Constâncio Lucasinho Caridade Ribeiro, popularly known as Lucasinho Ribeiro, was born into a prosperous family. His father, Vicente Rosario Ribeiro, hailed from Limavaddo in Socorro village, while his mother, Maria Aurora de Souza, was from Sokolvaddo, Assagao. The couple settled in Assagao after their marriage, where Lucasinho was born.
A prodigious talent, Lucasinho showcased his artistic skills from an early age. Following the custom of the time, he studied music at the village parochial school and became highly skilled with violin in his teens. A gifted painter as well, his portraits were so remarkable that he created likenesses of two Portuguese Governor Generals. Some of his paintings still grace the walls of prominent homes in Assagao.
Seeking better opportunities, Lucasinho moved to Bombay and settled in kudd. A kudd in Bombay refers to a community space where Goans, migrating in search of work, would stay. After attending an Italian Opera, he was inspired to join the troupe. Though no musician positions were available, a fellow Goan helped him secure a backstage role. Lucasinho toured Pune, Madras, Simla, and Calcutta with the company and eventually left. With his savings, he bought discarded costumes and props and returned to Bombay to stage a Konkani production.
After returning to Bombay, Lucasinho began writing a Konkani drama, likely inspired by a French Opera. He met Caetaninho Fernandes from Taleigão, then working with the Bombay Gazette, who was impressed by the idea of a Konkani play, different from the traditional Zagors and Khells, which had a negative reputation. Caetaninho shared the concept with João Agostinho, who worked in a pharmaceutical company in Bombay, and he, too, supported it.
The three met regularly at Picket Road to develop the project. With a script featuring nine characters, they sought actors, and Agostinho Mascarenhas joined, bringing the group to four. The fifth member, once unknown, was later identified by John "Kokoy" Gomes as Fransquino Fernandes.
The five visited numerous kudds in Bombay to recruit participants for their novel Konkani play, but found no takers. Undeterred, they decided to perform the nine-character play, each actor taking on multiple roles. The script was divided into pod’de to allow for costume changes between scenes. The curtain was lowered to engage the audience during transitions, and a song was performed. This necessity evolved into the hallmark of Konkani tiatr, with songs progressing from solos to duets, trios, and quartets over time.
Word spread of this experiment, and the first show of the play titled Italian Bhurgo on April 17 1892 at the New Alfred Theatre, Bombay, was sold out. This first performance of a Konkani play was done under the banner of The Goa Portuguese Dramatic Company. Thus, Goan tiatr was born in Bombay. The other cast of the tiatr were Napoleao, Manuel Jose Fonseca, Zeferine Andrade, Tolentino Fonseca, and L. J. Rapose. The brass band for this tiatr was led by Mestri Gabriel Franco. After so many years, the Goan tiatr has moved back to Goa. Only two years later, the theatre form of ‘tiatr’ or ‘theatre’ as it was spelled at that time was staged in Goa on January 1, 1894.
However, after a few more presentations, some of which were translations done by João Agostinho Fernandes, there was a misunderstanding. The team split up with Lucasinho Ribeiro, starting a new group named Ribeiro and D’Cruz Opera Company. He presented Alaudin ani Tacho ojapancho divo, Alibaba, Carlos Magno amongst others. Lucasinho expired on January 23, 1928.
João Agostinho Fernandes, in his article titled Theatrancho Bhangaracho Jubileo published in November 25, 1943 issue of Ave Maria, credits Lucasinho for being the pioneer of Konkani tiatr. João Agostinho Fernandes wrote, "The late Lucasinho Ribeiro, without doubt, deserves the premier honourable position. I bow my head at the grave of Mr. Ribeiro, who was my maestro in the field of theatre, and I still tread the path he has shown by presenting plays of moral and educative values to my brethren.”
On Lucasinho Ribeiro’s 162nd birth anniversary, we honour his pioneering contributions to Konkani tiatr. May his legacy inspire generations and live on in the hearts of all who cherish this rich tradition.
