Kala Academy (KA) indoor auditorium, which caters to varied
functions and cultural events, was closed down for immediate repairs. Its
undefined closure resulted in narrowing down on several art and cultural
events, including staging of popular tiatrs at regular intervals, coming to an
abrupt halt, especially in Panjim. The regular visitors to KA on several
occasions and for various art and cultural events were deprived of all the
entertainment they once enjoyed at leisure. And its indefinite closure left
many spectators, especially the tiatr buffs, frowning and expecting its
immediate re-opening.
Promises were made by the concerned authorities with
specific dates for KA’s grand re-opening, but never materialized. The
organizers of various cultural events and the audience only waited with hope in
their hearts each passing day. With no sign of being enthralled at KA and no
other option in hand, out of sheer frustration and disgust, many tiatr buffs
opted to travel all the way from Panjim to the commercial city, Margao, and get
their regular dose of entertainment. But the rest of the spectators from north
Goa, who had no conveyances of their own, had to let go most of the
entertainment, especially tiatrs, till re-scheduling began at KA after its
re-opening.
Right now, although the re-opening of KA’s indoor auditorium
was done with much fanfare, the scheduling of tiatrs have still not begun in
all earnest. Sources at KA informed that the popular KA’s annual tiatr
competition (A and B groups) scheduled annually, will be held in the months of
January, February in the auditorium, followed by staging of tiatrs and other
cultural events.
With KA’s indoor auditorium declared opened, the tiatr
directors from all over Goa are all set to make a comeback to the capital city
and provide entertainment to the vast audience in north Goa. They already have
their productions with them and wait for the green signal from the concerned
authorities at KA.
Before the KA is thrown open for full-fledged staging of
tiatrs, many other aspects and formalities are to be finalized by the concerned
authorities, including rent and ticket fare and other factors related to live
entertainment. Till then, probably the tiatr fraternity will have to make
another patient wait for their comeback on KA’s tiatr stage.
Noted tiatr director, Roseferns, who has crossed the
century-mark with his tiatrs since 1980, thus creating history in the field of
tiatrs, is keen in staging his new 103rd production at KA, but waiting for the
nod. He said in the past, he had staged at least 6-8 shows of his old
productions and has received good response from the audience.
“When KA has already been re-opened after repairs,”
Roseferns said, “the delay in giving the auditorium for tiatrs cannot be
understood.” “Is it done deliberately only for tiatrs and tiatrists? Are they
trying to put an end to age-old traditional art and culture?” he questioned.
Prince Jacob, who has come staging his tiatrs in the past at
KA for several years and has always received audience appeal, wishes that the
indoor auditorium be thrown open for tiatrs immediately. He said that when some
tiatr directors approached the KA authorities for the same, they were told that
bookings have not begun yet.
“Right now, Ravindra Bhavan in Vasco and Hanuman Theatre at
Mapusa are closed,” Prince Jacob said, “so where are we to go in order to stage
our tiatrs and earn our daily bread? When other government functions, including
‘nattaks’ are held at KA’s indoor auditorium, why can’t we stage our tiatrs and
entertain the Goan audience?”
“KA can go ahead with the scheduling of their tiatr
competitions during week days,” Prince Jacob said, “but provide us the hall on
weekends so we too can stage shows and regale the tiatr lovers. Why this
injustice only towards tiatr and the tiatrists?” he questioned.
On return from the UK with his entire troupe, comedian
Agostinho was keen in staging his latest production ‘Past is Past’ at KA to
entertain the audience in north Goa. After receiving an overwhelming response
at Ravindra Bhavan, Margao, when he approached the concerned KA authorities for
booking of his show and he received a negative statement and returned home
disappointed.
As he has planned limited shows in Goa, comedian Agostinho
said that he approached the KA’s authorities, but grieved that they are
unwilling to part with the hall. If the hall was thrown open for tiatrs, he
would have staged 2-3 shows of his new production, which is running houseful in
Margao.
Rafael Pereira from Fontainhas, Panjim, has never missed out
on tiatrs staged at KA in the past. Being a tiatr buff, he has always enjoyed
tiatrs staged by many commercial tiatrists and has equally been a critic of all
the presentations on stage.
After the recent declaration of KA’s reopening, Rafael was
thrilled and hopeful to return and enjoy tiatrs in the auditorium, but was
disappointed with no sign of commercial tiatrs. On account of convenience and
time factor, he has missed out on many commercial tiatrs, which are now being
staged on regular basis only in Margao.
Another noted singer and past member secretary of Tiatr
Academy of Goa (TAG), Ceasar D’Mello said that KA should be thrown open for
staging of commercial tiatrs. “A month ago, the authorities were still working
on the technicalities regards the sound, light and stage,” he informed, “but by
now things must have fallen in place.”
People in the north are longing to watch tiatrs as there are
no other venues close by to go and get entertained. And if KA authorities
permit commercial tiatrists to avail of the auditorium for their productions,
more than the tiatr directors, the spectators will definitely be the winners.
Another regular visitor to KA for tiatrs in the past, Linda
Gonsalves from Caranzalem said, “After the reopening of KA, we thought the wait
was over and we would get to enjoy tiatrs during weekends. But the wait
continues and for how long, nobody knows. Tiatrs were the only live
entertainment available for us, housewives and today we are deprived of it.
After work at home or in the office, three-hour entertainment via tiatrs would
take away all tensions and re-energize our minds and bodies.”
