MARGAO
In a significant development on the Konkani tiatr front, the Tiatr Academy of Goa (TAG) and Ravindra Bhavan, Margao, have decided to promote and stage tiatrs produced and directed by Joao Augustinho Fernandes, popularly known as Pai Tiatrist, the Father of Konkani Tiatr.
The announcement was made during the 79th death anniversary observance of Pai Tiatrist Joao Augustinho Fernandes at Ravindra Bhavan, Margao, on Saturday.
Addressing the gathering, TAG vice-president Marcus Gonsalves said the TAG is working on a project to revive the works of Pai Tiatrist by bringing his tiatrs back on stage in the coming years.
“Tiatr is what it is today thanks to the foundation laid by Pai Tiatrist. Today, the tiatr form of art is being recognised at the national level. TAG is working on a project to revive the tiatrs staged by Pai Tiatrist by bringing them on stage in the coming years. This will not only give the younger generation an insight into the tiatrs written and directed by Pai Tiatrist, but will also help protect and preserve the art form for posterity,” he said.
Ravindra Bhavan, Margao, chairman Rajendra Talak said the institution was ready to provide a special grant to tiatrists who revive and stage tiatrs written and directed by Pai Tiatrist.
“I have already proposed that Ravindra Bhavan will sanction a special grant to tiatrists who revive the tiatrs written and directed by Pai Tiatrist. People now watch contemporary tiatr, but there is a need to protect the art form and pass it on to the new generation. Let us revive the old tiatrs. Ravindra Bhavan is ready to support the production of tiatrs written by Pai Tiatrist,” he said.
Former TAG president and noted tiatr producer and director Menino De Bandar said tiatrists continue to follow in the footsteps of Pai Tiatrist, who not only pioneered the art form but also played an important role in preserving and promoting the Konkani language.
“When I presided over the affairs of the Tiatr Academy of Goa, I had come out with a tiatr originally written by Pai Tiatrist. In fact, I staged four shows of the tiatr in Mumbai for tiatr lovers in the city,” he said.
Ravindra Bhavan member secretary Manuel Barretto said tiatr made its beginning in Mumbai, thanks to Joao Augustinho Fernandes, who used the art form to highlight social issues, including the caste system.
“Born in Goa and later settled in Mumbai, Pai Tiatrist is credited with pioneering the tiatr form of art,” he said, while underscoring the need to preserve his works for posterity.
