TIATRO IN KUWAIT “HO UZO PALLOIEAT”?Instead of 3.30 p.m., started at 4.30 p.m., at Hawally A/C hall, on Friday 01.06.07, Menino de Bhandar staged his 86th Show of his Tiatro “Ho Uzo Paloieat” which was thinly attended by the audience. It was very sad to see within a short time to see a second century maker Tiatro writer and director bowled by the Kuwait audience. Earlier it was Rose Ferns and now Menino de Bhandar, both century makers. Are Kuwait people fed up of attending Tiatro now very often? Do they find it hard to open their pockets every month to purchase the tickets? Or they want to tell the directors and Kuwait organizers that you must slow down in staging your Tiatros almost every month? Gone were the days when we used to have once a year one or two Tiatros which were profusely attended by the huge crowd. Now the time is come for the organizers to beg with the people to patronize their Tiatros. It is not only the credidibily of the directors and artistes that count but also the credibility of the organizers too.
Menino de Bhandar a mighty personality physically when I saw his Show first time in Kuwait, it was at Funaitees Indian Arts Circle before the invasion of Kuwait where one of his comedian artistes Carlos, was confronted by a stranger on the stage while the play was on and disrupted the proceedings. Because of his name and fame as depicted the crowd should have been just spontaneously pouring in to attend the show but, no, people in Kuwait have declared openly and loudly that enough is enough. Single century or double century, this is not Goa but Kuwait. When time comes, Kuwait Goans totally apply different attitude towards judging things. Let the Kuwait contractors and organizers get some lesson from the failure of attracting crowd for this show. It is sad to see our Tiatros in Kuwait going down attendancewise. To bring the level of Tiatros and attendance I have worked very hard but currently unnecessary competition amongst the organizers have spoiled the whole scenario.
Beimanpon is the hallmark of some of the noted and prominent tiatrists. For many tiatrists Kuwait is become like a second Goa but when the late Amir of Kuwait died none of the Goa based Tiatrists had human hearts to have a small condolence meeting on the sad demise of the late Sheikh which could have created a goodwill between Goans and Kuwait. This kind gesture would have enhanced even our reputation in Kuwait from where we earn our sustenance and visiting Tiatrists gain financially. Because of Kuwait so many Tiatrists earned and gained so much. But still they have no gratitude for Kuwait. Even during the time of invasion of Kuwait some of the Goa based tiatrists made mockery of Kuwait and Kuwait Goan evacuees from the Stage when we were suffering. That was not the time for us to suffer more when we were already made to suffer by Saddam Hussein. When we organized the movement in Goa in support of the liberation of Kuwait, none of the Goa based tiatrists openly associated with us. But ironically, when Kuwait was liberated they were the first in “Q” to come to Kuwait and earn Dinar. “Ingratitude is your hallmark, oh ye men”. Incidentally, Goa based visiting Tiatrists are the best beneficiaries of the liberation of Kuwait.
The story of “Ho Uzo Palloieat” is based on family life and since this tiatro is going to be staged in other parts of the Gulf next week, I feel I should refrain from disclosing the story so that people’s taste elsewhere is not quenched much in advance. To organize a Tiatro in the Gulf is not an easy task. Last month we know how confusing the situation has occurred for the first time in Kuwait history for the Tiatro of Mini Mario “Kiteak Ho Bazar Cholta”. How much the inconvenience the contractors had to face, how much the loss they had to suffer and how much money they had to sell out as an extortion finally to get the tiatro staged in Kuwait. No doubt financially they suffered the loss but on the other hand they gained maximum goodwill thru sympathy. And today many in the community see them as martyrs crucified without much valid reason.
Giving few glimpses of the play staged on Friday, it was a simple story based on “dubau” but nicely decorated and enacted. Because of “Dubau” St. Thomas refused to acknowledge the real appearance of Jesus Christ after His resurrection when his other apostle colleagues told him the truth. On “Dubau” once the great Saib Rocha wrote and staged his magnificent tiatro “Dubavi Gorkarn” and showed to the audience how a “dubau” into the mind of the lady can destroy the peaceful home. Saib Rocha was a genius. Those days gigantic tiatrists namely J. P. Souzalin, Alexinho de Candolim, Minguel Rod and Souza Ferrao and even others were feeling small in front of him. Unfortunately being a “Saib” of Konkani Stage, Saib Rocha finally died a miserable death as a pauper at St. Inez Old Age House managed by the Provedoria, of course and pitiably unsung, unwanted and anknown. Many times this is the finale of some of the once giants. Currently the so called self proclaimed gigantic directors are pigmies in front of Saib Rocha.
In “Ho Uzo Palloiat”, because of the “dubau” when their “ghorabo” is brought on the verge of destruction, Antonette de Calangute with her majestic and attractive personality, doing the role of dutiful widowed “Uni” of two “Ders” – Anthony San and pony tailed Willy - tells the wives of her “Ders” sternly to remain subjugated to their husbands because they are women and as women they must always remain inferior to their husbands. The roles of destructive and “Dubavi” wives of Anthony San and Willy were appropriately played by veteran Felcy and the new to me on Kuwait Konkani Stage Ida who showed lot of enthusiasm in displaying her talents.
