Written and directed by comedian Agostinho Temudo, “Sir” was successfully staged on Friday 19th of January at Hawally A/C Hall in Kuwait. Instead of 3.30 PM as scheduled, the Tiatro started at 4.30 PM in a very chilly hall which lacked heating system. Though it was attended by a good number of attendees yet it was not a full house contrary to the expectation.Even then, if this much of crowd came to watch this Tiatro, it was mainly because of the efforts of the organisers in disbursing the tickets and not because the writer/director was a high caliber one. Since this is the first Tiatro of the year and it was held after a long gap, it was expected that people would flood the hall but nothing of that sort happened. Let this be a warning to those who are organizing their Tiatros one after the other. They should not expect heavy turn out for their shows. I think people are getting negative feelings towards Tiatro now because of the bickering amongst the Tiatrists and because of the cheap stories and comedy copied from Hindi Films.
Comedian Agostinho was first time introduced to Kuwait Konkani Stage by late Dr. Rozario Rodrigues when he accompanied his troupe. But as an individual he was first time brought to Kuwait by Rosary Ferns for his Tiatro to do comedy role opposite to Prince Jacob and Querobina and he performed extremely well. During that trip of his he was staying in my house with me along with other artistes namely Prince Jacob, Jr. Rod, Josephine and Felcy. It was during that time we both inculcated acquaintance. Later on he was regularly brought to Kuwait by other organizers some of whom used the code of “No contact with Veronica” which means “when you are coming for our show, you should not meet Veronica”. Though some abided by this code introduced by the bastardized Goans, comedian Agostinho alone challenged this code by saying “you go to hell. You brought me to Kuwait only to act in your Show. The rest is my lookout”. By challenging this code, he started coming to my place and meeting me and spending time with me. Incidentally some of those who were promoting this code themselves shamelessly came to me begging for my help to promote their Tiatro.
The theme of the Tiatro Sir is not very impressive. The subject was light and devoid of any intellectually high moral though many people liked it. This does not mean it was a cheap story. The story has a moral revolved around political life in Goa, mischief of the Montris, punishment for the wrong doers and fall of a pride. Agostinho by nature is politically conscious. Among the Tiatrists who stayed at my place, he is the only Tiatrist who displayed his total concern for Goa. He was the only Tiatrist at my place in Kuwait who wanted to know more of day to day affairs of Goa by reading Goan daily newspaper. He was everyday waiting for me to come home soon after my work and hand over to him the Heraldo. In the light of this, he introduced his political views in this Tiatro. Though he is still in novitiate of directorship yet I am sure he will improve gradually. To become a good director is not a joke and to attain this grade Agostinho will have to work harder.
There are many faults in his Tiatro which requires correction. For example. He showed how in the last scene the Minister is arrested. In reality, is it possible for a Police Officer to arrest a Minister, especially in Goa? And that too for a rape? Narvenkarism is flourishing in Goa so openly yet nobody is arrested. What is possible in theory may not be possible in reality. Likewise you find many direction-related flaws. The rape scene could have been depicted in a better way. Roma after the rape while coming out of the place of Minister does not look disjointed - like a girl who was just raped. After the rape her appearance and dress did not justify the preceding action. It was not Roma’s fault but that of the director who should have guided her adroitly. But how this “kalcho – porcho” director will learn the art of direction without maturity of a seasoned director? Agostinho Temudo has to learn a lot to become a good director and I am sure he will acquire this goal gradually. He must also avoid copying from Hindi Films. So also he must stop hard on unpalatable language like “Dukrachea Kastacho” etc. Vulgarity in words and in action should be avoided by all means. Vulgarity spoken from the stage is not acceptable to the audience especially to the decent audience.
The roles played by seasoned and well matured Mathew Araujo as a lecturer and later on as an ageing man was well enacted. So too the role of Roma as his young daughter. Roma possessed good stage attraction, she looks very attractive on stage. Her voice is also very charming. The role of a Minister played by Salu de Loutolim was well performed. Kuwait based actor Adriano played a superb role of the CEO of the company though he did this role as a last minute substitute for Samuel Carvalho. Those who saw this Tiatro in Goa as well said that Adriano played this role much better than what Samuel did in Goa. Adriano’s voice is more attractive, clarity is better, dress code is fine and stage attraction was better than the visiting artistes. Samuel lacked all these attributes. Adriano looked like a real actor and not like a Gorilla.
Comedywise, the Tiatro created peals of laughter in the hall by both the comedians Selvy and Agostinho though Selvy remains much higher than Agostinho cause he can sing with a melodious voice as well. Though comedy in Sir is more like kiddish and childish yet it was humorous and enjoyable. Selvy with his Anthony Mendes type of flexible body can move like a spring. Agostinho’s screaming spoils the beauty because it generates unnecessarily negative feelings. Negative feelings are not required and screaming and expressing every word loudly is not a mode of traditional Tiatro. It is o.k. for Khell Tiatro and basically I think Agostinho graduated to traditional Tiatro from the Kindergarten of Khell Tiatros.
Without Selvy’s comedy role, the tiatro ‘Sir’ would certainly collapse and Agostinho would also collapse. The Tiatro is termed Super hit and the best drama currently running in Goa but frankly speaking there is nothing extraordinary about it. If this is the state of our super hit dramas, what can we expect on the Konkani stage in future? Only this kind of a run of a mill?
Among the side show songs, the solos of Meena and Roma deserve highest compliments. Both these actresses rendered their solos very beautifully. And for Meena, this is the first time that I saw her singing so beautifully with meticulous clarity. The other songs deserved mentions and highest compliments are of Xavier Almeida from Taleigao. Both his solos one on the late Dr. Jack Sequeira and the other on greatness of our Communidade brought greater beauty to this Tiatro. The other singer who captured the hearts of the audience by his excellently rendered opening solo was Joaquim Cabral from Dona Paula. Both Almeida and Cabral are first timers in Kuwait and yet they stole the limelight. Both of them in their maiden appearance in Kuwait rightly captured the hearts of the audience. People are eagerly awaiting them in the next Tiatros. Agostinho deserved compliments for introducing these hidden stalwarts to the Kuwait Konkani Stage.
The music provided by Norman was very pleasing to the ears, the sound was never above the voice of the singers.
Amongst the locals, Marcus Vaz rendered a solo on the late Sanny de Quepem. Marcus Vas could have still enriched this song with more information on the greatness of Sanny de Quepem as a singer. As fitting tribute to Sanny, Marcus Vas should have rendered at least a verse and a chorus of any of the best songs of Sanny de Quepem. In their trio Laurent-Marcus Vaz–Cajetan de Sanvordem eulogised GCC countries for providing job opportunities for us and further said that we must show our gratitude to these countries. It is very good advice. But when Kuwait was under the invasion of Iraq, Kuwait Goan evacuees in Goa organized their movement where they held their first Rally and public meeting in Panjim on 11th November 1990, incidentally, none of these trio singers showed their gratitude to Kuwait from where they earned their sustenance by joining in the mentioned Public Rally and Meeting. That time they forgot to show their gratitude to Kuwait which made them someones in their lives. In Konkani, there is a saying “Padrincho sermau nhoi unienk punn fokot lokank”. We have many Tiatrists well enough in sermonizing others how to behave in life but in reality they forget to lead a good life.
A.Veronica Fernandes,
Kuwait.
