With successful outings in Nagpur, Fr Agnelo Gomes presents his troupes’ depiction of the life of St Francis of Assisi through his musical production, ‘Peace Warrior’
While Saint Francis and Goa are all but religiously synonymous, one priest looks to explore the bond beyond merely religion and celebrate the life of the saint in a way that is unique to Goa
– through music.
Stretching his creative genius to its
limits, Fr Agnelo Gomes, who serves as the rector at Pilar Niketan, has conceptualised a show that aims to familiarise Christians with both the life as well as the philosophy of St Francis of Assisi. His play, ‘Peace Warrior’, first made waves when it was staged on November 30, 2013, the annual day of Pilar Niketan, a Nagpur-based institution where Catholic priests undergo phases of formation.
“The performance was so well
received and appreciated that we
decided to stage two more shows at St Charles Centenary Auditorium at
Seminary Hills on December 22, 2013. The shows were open to members of the
general public,” says the rector, who also serves as the Director of Philosophy at the Institute in Nagpur. Fr Gomes is also a former student of the New York Film Academy where documentaries were his main area of focus.
Containing a total of 16 songs, the cast of the musical comprises priests studying in Nagpur at Pilar Niketan. “We are
considered to have musical prowess as most of us are from Goa,” says Fr Gomes, adding that his main area of
experimentation lies in the merger of
different genres of music and dance. These include less orthodox stage styles such as hiphop, reggae, western pop, soul and even cha cha cha.“I switch things up in order to retain the interest of the
audience. I also use videos in the
background that help to depict the
turmoil in the saint’s life,” he adds.
Fr Gomes elucidates further about his reasoning when it comes to the writing and direction of his play.”On our annual day, it is customary to stage some cultural events. I believed that it would be
appropriate to direct this particular topic, as our Pope Francis is a follower of this saint. St Francis of Assisi is considered radical as he identified with the poor as well as nature and was considered the patron saint of animals. It is my personal belief that his philosophies and teachings are more contemporary than ever and way ahead of his time,” he says.
Stressing on the need to keep things natural and original, Bro Denzil
Fernandes from Calangute, the
co-producer of the musical arrangement along with Bro Russel D’Souza from Siolim, says,“The entire production is live. From the songs down to the music.”
After a successful run of ‘Peace Warrior’ in Nagpur, the Pilar Fathers and Brothers have brought the musical to what is home to most of them. A total of four shows are slotted for the Goa leg of their
performance. With two already having been performed, the remaining two on June 6 and 7 will be staged at Margao and Sanvordem respectively. With a sum total of 70 members in the cast, of which over 50 per cent are of Goan origin, the play sees the life of St Francis of Assisi come alive both on and off stage.
