"Lokachim Tondam Bondh!...." - by Laurente Pereira

"Lokachim Tondam Bondh!..... The tiatr steels the hearts of Konkani drama lovers

For once, in a great while, stage performance and direction touched some native truth that resonated within the auditorium like a poem. The approximate four-hour affair of Laurente Pereira's tiatr "Lokachim Tondam Bondh!" was a combination of a choice of professional stage artistes who performed to perfection with the likes of versatile Jose Rod, Cajetan de Sanvordem, Annie Quadros, Pascoal Rodrigues, Sylvester Vaz, Manuel de Santa Cruz, Marcus Vaz, Mario de Majorda among a galaxy of artistes.

Says senior most tiatrist in Kuwait Francis de Verna, "Xabas! Excellent! a well written and directed tiatr - a complete entertainer. I am pleased that the younger generation of tiatrists are carrying our flag to keep our Konkani tiatrs alive".

A.Veronica Fernandes wrote within hours of the tiatr in The Goan Forum online, "After a long time I had a good opportunity to see a reasonably good Konkani Tiatro on 12th of this month at Hawally Hall, staged, written and directed by Laurent Pereira.....it was Jr. Chico who stole the show and audience was totally satisfied with his superb performance at this tiny age. In him Konkani stage can easily boast of the best child artiste."

"The above sums it all.... no more words ....... to express it better! This tiatr could very well be a boost to revive the fading popularity of tiatr in Kuwait", says Gaspar Almeida, GWS General Secretary, with a visibly contented _expression.

"I appreciate all the love and affection bestowed on me and my artistes. The efforts put in by all my artistes goes in the success. Thank you all for making it happen," says a visibly happy, ever-smiling Laurente Pereira - an hour after the curtains came down.

In the tiatr, the director reveals character through flashbacks from the characters' past in the story. More importantly, each artiste playing his/her character also displayed the wholesome professionalism in stage performance. Annie Quadros, Pascoal Rodrigues, Olga Vaz and Janet Almeida were a delight to watch them perform to minute details, so too was Sylvester Vaz, Sandra Fernandes, Manuel de Santa Cruz and Cajetan de Sanvordem.

In any tiatr, if the story relvolves around moments of affectionate bonding, humour, laughter, and conclusively conveys the message intended to the audience, then it's success accomplished..... and the tiatr mogui just loved it.

"The backbone of this tiatr is, of course, comedy - the comic situations are built up very carefully. Yet, never do they seem to be laboured or preordained. It is always spontaneous, lucid, hilarious and lighting quick. That keeps it going", whispered soft-spoken Konkani poet, Lino B. Dourado.

The plot of the tiatr was so deftly executed. You can go on rivulets and tangents. That was very necessary for this story, so you didn't fall into melodrama with a revelation every 15 minutes. Domingo Araujo of Kala Mogui Kuwait, praising the young and talented Jr. Chico said: "He is a gem and I wish him the best for a long 50 years on the Konkani stage". Furthermore, Araujo appreciated the director's re-introduction of the "Sixlets" comprising of Olga-Annie-Sandra-Sylvester-Laurente-Philip, the type of which has not been witnessed for a long time, specially in Kuwait.

Major buzz and rapturous - Jose Rod provides an up-close-and-personal document of the family's most wrenchingly private moments, keeping the suspense and awe until the end. The scariest, most ambiguous figure, with his goofy smile and his refusal to speak up or out, as if any confession would tarnish his bad-good-guy image, he leaves it to everyone else to fill the vacuum. Said a Sanguemkar, Maxy Fernandes, working in an IT company, "the way Jose Rod said his dialogues, anyone will think that he is a resident of our beautiful Sanguem".

While the whole is greater than the sum of its parts so, too, the whole is different from each of its parts. While good hearing conditions are a prime concern in an auditorium, achieving acoustical quality is the hallmark. The sound system provided by Spiders for this event was appropriate and flawless. So also was the airconditioning, stage settings and lighting effects. The music provided by Shahu and his group (Sucorro, Remy & Tony) is commendable. Back stage support by Caetano Rodrigues, Santan Afonso, Zuzic Mendes, Armando Fernandes and Menino Fernandes. A word of praise to the excellent coordination by the Stage Managers: Benny Vaz, Caji de Benaulim ani Alex de Consua, lighting by Julio Cardozo and Live effects by Olavo Joao.

The magnificent 'soup of laughter' on the stage as a rare specimen of spontaneous, intelligent humor when the Augostine Temudo, Janet Almeida and Comedian Philip Pereira landed on the state. Hats off to them. "It is untarnished laughter", William de Parra, working for a newspaper, joins his friend, Micheal D'Silva and writes to Gulf-Goans e-Newsletter a day after "My friend Michael Dsouza from FITCO who was with me could not stop laughing even when we reached home.... Micheal D'Silva's "Soro" was intoxicating...best wishes to Laurente Pereira for his good thoughts to organize the tiatr to aid the homeless children at an orphanage in Goa".

