Sebastiao Francis Crispiniano Carvalho, popularly known as Seby Carvalho on the Konkani stage, hails from Benaulim, a village in South Goa that has nurtured and groomed countless tiatr artistes over the years.
Born on October 25, 1946, Seby’s immediate neighbour, late Rosario Rodrigues used to stage tiatrs in his chicken coop after school. Rosario would seek assistance from Seby and other neighbours to raise and pull down bed sheets, which were his makeshift curtains.
“Gradually, Rosario started teaching ‘zomnivhele khell’ to the village youth at Holy Trinity chapel,” informs Seby. “For the chapel feast, he started penning tiatrs and the village youth, including noted tiatrists like Nelson, Conception, would be part of the troupe,” he adds
During the rehearsals, when some artistes would fail to turn up, Rosario would push forward Seby to act as a substitute and he would oblige, thus learning his dialogues thoroughly and acting confidently. As Rosario could foresee a tiatrist in Seby, he told him that he would provide him with a small role in a court scene.
Seby agreed to take up the minor role and was well versed with his dialogue during all the rehearsals. But on the day of performance at Benaulim, when the scene arrived and he was to step on stage, he blanked out in nervousness. His co-artistes were shocked and could not comprehend Seby’s behavious. Finally, one boy from Mumbai, Milagres, was asked to step in and the show continued.
Lawrence Santan D’Costa had a carpentry workshop in Benaulim and Seby would assist him on a daily basis. When Antonio Moraes staged his tiatr ‘Stylish Bail’ for the feast of Our Lady of Patrocino, Lawry and Bobby D’Costa introduced Seby to the director.
Seby was offered the main role in the tiatr and he was again gripped by fear and nervousness. But timely support from Lawry and Bobby helped him act confidently and step down from stage.
To overcome his stage fright, Seby requested Antonio Moraes to give him a spot, rendering a solo. But he was pushed soon after the second act and he instantly won audience appeal, besides winning two trophies for best solo and actor at the hands of the chief guest.
“Instead of grabbing two trophies,” informs Seby, “a suggestion was made to offer one to comedian Agostinho, who equally excelled in his role, and it was accepted.”
When Rosario Rodrigues staged his tiatr ‘Minakshi’ and Seby was offered the lead role, it was an instant hit in Benaulim. Later, it was staged at Betalbatim to a full house and the same tiatr continued with more than 25 shows.
Thereafter, Seby continued in Rosario Rodrigues’s numerous khell tiatrs which included ‘Ekech Ratri’, ‘Ami Fator’, ‘Hindustani Cheddvam’, ‘Football Minguel’, ‘’Patang’, ‘Suria’, ‘Patkinn’, ‘Bara Orsani’, ‘Hanv Piso?’, ‘Bhurgem’, ‘Ekloch Tuzo’, ‘Eklianuch Pollela’, ‘Frank Cinatra’, ‘Sonvsar Amcho Nhoi’, ‘Tem’, and ‘Chedde ani Cheddvam’. “The above khell tiatrs were staged two at a time at every venue, thus completing the three-hour duration. But khell tiatrs ‘Fattim Paulo’ and ‘Ghara Iea’ were of three-hour duration each and hence were staged independently,” he informs.
Seby also acted in Patrick Dourado’s tiatr ‘Varem’, besides being a part of Roseferns dramatic troupe in tiatrs ‘Bebdo’, ‘Mai, Pai ani Bhurgim’, ‘Mog ani Bhirant’, ‘Tutt’lele Dhage’, ‘Dovo Kavllo’, ‘Girann’, ‘Hem Tujem Tem Mhojem’ and ‘Beiman Tum’.
Having mastered the art of acting and singing, Seby was also part of John D’Silva’s tiatr, ‘Dhorm’, Donaldo Diniz’s ‘Hanv Nhoi To’, Lavin Fernandes’s ‘Bhav vo Dusman’, Remedio Silva’s ‘Patki vo Ghatki’ and Francisco da Gama’s ‘Kumsaracho Ghutt’. He was also part of Agostinho Carvalho’s tiatr ‘Sao Pedru’ while also performing in Rosario Rodrigues’s tiatrs.
Seby was last seen on stage in Menino de Bandar’s tiatr ‘Maim’ in 2015. Besides proving his acting skills on stage, he is also a good composer and singer and would love to make a comeback as a singer.
For his immense contribution towards the tiatr stage, Seby was the recipient of Tiatr Academy of Goa’s Lifetime Award 2013, besides the Kala Gaurav Puraskar in 2015.