Honest Tiatr Review
Concept
Every action has a reaction, goes an age-old saying. While living on earth one keeps his mind only on amassing wealth for generations to come. How long will the accumulated wealth keep the accumulator happy and contented in life? One day karma will catch up! Cheating and ditching others for selfish gains and honour will not guarantee a hassle free life and when misfortune befalls you will a lament that the conditions are the consequences of sinful life be sufficient?
Script
The tiatr has a good concept. The sequences of the plot unfold at a slow pace with the script having different leads to follow. The sequences are justified and different leads in the plot meet at some point. The plot of the play has Biblical interludes that give the situation from the storyline a Biblical connect. The script however lacks the traditional cantos even though there are plenty situations that merit a ‘canto’.
Acting
The tiatr has a good combination of experienced and relatively new artistes. Jose de Pedda and Evon combine well with the new artistes forming a formidable team. The tall and lanky director, John Miranda, portrays the character of Jesus with naturality. All artistes contribute their share in forming a formidable team on stage.
Music
The tiatr band music with the hard hitting Jonathan on drums is impressive and pleasing to the ears. The tiatr opens with a biblical scene followed by the theme song rendered by Jose de Pedda. Anthony San sings to powerful solos on the vocation to love others and a concept existing in the tiatr circles ‘To aslear hanv na’ Both songs are rendered with passion. There are good solos by Nazario Pinto, the second on roses sold being the icing on the cake. There are also other good songs like an interactive trio on tomatoes getting expensive and another on the body being the temple of God. But the song that steals the show is a song ‘Poderache Undde’ sung with style and gusto by the young and upcoming comedian Rizma.
Comedy
The comedy of the tiatr is clean and decent, with a number of laugh aloud moments. The comedy has very less interaction with the main plot. The comedians prove that a tiatr can be well presented without resorting to vulgarity. Comedian Lino Laresa Mascarenhas and Rizma combine well to give a high dose of comic relief. Comedy of the tiatr is the strength of the tiatr.
Backstage
The Writer’s vision was brought up on stage with a decent ease. The light effects were impressive. The background musical score was decent and satiating. The stage sets were good.
Direction
All artistes did a good job and the Director needs to be commended for presenting a good performance with relatively new names of artistes in the list of tiatrist. There was good coordination of the backstage team with the artistes.
Reviewers take
Tiatr has a form of its own and non adherence to the format of tiatr reduces the presentation on stage as a mere concert. When a tiatr is called a ‘tiatr,’ variety songs and ‘cantos’ in the plot that has traditionally adorned the format is a must. The new directors should learn this format before presenting a performance as a tiatr. Just presenting a Konkani show does not make it a tiatr.
A question to ponder. Why do people shy away from attending tiatrs staged by new writer/directors, with a young talented acting cast? How will new artistes be cultivated in the art if people do not support them? People should learn to patronise the art and not the artistes published on the poster.
