C M: Encashing on political bankruptcy!

| JULY 07, 2019, 02:28 AM IST

Tiatr Mogi


Politics is a dirty game, so goes an age old proverb. But what happens when one decides to catch the bull by its horns? Are we destined to die in misery lamenting the sorry state of ‘politricks’ in our state or can we live in hope that a better tomorrow will dawn with a change of guard at the helm of affair?  

Mariano Fernandes’s new release C M gives you a good insight into the workings of the government asking pertinent questions that actually has no answers!

Script

The script is simple. Though the storyline unfolds at a snails pace, it is interesting and captivating more so because the script focuses on matters pertaining to our state of Goa! But all said and done the writing is anything but a tiatr script. There are no ‘cantos’ in the tiatr and hence it looks more of a natak presented. The comedy has no relation to the main storyline. There is whatsoever no connection of the comedy script with the main plot hence the presentation gets the feel of a non stop drama presented.

Comedy

The comedy conceived and written in the non stop drama style, is very decent and good. Fit to be viewed by a family. Hats off to the conceivers who kept away the vulgar comedians who bring disgust to the tiatr stage, and brought in a well respected cast who dished out good and decent comedy. However, the comedy portion lacked good content. All comedy was centred around the character of Anita. In the bargain the histrionics and experience of senior artistes like Platilda, Sir Domnic and Prince Jacob were unutilized to the core. However, the comedy team as a whole unit, were a treat to watch which was a welcome relief from the vulgar comedy being portrayed on stage. Prince Jacob and Platilda were very natural and expressive. Sir Domnic had great expressions but Anita was top on the house. Another new comedian introduced inbetween with ‘full form’ comedy was very effective and looks a great prospect along with a newly introduced female talent.

Hereto, Anita needs to dress up according to the needs of the script and not make attempts to dress up displaying to the public that she has designer clothes in her kitty. Her dressing sense was a big zero. While doing a role of a fisherwoman the least she could do was pay a visit to the Panjim or Margao fish market and see what type of clothes fish vendors wear in the fishmarket and accordingly prepare her costumes. Wearing six inch pointed heels in the market is surely unacceptable. No Goan will go to buy fish forget selling fish with such costumes!  

Sets

Sets were tailor made for this tiatr. The main sets of the C M’s residence speak of a great thought in experimentation. The suggestive setting concept that was prevailing in the competition tiatrs finds an echo in this professional ones. There is another scene too of a coal laden truck blackening the newly painted house which is a real treat and deserves the highest accolades.  

However, the scene of the assembly hall was not necessary and was created only to boast of showing an assembly session. Was the assembly hall really needed to be portrayed? If yes then it was miserably portrayed in the performance. The discussions held in those so called assembly scene ‘porde’ were purely discussions between the chief minister and his council of ministers. Hence what was the need to show the assembly hall? This is a discussion that can be termed maximum as a cabinet meeting and so calling it a assembly hall scene is an attempt to gain cheap popularity!

Acting  

The tiatr features a good set of artistes. Renowned Konkani Theatre artiste and film star Rajiv Hede gives a beautiful portrayal of the character of the Party President. Michael is good as the senior chief minister but his accent of Konkani spoken in Hindu style needs attention. 

Sonia is effective as the chief minister’s wife. All accolades and honour to another theatre artiste Dhruv Shinkre who responsibly carries the presentation on his shoulders. The climax scene in the last pordo is a one artiste phenomenon which gets a pin drop silence attention from the otherwise murmuring audience, is a fitting tribute to the genius and greatness of this great actor. Welcome Dhruv to the tiatr stage! Cecille, Rayan, Elvis Mascarenhas, Mariano has minor roles too which are portrayed to satisfaction.  

Music/songs

The music was too loud and deafening to the ears. The brass band was great with added brass instrumentalists that are normally not seen in the tiatr field. There are good songs too. However most of the songs were sung as if presented in a musical show rather than tiatr singing. Elvis Mascarenhas and Rayan had great compositions to offer but by crooning rather than singing they lost the effect of the songs. Same was the case with the solo renditions of Reagan and Harsha Michael’s solo in the tiatr style was the saving grace. The quartet featuring Platilda and Prince Jacob was the icing on the cake in the songs section.

Direction

The direction was good. Good light effects, good background score and great sets too to compliment the actors efforts. A good performance to watch. A good entertainment; ‘divertiment’as it is called, is guaranteed.

Concluding, a thought emerges in our mind. During the 125 years celebrations, Mariano Fernandes the writer/director of this tiatr was mentioned and honoured as the revivor or saviour of tiatr. Watching this performance a tiatr goer will surely find that Mariano is actually murdering tiatr with a presentation that has nothing of a tiatr in it! It is high time for the Tiatr Academy of Goa, a body formulated by the government of Goa to promote tiatr, to step in and check the rot that is presented in the name of tiatr. If the current trend is any indication; RIP Tiatr!

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