In recent years,
a handful of tiatr directors have taken their successful productions to foreign countries, mostly the
United Kingdon, and have won instant audience appeal. Tiatrs continue to be
presented in Gulf countries as well, but the earlier craze and trend is slowly
dwindling there.
The lukewarm response
from the Goan audience in the Gulf countries could be due to the migration of
Goans to the UK. And in comparison to the numerous tiatrs being staged in the
past, musical shows in Gulf countries seem to be winning audience appeal in
recent times.
Shahu Almeida, based
in Kuwait for several years, has been organising musical shows annually and all
three shows have turned out to be houseful and instant hits. He admits that the
main reason for tiatrs taking a backseat in Kuwait could be due to migration of
the Goan community to the UK. Despite this, he assures that the available
audience expects quality shows that provide value-for-money entertainment.
This year, in the
musical show ‘Konknni Machiechi Seva’, Almeidaroped in Prince Jacob, John
D’Silva, Lawry Travasso, Marcus Vaz, Xavier Gomes, Cajetan de Sanvordem and
Francis de Tuem from Goa, besides Andrew, Simon Gonsalves, Babit de Zuari,
Polly de Curtorim and Agnel from the UK, mimicry artiste Amresh Kamat from
Qatar, Kuwait Trio Cajetan-Xavier-Marcus, who made their appearance after a gap
of 18 years alongside several other artistes from Kuwait.
“Due to hurdles
concerning visa and other formalities, besides making arrangements for accommodation,
food, etc, many tiatr lovers do not want to take the risk of organising tiars
in Kuwait,” Almeida reveals.
Tony Gonsalves, who
has been promoting tiatrs in the UK in a big way for several years, says that
he takes pains to come down to Goa and watch seasonal shows. And if satisfied
with the performance, besides taking the audience pulse, he picks them up for
shows overseas.
Gonsalveswas
instrumental in staging Lorna’s musical shows abroad and he received a good
audience response. He states that the Goans abroad crave for quality shows and
don’t mind spending for good entertainment.
DySP Sammy Tavares
was the first tiatr director to stage his second tiatr, ‘Tim Thikam
Sanddlolim’, in North America in 2014. He staged the same tiatr in the UK,
Dubai and Kuwait as well. His first tiatr, ‘Aplea Bhurgeam Sangata’, was staged
in Paris, UK, Dubai Kuwait and Muscat in 2012. His third tiatr, ‘Police
Officer’ (2017), was staged in the US, Canada, UK, Dubai, Kuwait, Muscat and
Bahrain.
With regard to
audience response in US, Tavares says that the US is a big country and the Goan
community is spread out everywhere. “But despite Goans scattered across the
country, there were 300-odd tiatr fans for the show, which was a good
response,” he says, adding, “There were people who even travelled from Canada
for the show.”
Tavares informs that
his sister-in-law, Espy Tavares, along with her son, Gladston, used to promote
tiatrs in Bahrain earlier. “But after they migrated to the UK, they started to
promote tiatrs and musical shows of Lorna/ Lawry Travasso there. They recently
organised ‘Goa Day’ in the UK in September and received a good response,” he
adds.
Tavares’s brother,
late Max Tavares, who passed away in 1997, was also a tiatr fan and would
promote tiatrs of Roseferns, John D’Silva, Rosario Rodrigues, William de
Curtorim, Wilmix/Sharon in Bahrain.
Tavares
is all set to stage his forthcoming tiatr, ‘Bhurgim Kiteak Somzonant’, in the
summer of 2019, with shows already planned in USA, Canada, UK, Dubai, Kuwait
and Paris. With the great response he received for his past productions, he
expects better response in the near future from his tiatr fans and well-wishers
abroad.