All the actors played their roles with aplomb and are splendid in their performance. Overall production incharge, Francis Fernandes and Nicholas Rodrigues left nothing unturned to see that everything was executed satisfactorily.

A video CD of Bebit de Zuari's tiatr "Tumcher Visvas Nam" was released at the hands of Shahu Almeida. Songs by Ketty de Navelim, Joe Frank, Olga & Annie as well as the trio of Pascoal-Laurente-Sylvester were well applauded.

"It is a scintillating performance. Whenever Jose Rod, and Comedian Philip, Janet and Augostino appeared on stage, the audience bursts into boisterous laughter. Such vibrant comic timing is literally rare now in Konkani histrionic arena", quips young and demure couple, who used to act in college plays, Vandita and Simon D'mello (first names changed on request) from Dadar, Mumbai.

It is hard to assign a genre to the tiatr as there was a little of nearly everything in the plot - romance, drama, suspense, comedy and action, a complete entertainer. Given the excellent coverage on the Net and the local and Goa's English dailies, Lara Production Entertainment lived up to the expectations of the Konkani tiatr enthusiasts and deserves praise for presenting it in a way that was complete in all aspects.

Cheers to that!

Photographs: Rewon Gomes.
Report compiled by www.goa-world.com team with assistance from Gaspar Almeida.

Laurente’s Konkani Tiatr in Kuwait

Konkani tiatr mogis will have fill of some delightful entertainment when the popular writer, producer,director and actor Laurente Pereira will stage his second Konkani drama titled, “Lokachim Tondam Bondh!..(No More Words!) on Friday, September 12, 2003 at 3.30 p.m. in Hawally. This is Laurente’s second drama after the successful presentation of his maiden directorial production, “Tuje Upkar” (Grateful to You) in 2001. Presented under Laurente’s own banner of Lara Production Entertainment, the theme highlights a contemporary story that unfolds the positive and negative aspects of human personality with a powerful and melodramatic narration leading to an unusual and unexpected climax. Tiatr mogis will be treated to an enjoyable family entertainment with a cast of talented stage artistes who are all set to present sterling performances. Arriving all the way from Goa are: Prince of Centuries Pascoal Rodrigues; Comedy Princess Janet Almeida; Pearl of Konkani stage Annie Quadros; Supreme Comedian Agostinho Temudo and for the first time in Kuwait, the terrific rising star of Konkani stage, the singing sensation, Junior Chico (son of the famous Young Chico) and hold your breath to behold, for the first time in Kuwait, the reigning queen of hearts and the leading stage heroine of some of the best directors in Goa, Olga Vaz. Local artistes lined up to regale are: the trio kings Cajetan-Marcus-Mario; ace comedian Philip; hitman Sylvester Vaz; Kuwait’s favourite Michael D’Silva; ever popular Joe Frank; well known Kathy de Navelim; versatile Manuel de Santa Cruz and, `introducing the super demoiselle Sandra Fernandes. Above all, watch the super star of Konkani stage Jose Rod in an unusually explosive, forceful and thought provoking performance. Laurente has put in his best creative and theatrical efforts to ensure that the tiatr is enjoyable one, right from the beginning to the end. Technical teams consist of Benny Vaz, Caji de Benaulim and Alex de Consua as stage managers, Julio Cardozo with his presentation of special light effects, Olavo Pasha with his realistic audio-video display and Caitan de Ribandar with SPA will handle the graphic designs/decorative stage settings with a professional touch. Musical score set to terrific composition by Kuwait’s one and only, maestro Shahu.

