Mario Menezes’ latest tiatr ‘Padri Mogan Poddla’ is the tale of a courageous young parish priest that fights against all odds to uphold the teaching of the church. It highlights the plight of a priest who is targeted by handful parishioners with a personal hidden agenda to defame his upright image in the eyes of the faithful.
‘Magdalene’ (Jessica) is a young lady who is a mother to anillegitimate school going son, whom destiny drives to a sorry plight and who istreated as an outcast in a village influenced by the infamous Mr Furtado (UlhasTari) and Natty (Rosy Alvares).
The challenges of regaining her respect and honour beginwhen Father Domnic is firm in his resolve to bless her home along with theother houses at Easter time. This was a feat that no other priest had attemptedin the past and Mr Furtado is simply unable to digest the courage and resolveof this young priest. At another point Father Domnic as the president of thechurch Fabrica vehemently objects to Furtado’s evil plans to sell off theFabrica property to a builder without proper approvals.
Magdalene’s greatest moment comes when she confides her pastto the new parish priest and narrates her innocence. With his morale supportand guidance Fr. Domnic succeeds in bringing Magdalene back to the righteouspath whom he considers as a lost sheep. Magdalene also turns her back on thepast and begins a new life and in the bargain shuts the doors on Rafique (MarioMenezes) who was taking advantage of her helpless situation.
The play depicts in detail how the parish priest fightsagainst all insinuations and false accusations and triumphs with the support ofthe Dean (Fr. Nevel Gracias). The tiatr focuses on real life situations facedby a priest in his priestly duties.
Mario Menezes has researched as well handled the sensitiveplot well to hold the viewers attention till the very end. He has also scriptedthe play well to maintain a good balance between the religious teachings andsocial obligations.
The actors have given a good account of them in the rolesentrusted to them, and Fr. Nevel Gracias is outstanding the role of a Dean,while artist Dominic excels as the Fr. Dominic in a challenging role.Comedienne Janet is the toast of the tiatr and together with Ben Evangelistoand Com. Michael takes the comedy to great heights. The songs comprising solos,duets, trios, etc are good and so are the direction and light effects. JamesVaz scores good background music. The tiatr conveys a good social messagerelevant to the times and is worth watching.
