Over the years Patrick Dourado has become a name to reckon with when it comes to scripting folk plays and non-stop dramas
A local from Seraulim in Salcette, Patrick Dourado is awell-known playwright who has produced approximately 100 tiatrs, beginning in1957. His foray into Konkani theatre began at an early age of around 18 yearswhen he first produced his play ‘Nagounnechi Girestkai’. He was supported byhis local friends in staging the play for their chapel feast in the year 1957.
This was the beginning of a long saga of ups and downs withthe Konkani tiatr stage.
“Though the script of my play was ready, I had difficulty incomposing the ‘cantos’. I did not know what to do about it. Because until thattime I had no knowledge of how to compose songs. So I requested a fellowvillager Caetano Piedade Fernandes much senior to me to help me with the‘cantos’. He did oblige, but not before giving me a long lecture,” recallsPatrick, going down memory lane.
Elucidating further on the practice of scripting Konkaniplays, Patrick said “In the earlier days the story would be scripted on a 32page note books. Bigger registers came much later. There was no formalscripting of the story or dialogue then, only the songs were composed thatnarrated the story, and that was all. My maternal uncle guided me on the fineraspects of composing songs. I composed some more songs based on my first playand looked to ‘Kolloy’ for his final verdict. He was satisfied and told me togo ahead and not look back. I was then satisfied and self-confident that Icould do some reasonable composing.”
Over the years Patrick Dourado has become a name to reckonwith when it comes to scripting folk plays and non-stop dramas. He went on toearn a reputation for being one of the best composers of songs on the Konkanistage including touching ‘cantos’. He has also been a ghost composer for manyothers who have produced the audio albums. “I have composed the lyrics forseveral hundred songs and given them out to other singers,” Patrick disclosedto The Goan.
Most of his shows were staged on a contract basis byprofessional contractors, so he could not reap much financially. Facingfinancial constraints did not allow him to book halls and stage his sows intowns hence he had to look forward to collaborating with producers andcontractors. “Doing shows on a contract basis to others does not fetch muchfinancial returns’ says Patirck.
A good story teller, Patrick says “One should not be in ahurry to write a tiatr. One can observe the playwrights of yester years like MBoyer, Prem Kumar, C Alvares to name a few. They would bring out their tiatronce in two years, hence their shows were excellent in every department.”
