moreover,
those organising programmes have been specifically told to make arrangements for refreshments till the government award the tender. We have clearly told those doing private bookings that they will have to make arrangements on their own. At the time of booking itself we tell them that you make arrangements on your own, or you can use the services of the caterers, whose numbers we provide.”
While Gaude, who is also the KA Chairman, was confident that the tiatr directors were told about making arrangements for the canteen, Travasso said that he wasn’t informed about the same.
When contacted, tiatr director Wily Silveira, whose Lenten tiatr ‘Israel’ is scheduled to be staged at KA on March 25, told O Heraldo, “At the time of booking the Kala Academy hall, I was only told to make arrangements for a sound system.”
“It seems that such step-motherly treatment is only reserved for tiatr lovers. As it is, the sound is not up to the mark and tiatr directors have no option but to hire extra sound system, which I am told costs them almost an additional Rs 10,000. The up-down movement of the curtains is excruciatingly slow and this extends the time limit of the tiatr. I pity the directors, they are helpless. The Kala Academy authorities should iron out the problems as soon as possible,” said Dominic Fernandes from Siolim.
“A few friends called me up to say that for a tiatr held at Kala Academy, Panjim, there was no canteen facility for the mammoth crowd which had gathered to witness the show. People were left without snacks and water during the interval. When booking the auditorium the management should have made the arrangements to have the canteen facility when there is a programme but they took it into a casual manner and left the audience high and dry. Has the organiser have to look after the canteen facilities too? Why this care-a-damn attitude? Why should people suffer in silence for no fault of theirs? People come to enjoy the shows or programmes and not to get irritated and angry with growling stomach and parched throats,” said tiatr director Pascoal de Chicalim, who plans to stage his tiatr ‘Goemkarachim Dukham’ at KA in April.
Meanwhile, the Art and Culture Minister told O Heraldo that “the government has floated a tender and has accepted the single tender”. “The technical bid of the contract was opened but the financial bid is yet to be opened. The work order will soon be given to the new caterer,” said Gaude.