www.goa-world.com

Aitaracheo Kaskuleo: "Lokanchim Tonddam Bondh...! JAKIN: Hello, hai, Ritin? Kedna ailem Goem sakun? RITIN: Poir sunkrarak. JAKIN: Koxi geli tumchi sutt’ti (vacation)? RITIN: Pavs, pavs, pavs. Hea pavtti Goeant bhorbur pavs go. Khoimsoruch bhair vochunk sarkem mellunk na. Amgelo boroch khuxeal. Orxim taji kornn’ni tum zannai. Konnagher vochpachem nanv genam. Ghorakoden kaju feni xekoi-xekoi. Tea bhobalan mhakai irloso ‘branco’ melltalo. Bhurgim sarkinch ubgelim go pavsak. JAKIN: Sangtam mhonnon ragar zainakai ham? Pavsacho koslo dox? Amchem Goem vauradanchem. Ami xetam roitat, ani xetak pavsachi ekdom goroz asta. Boro pavs zhoddlo mhonnchem bori xetachi pikavol zata. RITIN: Tujem sarkem go. Hea vorsak xetam borim asat. Xetkar khoxalkai dakhoitat mhonn hanvem Goeam astana pottramcher vachlelem. JAKIN: Zavn saiba. Kitem tori tum vachta.Tem bogum, mhaka kitem haddlam Goeam thavn. RITIN: Tuka haddunk na zalear uprant tujem tondd bondh korunk zata go. Paro, miskut, kharem, rachadd masalo ani khub haddlam. Tuje main, aple zanviank ghora bhazlelo kaju bhieo dileat. JAKIN: Itleo sogot vostu haddleo zalear mhojem tondd bonduch zalem na? Tondd bondh mhollear boro ugddas ailo. Fuddlea mhoineachea-Setembrachea 12ver-amchea ganv bhavacho tiatr asa. RITIN: Ago Jakin, Kuwaitan Konknni tiatr machier haddttat titlech digdorspi tuje ganv bhav? JAKIN: Tuka khobor asa hanv Saxttichem. Mhojo ganv Calata. Sant Roquechea kopela lagsor, uzvea bhazun nillea ronganchem ghor asa tem amchem. Majorda-Utorda-Calata tin ganv, ponn amkam ekuch Ponchayat. Chalu vorsachea survatekuch-Janerant- United Club of Utorda, "Konkani Ek Anki Nattkuleanchi Spordha" keli. Tea uprant Juneachea 13ver Bab Rafael de Majorda hannem “Tukai Tench Ravta” tiatr dakhoilo ani atam Lokanchim Tonddam Bondh….. RITIN: Kitem??? Zhorintlem udok vhaumtam tem bondh zait. Nodhichea udkachim tonddam bondh korunk zait. Mhojem tondd bondh konn kortolo go? JAKIN: Modench tondd ghalun tiatran martat tosleo ‘dialogues’ uloinaka. Poilem purai aikun ge. Hanv, tuka sangunk soddtam triatrachem nanv ‘Lokanchim Tonddam Bondh’ mhonn ani tacho borovpi ani digdorspi mhojo ani ek ganv bhav Utodd’decho Bab Laurente Pereira. RITIN: Oxem sang mu go. Mhaka dislem bhailanchim tonddam bondh korpak anik konneklo fuddem sorlo mhonn. Tiatrant khoimchea kolakar asat? JAKIN: Mhojeo vostu vorunk ieta tedna tuka tiatrachem ‘hand bill’ ghevn ietam. Tacher polle Sangpachi gozal mhollear Goeam thavn Young Chico-cho dhaktto cheddo, Jr.Chico ieta. To aplea gitani tiatr pollenarank montrmugdh (mesmerized) korta khoim. RITIN: Goeam aikoleli tachi khobor. Amgelean pavsachem nib ghevn Goeant astana ekui tiatrak mhaka vorunk na. Tumi amgher ieta tedna, amgeleak matxe fuslai. Tujem to aikota. Hea tiatrak vochunkuch mhaka zai. Tikett kaddtana sangattak kaddcheo. JAKIN: Hangasor hea dissanim nettan gozal mhollear Kuwaitchea Trio king, Bab Cajetan-Marcus-Mario porot ektthaim aileat ani te “Lokanchim Tonddam Bondh” hea tiatran bhag ghetat. RITIN: Kitem?? Kitem mhonnlem tuvem? Trio king CMM porot ektthaim? Praise the Lord. Hanv sarkinch…….. JAKIN: Ago, ago itkem ‘excited’ zatai kiteak go? RITIN: Tem anik vichartai? Tuka khobor asa amgeleachea trio king sarkech ‘favourite’ Jea tiatrant tancho aspav asta te tiatr to kednach soddina. Mhonntokoch mhojem kam’ piklem. Tuje Upkar, hi mahiti tuvem mhaka dili mhonn. JAKIN: Ghelea vorsachea, 2002, Abrilache mhoineant Rafael de Majorda hachea tiatrant “Hanv Noko Zalom” trio king CMM nimnne sagattak disti poddlele. Ani atam sumar dhedd vorsan porot sangatak machier ietat. RITIN: Ponn ek go!! Itlo khall tannim ‘divorce’ dilolo to kiteak? Ani lok uloitalo te pormonnem…………… JAKIN: Lok mhonntalo te porot keddnach ektaim machier choddchenant nhoim? Atam kitem? Mhojem tondd soddun “Lokanchim Tonddam Bondh…!” mu go? RITIN: Jakin falleam ulovchim. Amgelo ailo go. Chavi kaddtta. JAKIN: Tuji? RITIN: Mhoji nhoi go malsuada, darachi. Choll, choll. Fon bondh kortam. Lino B. Dourado lino dourado <libado23s53@yahoo.com> www.goa-world.com/poems/ _____ http://www.geocities.com/lara_production/LTB.html Remember it's LARA Production Entertainment So be there - September 12th - Hawalli Hall, Kuwait