Alexinho de Candolim was a genius. The great son of Goa Fr. Mendonca – the then principal of Arpora High School and considered to be the intellectually genius in Goa, once said about Alexinho de Candolim - “Oh my God, what Alexinho de Candolim is! He is a real genius. If this man had little more education, he would be super human being”. In one of his songs Alexinho de Candolim said “Dadlo sodanch vhoddlo ani ostori sodanch lhan”. As a counter attack, Kid Boxer another genius of Konkani Stage composed and rendered his song at Mapusa and said “Ostori sodanch vhodd dadlea poros and dadlo lhan ostore poros”. Both cited the reasons for their statements. Alexinho de Candolim was attending the Tiatro as a member of the audience where Kid Boxer was singing his song. Listening to this song, Alexinho de Candolim “sidha” went to the dressing room and without uttering a single word gave a mighty slap on the face of physically mighty Kid Boxer accusing him of saying “dadlo lhan ani ostori vhodd”. Then everybody realized the calibre of Alexinho de Candolim’s power to fight and that of Kid Boxer to meekly surrender inspite of having mighty physique.
Damaciano Caridade was then called “Pai Romansi Boroinnarancho” because there is no one to compete with him even now in “Romansi” writing. Within 48 hours Damacian Caridade wrote his new Romans named “Eden” which happened to be his last Romans, very interesting and highly intellectual. Once you start reading this Romans you will never lose its taste. In this Romans Damaciano Caridade accused both the singers Alexinho de Candolim and Kid Boxer for creating discord in the family life of many of the peaceful families when some wives started degrading their husbands and vice versa. And while concluding this Romans, Eden, Damaciano Caridade threatened Kid Boxer and Alexinho de Candolim to apologise publicly from the stage for lowering the status of husband and wife without scientific and valid reasons. If not, said Damaciano Caridade “My next Romans is waiting in readiness to attack you both who are guilty of creating discords in the family lives of so many peaceful “ghorabe”. Unfortunately and regretfully, before executing his threat suddenly Damaciano Caridade DIED. With his death we the readers, writers and Konkani lovers lost the greatest Konkani writer of which type will Konkani world get again? I doubt because “such a man”, to quote poet Y. B. Yeats “comes to this planet once in centuries”. But according to me such a man will never come again in our community.
In Ho Uzo Palloieat, besides Antonette de Calangute, others who also deserve compliments for their good roles are Antonette’s husband Bonny whom I know since 1978 when he first time acted in Epa de Utorda’s Non-Stop Show at Kuwait Church’s big Hall. He was then like a charming prince, handsome and very attractive, full of youth and always well dressed with meticulous precision and doing excellent roles of a hero. At that time I was the correspondent of “Goa Today” monthly magazine and a weekly “Goemcho Mog” but his wonderful performance never made me tired of writing good of him. In Ho Uzo Palloieat on Friday he played the role of an elderly man with much adroitness. During those days he was an active member of Konkani movement and even joined Kuwait Konknni Kendr in the promotion of Konkani activities.
The next who captured my attention more in this Tiatro was evergreen female artiste Felcy whom I first saw acting in late sixties in the Tiatro “Lembddo Santan” of Minguel Rod but staged by his son Jr. Rod. She at that time was like a young princess, very attractive with her beautiful looks doing the role of a heroine opposite to Jr. Rod. Her father Rom Tony was guiding her from behind the curtain. She now has developed into maturity and become seasoned. Though grown in age yet she has not lost her original stage charm. Her dress code, style and attractive silky personality still charms the audience. Doing her role appropriately, she receives more attention from the audience. Precisely because of this she is still a much sought after female artiste.
Anthony San and Willy played their roles well but clarity wise and delivery wise Anthony San remain superior. When the clarity is faulty the effects of the delivery fail the audience. Director goofed at some places in guiding the artistes rightly. I still remember the greatness of those days directors in guiding and directing their artistes in their Tiatros. To name a few, the then gigantic directors Alexinho de Candolim, Minguel Rod, C. Alvares, Saib Rocha, J. P. Souzalin, Airestedes Dias, Nelson Afonso, and Dr. Rosario Rodrigues had their own natural fineness in calibrating the roles of their artistes as per the need of the hour. Comedian Jannet did what once great comedians Anthony Mendes, Jacinto Vaz and M. Boyer used to do individually and single-handedly on the stage in comedy roles. This is the first time I see a female comedian shouldering the entire burden of the whole comedy and the entire audience accepting her. This is something unique and it has to be carried forward for the delight of the audience. At least few in the audience came to see this tiatro only because of comedian Jannet.
Among the songs, Anthony San’s “Goem Bhangarachem” was good, it was based on the tune in ditto of Alfred Rose “Goa-Goa-mhonon sogleaninch marli danv” which was composed by Alfred Rose in 1959 soon after the second last Exposition of St. Francis Xavier before the annexure of Goa by Bharat. Osvi’s solo describing the greatness of yester years tiatrists was worth listening. Even his singing with his sweet voice was admirable.
Unfortunately, there was not a single “canto” that melted the hearts of the audience even though the story at moments takes a pathetic turn. The only canto on fast tempo that I liked was the one based on Portuguese tune of the song “Lae cima esta o tiro lilo-lo”. On this tune Nelson Afonso rendered one canto in his great Tiatro Nationalist in 1965 and Alexinho de Candolim rendered Opening Chorus of his much admired tiatro “Mundkari” in late 1950.
Regretably there was not a single song that gave some education to the Kuwaitkars neither on the community affairs in Kuwait.
A.Veronica Fernandes,
Kuwait.
