Saturday 20 Apr 2024

Raza jeita kombo choita… Upholding the dignity of labour!

The tiatr successfully delivers a deep philosophical message while ensuring the audience is entertained with great comedy

| NOVEMBER 03, 2019, 02:08 AM IST

Tiatr mogi

Saying things with a loving smile is always palatable to ones taste buds! But when the same things are said with a laughter, the message given is stays close to the heart. A corrupt road contractor and his family looks down on an undertaker and his family. But then as the proverb in Konkani goes…  ‘Razak pasun suiechi goroz podta’ the rich will someday need the poor. For after your death, riches and wealth will not take your body to the grave; it is the people around you who will lower you six feet below! This message is subtle and clear as you  with laughter in the laugh riot Raza Jeita Kombo Choita by Konkani tiatr’s undisputed best comedian, Com Selvy.

Script: 

The script is simple. There is a lot of philosophy and depth in the script which speaks volumes of the caliber and understanding of the writer. Cantos are composed and introduced at the right places and the right time. Unlike the current tiatro cantos, this tiatr has cantos which are sung by more than one person giving the feel of the involvement of charactors in the canto and moreover in the characterization of the artistes that gives the tiatr a great presentation.

Comedy : 

The tiatr is a riot of laughter. There is comedy in the main plot and comedy sideshows too. But the most beautiful part of the comedy is that the characters maintain their charactorisation to the end. The comedy is decent, simple, brisk, and has great timing. Apart from that, it is also quite fast-paced forcing the audience to concentrate if they want to get their funny bone tickled.

Sets : 

The sets are the only downside of this tiatr. There is a corrupt road contractor who has amassed a fortune through substandard road works. His house interiors are posh but there is no decent sitting arrangement. Placing of two plastic chairs surely don’t determine the status of the crorepati. Today plastic chairs are found even in the hutment of the migrants! However the director should ask com. Anita to stop commenting on the features of her lady colleague which is the only sour statement in the entire great comedy set up. 

Acting : 

The tiatr features great actors in great characters. Pascoal Rodrigues once again justifies why he is regarded as one of the top actors on the tiatr stage. Pradeep, a new entrant on tiatr stage (probably from a theatre background) is another great find of the director. His dialogue delivery and mannerisms as the corrupt road contractor, speak volumes of his acting capacity. He however has to master the correct intonation of the roman script Konkani words. Mita as the spoilt rich daughter and Francis as the UK returned suitor are impressive in their roles. Prakash Marathe is great. His stage presence is immaculate. The lanky hunk is surely a talent to watch for posterity. In the comedy section Anita was at her best with her mere entry bringing laughter. However her dressing did not suit her character. Selvy was at his usual best and Myron another teen sensation showed that he has inherited comedy vibes and jibes from his father and is learning the art to present it with perfection.

Music and songs:

The band dishes out decent music which at times grew loud and drowned the vocal rendition of the singers. Richard Pinto was great on the keyboards and provided excellent background musical score for the play.The opening Song was sung in style and grace by the young and talented Francis Rebello who returns again for a great solo and trio with Mita and Pascoal. There is a meaningful solo by Pascoal Rodrigues which drew great applause. A solo by Myron (Selvy’s son) and a quartet which featured Selvy as Remo, Anita as Ranu Mondal and Mita as Lata Mangeshkar were great. 

Direction: 

Selvy’s sincerity and down to earth approach to tiatr has paid rich dividends in this case. It was a complete blockbuster where the actors and technical crew collaborated flawlessly, and gave their best. A good performance to watch. A good entertainment. ‘Divertiment’as it is called, is guaranteed.

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