The story revolves around Antonette (Antonette de Maina), who is a tiatrist by profession. With whatever earnings made by acting and singing on the Konkani stage, she supports her aged father (Ulhas Tari).
But Antonette’s immediate neighbor Romaldine (Roma) is dead against the tiatr fraternity. And she wouldn’t like her only educated son Cajie (Caziton de Cacora) to get involved with Antonette.
Romaldine considers tiatr and tiatrists as cheap business. And she believes that the artistes on the tiatr stage are uneducated and ignorant.
But despite strong opposition from Romaldine, Antonette’s frail father is always supportive and goes out of his way to extend all moral help to his daughter. At one point of time, he proves to Romaldine that there are many educated tiatrists today, who
have embraced and carried
forward stage art, despite their noble professions.
Cajie serves in a hotel and his boss Franky (Franky Gonsalves), who is a businessman, drops by and seeks Antonette’s hand. But Romaldine poisons Franky’s mind and the proposal is bluntly rejected.
Unable to stand the rejection, Antonette’s father is disheartened. Thinking about his daughter’s future, his health deteriorates.
The thought about her father’s ill health leaves Antonette caught between the devil and the deep sea. Will she be able to tend to her father’s needs and at the same time do justice to her career on tiatr stage? How does she strike a balance? Watch what follows next on stage in the second half.
As parents in the tiatr, Ulhas Tari and Roma, have done justice to their respective roles, the former in a sober role and the latter in a negative character. Antonette de Maina is projected in the lead role, while Caziton de Cacora and Franky Gonsalves support the main cast. Franky’s talent is a waste as he makes entries only in the beginning and at the end.
In the comic acts, there are comedian Sally, Ambe, John D’Silva, Brian, Richard, Rizton and Semica, for some laugh riot. But clean and decent comedy can be well created with just a handful of comedians rather than half of them a dozen on stage.
In the section of songs, Jr Reagan comes with the opening song, followed by solos from Caziton de Cacora, Lawry Travasso, Tony de Ribandar, Saby de Divar and Anthony Caiado. There’s a song as a tribute to late Mario Menezes and comedian Selvy rendered by Antonette de Maina and Roma. Two songs by Lawry/Antonette de Maina and Tony de Ribandar/Jr Reagan carry good morals. A song by Rizton, Brian and Richard and another by Saby de Divar, Sally, Brian and Richard on social media receive encores. Senon and his band members have provided good music to all the songs, while James has assisted with the background music as well.
The stage sets, especially the scene of St Anthony in the garden, before the first half ended,
deserves appreciation.