On Thursday, 21st of this month, at Kala Academy A/c Hall, starting 8.10 PM, I saw the new Tiatro “SUPERSTAR” written and directed by Jr. Reagan. Though it was not a full house audience yet it was well attended by the near capacity audience who were a bit annoyed to face the unexpected delay for about half an hour. Good the young and very enthusiastic director who is become now the darling of the Tiatro goers, before the start of the Tiatro by explaining the reason of the delay profusely apologized to the audience for starting the Tiatro rather late. It was a gentlemanly apology which was well accepted by the audience.
The Tiatro started well and ended well too. Though every artiste played his/her role well yet the superb role played by Viswas Gawas as a vices infected son in the beginning and later on turning into a good refined boy and the role of the mother played by the veteran and seasoned artiste Chitra were excellent. In fact both these artistes gave pure satisfaction to the audience by their memorable roles. Justin also played a good role of a father while the role played as his daughter by the attractive and charming Crostyn deserves compliments. I will be committing a mistake of being biased if I don’t indicate the wonderful role played very appropriately by the youngster Benzer as a corrupt destructive man. When he in the beginning while entering the house where he stays enters as a slave but later on with his cunning ideas he becomes the master of that house trying to gain the possession not only of the business of the owner of the house but also the owner of his daughter At this young age showing so much of maturity and confidence and with his handsome looks his future on Konkani Stage will be bright.
The story revolved around two families where the son of one family where the bread winner dies and his wife had to look after the son by giving him what he requires to develop. But gradually, this son whose role was well enacted by Vishwas Gawas turned into a rebel by getting addicted to vices, even to the drugs along with his equally rebel friends on whom he counts too much but finally not only his same friends desert him in a sign of pure unfaithfulness but his fiancée too leaves him because he was addicted to the drugs. In between there occurs lot of upheavals between him and his mother whose role was well played by Chitra, the maltreatment she suffered from him even raising his hand on her and finally pushing her out of the house. This and all other miseries and many other incidents can be easily seen when you see this Tiatro ‘SUPERSTAR” who is none other than JESUS CHRIST as depicted in this Tiatro by the writer and director Jr. Reagan.
The comedy part was nicely handled by Marcos, Sally and others without vulgarity and as a responsible man director deserves compliments for staging this Tiatro without any vulgarity. It is not the vulgar comedians but the vulgar directors who are more responsible for this spread of “POZODDPONN” in our Tiatros and for whom the Pai Tiatrist – Shri Joao Agostinho Fernandes – calls as “ROSTAD”. I borrowed this word from Pai Tiatrist and I don’t call all Tiatrists as same.
The Side Show was good but there it lacked the required punch to keep the audience on their toes. In the absence of political songs, the Side Show looked without much punch. There was no uproar in the hall as normally associated when the well known political singers enter the stage. One thing one must bear in mind, without political songs be they against politicians or Bhattkars, or Church leaders or other arrogants in our society, there is no satisfaction for the audience. The core of our Tiatros revolved around politics – politics of our politicians, politics of our Landlords – their maltreatment of Mundkars and those devide our community on the basis of Caste system. Minus these subjects our Tiatro will collapse. This is my firm belief based on my analysis.
Yet the comedy song “Pedho” rendered by Benevangelisto stole the show, the duet by Reagan with Wilma also was vey good, so too the solo rendered by lovely looking Stassy Mesquita. Theb trio rendered by Stassy - Peviola and Jelsika was impressive.
The Stage setting was well done so too the beautiful scenes.
Musical score was good but it was a bit louder making the words from the stage not properly audible to some in the audience.
Congratulations to Jr. Reagan and his entire troupe for staging this Tiatro which must be seen by more and more people.
A.Veronica Fernandes.