The Carnival season is on. The people are celebrating before the
onset of Lent. It is also the time when khell tiatrs are presented to audiences
all over the State. This is year is no different. Around fifty shows are being
presented around the state.
Luis Azavedo had shows on Saturday and
Sunday. He had five shows on both the days. He said it was difficult to do it
because the shows were at different places and to get the slots was difficult.
He had three plays which would touch not possible to put up five shows however
because of the fact it was allocated in different areas. The plays all touched
on subjects that everyone could understand and connect with. One of the plays
focuses on the subject of a young man from a rich family who marries a girl
from a poor house and the complications that ensue. He said he wanted to show
that relatives in tough times can be a gift from god. In the play the young man
finally tell his wife that she was a gift from God. The second play he said was
on a situation that was very relevant to the state. Migrants come and stay in
the house with the old people who are the owners of the house. The children
have migrated to greener pastures in the west. Over a period of time the
migrant’s daughter grows up and takes the name of the daughter of the house,
gets a Portuguese passport and goes abroad. Luis said these were situations
everyone had heard of or had experienced. Tickets he said were sold out and
attendance was very good.
The economic realities of the time are too obvious to be
ignored. The paucity of jobs and the inability to generate funds to organise
plays are also facts of the day. Avil de Sirlim has put up three plays but he
admitted it was very difficult to put it up. He said “After the elections it
has been difficult to get sponsorships. Before the elections everyone comes to
us. Now we are not needed. I had a meeting with a candidate and I was shocked
by the tone he adopted. It was hurtful. All the directors faced the same
problem. We have to then invest our own money. Trumpet is Rs 40,000, guitar is Rs.
15,000 and keyboard another Rs 15,000 for three days. In addition the
transport, sound and light. It is expensive. I am hoping to get fifteen 15
shows then it will not be a problem”. At the time of going to press he had four
shows booked and this he attributed to having started only on Thursday because
he was unsure if the Carnival would have been conducted. The family he said was
helping out and his plays were about family and everything positive. There was
he said not a word about any politician.
Valencio de Cararanzalem had three plays and had fifteen shows.
He said they had stated practicing a week earlier and all the shows were sold
out. For Xavier de Sanguem, he had a MLA sponsoring him and he had fifteen
shows and he was hoping for the best.
Aleka Velors had fifteen shows thanks to her three tiatrs. All
the subjects were interesting. The first play was about a couple who put the
parents in the old age home. The second play was about parents going abroad
leaving their children behind and migrants living with the children and
spoiling them. The third play was about the father not taking care of the
children and the resultant problems. She said they were expecting to generate
money from the shows and also from Youtube were the plays were uploaded. She
said there was a lot of planning that went into organizing the shows. She said
“Six months ago I had contacted the actors and they agreed. But on getting
better offers, many moved on. I had to search for new actors. My father,
sister, boy friend are acting. I got comedians from classmates in Kala Academy.
I have three actors and had to also search for musicians after those who booked
just left”.
No
one said life was easy but the determination shown by these directors will
ensure this distinctly Goan art form will remain popular for years to come.
