‘Carnival’ deals with live-in relationships

‘Carnival’ a tiatr penned by Fr Doel Dias and directed by Avinash Chari highlights the live-in relationships now prevalent in the society and the responsibility that follows in marriage.

Carnival as a festival is three fun-filled days, but people continue celebrating Carnival in their lives, wearing masks of varied shapes. They refuse to reveal their true identity, thus causing harm and injury to those around them.

‘Carnival’ revolves around Gabby (Gabriel Fernandes), who serves in a bank and Reena (Irene D’Souza), who is the president of an NGO. The duo live with two kids, Sandra (Narusha D’Souza) and Sunny (Yelsten de Souza). Although it is a live-in relationship between Gabby and Reena, the former exercises his duties and responsibilities towards Sandra and Sunny diligently.

A fraud of Rs 40 lakh is suddenly charged on Gabby and the healthy, friendly atmosphere in the ‘family’ turns sour. A little later, news comes of the unexpected arrival of Reena’s husband John (Fr Victor Rodrigues). This excites the woman, but puts the kids’ off.

Will the kids be able to accept that Gabby was merely their caretaker? How does Gabby handle the situation and convince the disheartened siblings? What prompts Reena to change her mind and go by her convictions?

The tiatr ‘Carnival’ brings to light the varied facets of human beings. It tackles issues of marriage, live-in-relations and pros and cons that follow consequently. In the first half, a bank fraud was exposed, but it remained unsolved till the end.

Though simple in his dress, Gabriel shows intense command in his character. Irene enacts her role well. But the kids, Narusha and Yelsten are in the limelight, drawing instant attention of the audience with stubbornness and magical stunts respectively.

For those in-between comical moments on stage, Fr Doel Dias excels as Bryan and Melvita Rodrigues assists him well as Wilma. But there are no words required, the mere presence on stage of Fr Victor Rodrigues brings the tiatr to its climax.

In the songs, a solo by Fr Benjamin, quartet by Fr Bolmax, Jeffrey, Suzi and Sancia, trio by Frs Freddy, Bolmax and Maurice, duet by Preeti and Jeffrey and the choral on environment by Suzi, Jeffrey, Benjamin, Maurice, Deepti, Preeti, Maisie and Mario received applause from the audience.