Even as we read this, the sixth edition of the Children's Tiatr Festival is ongoing at Gomant Vidya Niketan located very conveniently opposite the Margao bus stand. Three groups of children have already done their best. Starting with Kiteak Loztat?, day two showed a tiatr titled Music, music, music followed by Bhurgeponn. Britona Dramatic Academy’s Novi Kidd is showing today.
As far as the organizing bit is concerned, Member Secretary of the TAG, Jose Alexander Rodrigues seemed well informed about the children's exam schedules, further confirming that the TAG takes these decisions in co-ordination with the education department. “This year Tomazinho Cardozo will be screening the scripts. Last year it was Joe Rose,” further mentions the member secretary. Apparently, a committee presided by Premanand Lotlikar, with Tomazinho Cardozo and Ramesh Komarpant are in charge of the organization of this event. The judges are Sharon Mazarello, Vital Fernandes and Cruz Pinto.
While all groups get the same financial assistance, the prizes are not cash, but certificates of recognition apart from the title of ‘Best’ and the appreciation from the audience.
Bladwin Charles D’Silva, known as Master Win (son of tiatrist Menino Mario D’Silva) was the director of Kiteak Loztat? With clash dialogues and effective comedy, Kiteak Loztat? gives insight into the dignity of labour aspect. Showing a baker's clay furnace and farmers milking cows, this tiatr questions the hesitation in taking up traditional occupations. The tiatr is laced with lessons and adages in Konkani and is quite entertaining.
Tapping into this attraction of a child towards the glittering and glamourous, but with his own creatively impressive representation is Michael Gracias’ tiatr, Music, music, music, done in collaboration with producer Fr. Ave Maria Afonso.
Then again, showing 16 musicians playing live instruments as part of a music class was quite a feat in itself, even though he drifted from the contemporary household setting. With the comic element in place within the plot, coming from the two cheeky brats of the music class, the highlight from these music students playing live orchestral pieces was the medley of three songs from classic Konkani movies Nirmonn, Amchem Noxib and Mangalorean Konkani film that they played at the last scene showing an All India Music Competition.
Going further into the contexts of puppy love was Francisco Xavier Pereira’s Bhurgeponn. Expectations ran higher on this third day, just as it ups the ante with each passing day till the final twelfth tiatr is shown on December 23. But while it is only up to the judges to decide if Bhurgeponn kept up to expectations, the children performing this tiatr were encouraged heartily by the audiences, no matter how good or imperfect the performance was. With attempts to highlight the patriarchial biases of our society towards women, Bhurgeponn is also aimed at helping young adolescents reflect on their relationships, which they are quick to label as ‘love’.
Stay tuned for more on the ongoing sixth Children’s Tiatr Competition next week.
