When the curtains rise... Understanding Goa's vibrant Konkani theatre

Down the decades, hundreds of tiatrists have kept audiences enthralled for thousands of performances in Goa, Bombay (Mumbai) and elsewhere. Just one figure that gives you a hint of how popular this form of the Konkani stage is: on any given weekend during the theatrical season, at least ten shows are held in various parts of Goa. In spite of the general apathy of official and government bodies and the onslaught of cable television and alternative forms of entertainment, the tiatr has so far managed to hold its ground as the premier form of staged entertainment for Konkani speakers. But there is no space for complacency. Issues, problems and challenges in contemporary tiatr are discussed in this book. Khells moved from ground-level to the stage. Antonio Piedade Moraes innovated the path-breaking transformation of the ground-based khells to stage performances of khell-tiatr. Then came the evolution of the non-stop drama. Put together, all this has meant that the tiatr has been enthused with new life and dynamism. With the gradual decline, however, of the tiatr production in Bombay or Mumbai --- the long-time home of a large section of the Goan diaspora --- and corresponding spurt in formation of Goan troupes, theatrical activities have seen a resurgence. Tiatrs incidentally entertain not just local audiences, but in recent times also perform for the benefit of Goan emigrants elsewhere in India, the Middle East, London and Toronto. When expat communities based in Karachi met in Goa recently (December 2009), they made a plea to send across some interesting tiatr to that part of the subcontinent, the sometimes-tense relations between India and Pakistan notwithstanding. Claiming a population of 20,000 Goans mostly in Karachi, they said a good tiatr could draw audiences of upto five or six thousand strong. Developments in communication technologies, such as the Internet, permit the Goan diaspora to be aware of contemporary artistes and performances. Considering all its inherent strengths, the tiatr has an assured future as a medium of entertainment, education and social transformation. * * * This book, based on the author's Ph.D. thesis, traces the development of this popular Konkani drama form called the tiatr from its various origins. For some time now, the general impression has been that this dramatic form began in 1892 in Bombay. But, as you will read in the pages that follow, this text traces the tiatr s genesis to the traditional zagors and khells, which in turn evolved over several centuries from other ancient performances. When the curtains rise... digs out available references from the earliest Portuguese plays in Goa. It tracks developments in music and song --- both Indian and Western --- and studies their integral functions in the tiatr. It takes a close look at variations in the spelling of the term tiatr but retains the original spellings to maintain historical context, even though this may appear confusing at times. The etymology of tiatr provides an explanation for these variants. The study points to the diverse aspects such as genres, thematic concerns, phases of growth, structure, use of language, roles of actors, roles for women, set designing, lighting, innovations, stage management, publicity, censorship, limitations and audience participation, among other themes. In this work, we give due credit and highlight the contribution of João Agostinho Fernandes, rightly regarded as Pai Tiatrist (a title bestowed on him, which could be interpreted to mean the Father of the Tiatr ) for his pioneering role in this genre of a still-vibrant Konkani stage. Several of his major plays are analysed and their impact assessed.