Finally, the much awaited 6th All Goa Children’s Tiatr Festival commences on Monday, December 8, at 4 pm at the Gomant Vidhya Niketan Hall in Margao. Originally scheduled to commence on November 26, the festival had to be postponed due to organizational hassles.
This year, there are 12 troupes participating in the Children’s Tiatr Festival. Curtains will rise with the staging of Kiteak Lozta scripted by Bladwin Charles D’Silva and directed by Menino Mario D’Silva.
‘Music…Music…Music… a tiatr on the Goan scenario of music written and directed by this writer, and produced by Fr. Ave Maria Afonso on behalf of the parishioners of Majorda will be staged on December 8.
Bhurgeponn written and directed by Francisco Xavier Pereira will be staged on December 9. The Britona troupe will present their tiatr Bhurgeponn written and directed by Epifanio Valadares on December 10. The theatre artiste Rajesh Kundaikar directed Vell Diyat scripted by Mavita Barreto is scheduled for performance on December 11 and Bhurgim…Devachem Dennem written and directed by Milagres Carneiro of Pomburpa will be staged on December 12.
The journalist turned photographer Pio Esteves from Agassim will present his tiatr Khoim Ami Vetanv? on December 15 while Gorjechem written and directed by Marcian Noronha will be staged on December 16.
Devak Zai Zalear scripted by the vice president of the Tiatr Academy of Goa, William Fernandes and directed by Vasant Kundaikar will be staged on December 17, while Vadd written by Edmund Vaz and directed by Shirish Naik will be staged on December 18.
Money is not everything written and directed by Joesan Afonso will be staged on December 21 and the final tiatr Fulamni Bhorat written by Peter Vaz and directed by Dhananjai Phalkar will be presented on December 23.
Even though there are no cash prizes for the winners, the Children's Tiatr Festival is taken very seriously by the participants. The presence of drama teachers from the Department of Art and Culture in schools, and some seasoned dramatists from the tiatr field have further taken the competition to a different level. Hence one can expect a good portrayal of theatre on stage.
Since this is a competition, troupes put in their best to present the best on stage. Innovations and advanced staged techniques are bound to be displayed within the format of tiatr. The sound technical presentation should not be construed as out of format. Competition gets the best out of the participants. These children are treasures of the Konkani tiatr stage and they will shoulder the responsibility of tiatr in the years to come.
Hence the need of the day is to train these budding tiatrists in the right direction. Judgement should be on merit. This will encourage them to take tiatr seriously. For proper growth and development of this art, tiatr needs to penetrate the domain of the youth and children. The Children’s Tiatr Festival is thus definitely aimed in the right direction.
Tiatr afficianados should support this festival whole-heartedly. In the past, groups have performed to empty chairs. Even though the entry is free, people have shied away from this competition. Appreciating the young talent with prompt and genuine applause will encourage the young tiatrists to perform better and make them walk an extra mile to present better quality tiatr in the future.
