Tiatr Mogi
Coming together is indeed a beginning. The decision of a few academic warriors led by the vice principal of a reputed higher secondary teacher Chitra Afonso to organize the Poilem Ontorraxttrik Tiatr Som’melon (The First International Tiatr Convention) in October is a great step or rather a great leap in the 125 years history of our Konkani Tiatr.
Our review team tried to get some insights into this organizing of this Tiatr Som’melon but very little information is available in the public domain. The only information out is that the theme of the Tiatr Convention is ‘Tiatr: Kal, Aiz ani Faleam’ and that some Goans working overseas have enrolled themselves as international delegates .
Need of the convention
This convention is the need of the hour. It should have been organized by the 125 years Tiatr Celebration Committee that was formed by the Government of Goa to celebrate the milestone in Tiatr. But as Alfred Rose questions in his song Cavleancho ekvot… ‘Tiatristancho ekvott kiteak zaina?’ (Why cant Tiatrists unite?), the tiatrist fraternity have always shied away from coming together and hence fearing less participation this thought might have occupied the back seat.
But tiatrists coming together and discussing tiatr in an academic forum and manner is the need of the hour. Tiatr is an unique form of Konkani performing arts and this uniqueness needs to be maintained. This review team of The Goan, Sunday Supplement has seen almost all the tiatrs presented from August 2018 and the sorry state of Tiatr has also been reported in this column. Vulgarity and character assassination is the highlight of tiatr today and the manner in which the Goan educated populace boycotted the Konkani theatre presented 125 years ago is now happening. Professional Tiatr has also lost its charm with variety songs like quartet, quintet trio duos and duets being replaced by a solo sung by three four artistes. The convention should aim at revisiting the roots of tiatr and ensure that the tiatrists stage tiatrs as envisaged and presented by the yester year tiatrists.
The organising committee
Few names of the organising committee have surfaced. Prof Chitra Afonso is appointed as the working president of the First International Tiatr Convention. The appointment is commendable and will surely be appreciated by the tiatrist fraternity as Chitra Afonso is very vocal and does not hesitate to speak out her mind on matters concerning tiatr. Her position as a vice Principal of a college will further give credence to the convention. A right person has been chosen for the right work.
The other name that surfaces in the organizing Committee is that of our journalist turned tiatrist colleague Michael Gracias. Gracias has pioneered academic work in the tiatr field and is probably the only tiatrist to conduct Tiatr workshops for students in educational institutions. The high standards of tiatrs presented by Gracias in the tiatr competitions gives credibility to his works. Gracias will surely be aiming to rope in the younger generation of tiatrists as of late his media work is propelled in that direction.
Willy Silveira and Pradeep Naik are the other two names that have surfaced. Both these tiatrists have a dignified presence in the tiatr fraternity. The respect they command on and off the tiatr stage is commendable. Their belonging to the younger generation too will surely influence the tiatists of their age and times to come together for this convention and discuss tiatr. The inclusion of tiatr academicians Prof Dr Andre Rafael Fernandes and Prof Dr Cosma Fernandes who have obtained their doctorate on tiatr related subjects will give greater credibility to the organising.
Theme
The First International Tiatr Convention has chosen a good theme - ‘Tiatr: Kal, Aiz ani Faleam (Tiatr: Yesterday, Today & Tomorrow) The roots of Tiatr need to be revisited. The purpose of staging this unique form of art a hundred and twenty seven years ago needs to be understood and discussed. The structure and ingredients that made up for yesteryear tiatrs should be analysed and deliberated. It is then that the crap that is being dished out on the stage today will be deemed as garbage and relegated to the dustbins. Re-visiting the roots of tiatr will ensure that tiatr is presented in the right spirit and this will further ensure that tiatr is presented to the future generations in the manner envisaged by the founding fathers of Tiatr.
The role of the Tiatr Academy of Goa in the organizing of the First International Tiatr Convention is ambiguous. Perhaps the lack of a proper managing committee to look into the affairs of the Academy is the reason behind this ambiguity. But in the interests of tiatr, Ceasar De Mello, the Member Secretary of the Tiatr Academy of Goa and a tiatrist of repute himself should get involved in the organizing of the First International Tiatr Convention and assure the tiatr lovers that everything presented will be in the interests of the tiatr industry. May Tiatr triumph.
