PANAJI
The Ravindra Bhavan auditorium at Margao which is closed up to April 18 for renovation works may not be open as per the scheduled date, with the chairman Rajendra Talak fearing that they may need more time to complete the works.
The main auditorium which has been the centrestage for tiatrs, events and cultural shows has been closed for a month from March 18 to April 18 for major repairs.
Talak, while speaking to The Goan, said that the Lent period was picked because there are very less shows. The contractor asked for 45 days to complete the repairs, but we have requested him to complete as early as possible. I will personally be monitoring the work, while the PWD will take care of the quality,” he said.
Talak also said it is in the interest of the artists that the government is trying to offer best facilities. “The auditorium desperately needed repairs, especially of the stage which had been damaged and ran the risk of sinking anytime. The management has undertaken the task, after consulting the stakeholders, including those in the tiatr fraternity”, he said.
While tiatrists have reconciled to the fact that the auditorium needed repairs, there is a certain anxiety because a delay in reopening will deal a blow to their season which kicks-off from Easter Sunday.
Tiatrists will have to fall back on Gomant Vidya Niketan (GVN) the only other auditorim for tiatrs in Margao. Unfortunately, with a seating capacity of almost half of RBM, this option may not sound bright for directors in view of the overheads.
Tomazinho Cardozo, the first president of the Tiatr Academy of Goa (TAG) opined that renovation is needed, but said it should be completed in the given time. “Most important factor is that the authorities must see that the facilities in the complex, particularly the restrooms, are well maintained. If the maintenance, after the completion of the renovation is poor, then the concerned authorities must be held accountable,” he said.
However, many tiatrists have termed the closure of the Pai Tiatrist hall as wrongly timed. “The hall has the name of the Father of the Tiatr, Pai Tiatrist, but its closure is planned without taking the tiatr fraternity into confidence. The repairs are planned when the new tiatr season commences. We hope that they stick to this one-month period and open on April 19 or so,” said writer and director Michael Gracias.
Most of the directors, actors, singers, and producers expressed similar concerns. “Once a public space is shut for repairs or renovation, it is never clear when the work would get over, stated Joywin Fernandes, a tiatrist and a filmmaker.
“As an artist, I feel very sad about the ignorance of the government on this issue. Though they say, it will be done soon, but like many other earlier examples it would ideally require sizable time. Like other State governments, our government does not seem to give much importance to the artists. Before closing the main auditorium, the government should have done some temporary arrangement for the tiatrists,” said Joywin.
Noted singer Lawry Travasso said the auditorium has remained closed earlier for more than 18 months due to the pandemic and was reopened to mark the 74th death anniversary of Pai Tiatrist alias Joao Agustinho Fernandes.
Another tiatrist speaking on condition of anonymity said it is an ill-timed and deliberate attempt to keep the auditorium shut. Pointing out that most of the new releases happen in April-May and October-November, he says, “last time it was shut in November, this time it’s April. They could have rescheduled the repairs during the monsoon. This closure will directly affect 15-20 directors who were supposed to release their new tiatrs in Margao, as they can cover their costs here. It is the peak season which is coinciding with the closure of the auditorium.”
“It looks as if the government wants to silence the voices in tiatr till the elections are over. To add to our woes, the Ravindra Bhavan at Vasco is also shut, as the air-conditioning system has not been working for the past two years," he said.
