KITEAK HO BAZAR CHOLTA - UNIQUE PLAY. As announced, the Tiatro “Kiteak Ho Bazar Cholta” was staged on Friday 11th of this month at Hawally A/C Hall starting at 4.30 p.m. Though the Tiatro was attended well by the well disciplined audience yet it was not a full house. The story of the Tiatro revolved around prostitutes and their miserable life in the brothel under the male and female pimps. The role of main pimp – madame – was played by veteran Sabina whose depiction and action surpassed even that of the real pimp madame while her second in command male pimp "Mama’s" role was played excellently by Roney Rodrigues. It was a very good character role. His statements and dialogues against the politicians were wonderful and befitting the current trends going on in Goa. The role of prostitutes played by charming Anna, attractive Bushka, charismatic Felcy and silky Raina were very appropriate. They all of them attracted the major attention of the show but Anna carried the heavy burden of the play on her shoulders since she was the centre of attraction. Willy Sequeira played the role of a villain and did justice to his role but his delivery was found wanting in clarity. Seeing him first time on the Stage, Rizvy did good justice to his role especially as a drunkard.
All the three comedians Selvy, Peter de Costa and young Aurelio – brother of Mini Mario enacted hilarious comedy and they were ably supported by our local comedians Salu Faleiro and comedian Philip who was at his best. However, as usual the most sought after comedian in Kuwait Selvy again stole the show. He is become the darling of the crowd and young children are become his fans. His natural style of doing comedy like that of Anthony Mendes makes the atmosphere lively. He puts real life in his comedy unlike the other comedians.
“Aiz amkam hea bazarant konne pavoileant? Fokot hea zamazan and hoch samaz aiz amcho vapor korta. Samaz boro zalolo zalear aiz ami hea bazarant pauchinaslint”. These are some of the statements uttered by the prostitutes in this Tiatro. It is nicely shown how against their wishes the young girls were inducted into this Bazar.
"Should it be banned in India?" The Illustrated Weekly of India, the then prominent weekly of Indi, in 1971 published a special review on prostitution in India. The reporters of the Magazine personally went to the brothels and interviewed the prostitutes and out of 100, 90 percent admitted their guilt of involving in this business against their will but yet doing this business only out of compulsion of one type or the other. Prostitution is called the oldest profession of this planet. The great Saint of Catholic Church and the renowned doctor of the Church St. Agustine is called the patron of prostitutes not because he used them, not because he loved them for their bodily lust but because he had lot of sympathy for them. St. Agustine had great logic and reasoning in his admiration for them because he said though prostitutes are evils but they are necessary evils. Explaining further said St. Agustine, “if prostitutes are not there then the life of our sisters, wives and mothers would be in danger because due to their animalistic lust for sex, men will discard their human rationality and attack our above mentioned womenfolk and forcibly rape them, in the bargain may even kill them. At least because of the existence of prostitutes men’s want for sex are controlled and satisfied thru rational and legal means”.
Mini Mario and his team first time on Konkani stage brought a beautiful story which enlightens the minds of the people in many respects. Even the terminology used by the prostitutes was befitting their profession. Namely, “to ratim mojexim nidon ghela mugo” etc.
Amongst the side show songs only the local singers performed well namely the solos of Bab Agnelo, Rosary Ferns, Michael D’Silva and the duet of M. Luis & Leena. Amongst them Bab Agnelo and Rosary Ferns captured the hearts of the audience. Bab Agnelo rendered his solo on real happening in Kuwait about one Goan wife and her neglect of her domestic husband. Rosary Ferns by his very intelligent solo says that we will kill tiatros in Kuwait by staging them too often with very short intervals. He further said that we must all join together and chalk out a schedule for everyone to stage his Tiatro with sufficient time because every now and then to patronize Tiatro is not easy since KD 5/- a ticket is very expensive for each person, leave aside for a family. He also said in his song that when one of our particular Goan associations is having lakhs of rupees in its kitty then why it is not helping the needy Goans? Then he concluded his solo with a very bold statement “have an organization to promote Tiatro and not to destroy me by using the terminology To Aslear Aum Na”.
Much of the credit for the success of this Tiatro goes to musician Sahu and his troupe. Shahu took lot of pains in organizing the entire music single handedly with a very short notice. The artistes reached Kuwait on the same day in the morning at 8.00 A.M. and rushed to the Hall where Shahu made the arrangement to set the music. Normally this is not possible with an ordinary musician but with Shahu anything is possible for Tiatro since it is his especiality. Many of the people in the audience were under the impression that the musicians had also come from Goa with the artistes well prepared in advance. But it was not so. They did not know that Shahu can create wonders and in the past I was a witness to his wonders at the spur of the moment. We are very fortunate in having him in our midst in Kuwait. Even the musical score provided by him was very smooth and efficient without any hindrance and disturbance.
According to the information, the organizers Xavier from St. Cruz and Manuel from Cortalim spared no stone unturned to succeed in staging this Tiatro. If this Tiatro finally staged inspite of all the difficulties they encountered it was because of the relentless efforts put in by both the organizers. Mini Mario and his troupe should be thankful only to Xavier and Manuel who really spent lot of money from their own pockets and wasted sleepless nights in staging this Tiatro. If at all I supported, it was only because of Manuel and Xavier who I found both dedicated, sincere and truthful for the cause of Tiatro and not for the cause of any individual artiste, relative or for their own personal glory.
A. Veronica Fernandes,
Kuwait.
