A rich resource for tiatr lovers
Frederick FN Noronha * फ्रेडरिक नोरोन्या *فريدريك نورونيا
A rich resource for tiatr lovers
Aug 6th, 2011 | Category: BookBy Ben Antao
When the Curtains Rise… By Andre Rafael Fernandes, Tiatr Academy of Goa and Goa, 1556, Pp 201, Rs 195.
WHEN THE Curtains Rise by Andre Rafael Fernandes is a well-documented history of Konkani tiatr that should be a must-read for tiatr aficionados in Goa. It’s a study aimed at "understanding Goa’s vibrant theatre," according to the book’s subtitle.
The book surveys the origins of Goa’s oral entertainment culture from indigenous folk traditions such as zagor, khell, mell, mussallam phell (pestle dance) to the legacy of music and song (ovi, dekhni, dulpod, mando) to the performances of tiatr from 1892 in Bombay to the present in Goa.
Although Joao Agostinho Fernandes is regarded as the Father of the Konkani Theatre (Pai Tiatrist), it is Lucasinho Ribeiro who is the Goan pioneer of Konkani tiatr, according to Pai Tiatrist himself. In an article in the Ave Maria newspaper of November 25, 1943, Joao Agostinho writes:
"Mr Ribeiro laid the foundation of Konkani theatr with five actors, near the Rodond Bungalow, Picket Road in February 1892. And in April of the same year, his first Konkani opera, Italian Bhurgo, was performed at the New Alfred Theatre, which existed where the Police Commissioner’s Head Office is now located (Mumbai). People were amazed on seeing this new theatr, particularly the opera, and by listening to the other songs and by seeing the velvet costumes, which Mr Rebeiro had purchased second hand from the Company.
"The late Lucasinho Ribeiro without any doubt deserves the premier honourable position. I bow my head at the grave of Mr Ribeiro, who was my maestro in the field of theatre and I still tread the path he has shown by presenting plays of moral and educative values to my brethren."
Ribeiro or Rebeiro (both spellings were used at that time), born on January 18, 1863 at Sokol Vaddo, Assagao, who had experience of working in Italian operas in Bombay, incorporated the opera practice of having plays with integrated songs, a trend that continues today of having kantaram as part of the tiatr.
Joao Agostinho, born on December 14, 1871 in Borda, Margao completed his primary education in Portuguese and his matriculation in English in Bombay.
His first wife Regina Fernandes became the first actress on the Konkani stage when she performed in Batcara on November 22, 1904 at the Gaiety Theatre in Bombay.
He was the first to cut a disc in Konkani when he recorded songs with His Master’s Voice in 1908. He was the first to bring Kunbi dances and songs onto the stage. His song Sintidan paim ghal re, Jaki from Kunbi Jaki became popular with the masses because of its authentic rhythm.
The total of 30 plays he wrote included such masterpieces as Belle of Cavel (1893), Bebdo (1898), Batcara, Part I (1904), Batcara, Part II (1905) and Kunbi Jaki (1934).
The author who researched this book for a thesis for his Ph. D provides neat critiques of a few of these plays.
The theme of Belle of Cavel is the promotion of lasting friendships between educated youth without seeking parental permission or considering social differences, leading to conflict between tradition and modernity. Critics praised this romantic comedy for its progressive ideas.
In Bebdo the playwright deals with the problem of alcoholism that has plagued many Goan families. The principal character is so addicted to drink that he tells lies to escape from home to meet his friends addicted to gambling and alcohol.
Batcara probes the caste system as the landlord in Goa exploited most of his tenants who were bonded labourers. The playwright introduces the tenet of Christianity to plead for equality of all believers. This tiatr is also important because for the first time women acted on the stage.
Kunbi Jaki became the playwright’s most successful play. Here he focuses on the plight of the Kunbis, their joys and sorrows and their exploitation by the landlords.
The author Rafael Fernandes, 52, who teaches at the University of Goa, traces the development of the tiatr as going through four phases: The early years from 1892-1930s; the golden phase (30s to 1961, 1961 to 1970s) and the contemporary and non-stop tiatr phase.
It’s in the golden phase that the tiatr has enjoyed its most appeal and popular success. Great tiatrists like J P Souzalin, A R Souza Ferrao, Aleixinho de Candolim, Kid Boxer, C Alvares, Remmie Colaco, Prem Kumar, M Boyer and John Claro are discussed.
A surprise to me was the omission of Minguel Rod in this detailed discussion. The author calls Minguel Rod "one of the greatest Konkani tiatrists," who formed the famed trio of Kid-Young-Rod, yet does not discuss his plays in a separate section as he does with the others named above. A pity!
For those who may not know, Minguel Rod is the most gifted tiatrist whom this reviewer saw on the stage in Margao in the late 40s and early 50s. Born in Cortalim, he died at the age of 32 in 1955. He wrote 38 dramas, the same number as Shakespeare, and was called the Goan Shakespeare. Although he had a drinking problem, he was an all-round artist, gifted to a fault, a singer, writer, actor, director and composer. Three of his plays, Ghorib Sezari, Ghorchem Kestaum, and Bapul Bau are considered by critics as the best ever seen on the Konkani stage.
Still, When the Curtains Rise is an impressive study of the tiatr world in Goa and Bombay and deserves to be read by the Konknni mogi. The writing style of Rafael Fernandes is quite literary, indicating his familiarity with English literature and criticism.
Ben Antao is a veteran journalist, short story writer and novelist living in Toronto, Canada. His email: ben....@rogers.com
http://goanobserver.com/a-rich-resource-for-tiatr-lovers.html
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dale luis menezes
I too had reviewed Dr. Andre Rafael's book for GT about a year ago.
Hope you find it interesting. Here's the link:
http://daleluismenezes.blogspot.com/2011/04/raising-curtains-on-scholastic-work-on.html
Dale.
On Aug 9, 3:10 pm, Frederick FN Noronha * फ्रेडरिक नोरोन्या *فريدريك
> A rich resource for tiatr loversAug 6th, 2011 | Category:
>
> *By Ben Antao*
>
> *When the Curtains Rise… By Andre Rafael Fernandes, Tiatr Academy of Goa and
> Goa, 1556, Pp 201, Rs 195.*
Helga do Rosario Gomes
or Dr. Pereira?
H
2011/8/9 Frederick FN Noronha * फ्रेडरिक नोरोन्या *فريدريك نورونيا
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