"LHARAM" Konkani Audio Cassette

Kala Mogi of Candolim has released Tomazinho Cardozo's
audio album of Konkani songs *Lharam* was released on
May 27, 2000 at the Kala Academy, Panjim, Goa. Chris
Perry was chief guest. This was followed by Cardozo's
25th tiatr, *Hello Uncle*.

Konkani Cassette Released by Chris Perry

Former Goa's Assembly Speaker Tomazinho Cardozo,
went back to his  old avatar as a writer, director
and producer of Konkani tiatrs and audio cassettes,
when  his 25th play "Hello Uncle" was staged at
the Kala Academy complex, Panjim, Goa recently.

An audio cassette of Konkani songs `Lharam' (waves),
with lyrics by Tomazinho Cardozo and music by Mukesh,
was released by eminent Goan musician Chris Perry;
and also a booklet `Milestones on tiatr stage'.

The audio cassette is marketed by V.P. Sinari & Sons
(The Ultimate Music Shop) at Padmavati Towers,
18th June Road, Panjim, Goa - 403 001 (Tel: 224842 /
435982).  Branches at Margao and Vasco.

Presented by Simonia Productions, music on keyboards
by Mukesh, bass guitar: Vasquito Camilo, Rhythm
guitar: Edwin Lemos, Drums: Santano Carvalho and
Tabla: Sunil Amonkar.  Recording engineer: Suresh
Shetty.

Tomazinho Cardozo's poetic lyrics of all songs sung by
Irene Cardozo, are printed on the inside cover.  For
more info, T. Cardozo can be contacted at Candolim,
Bardez, Goa  (Tel: 276390 / 277019).

EX-SPEAKER GOES ON TO INNOVATE IN THE WORLD OF KONKANI STAGE, MUSIC
By Frederick Noronha

PANJIM, June 4: He may have had a tumultuous tenure in the drama
of Goan politics, but former Goa assembly Speaker Tomazinho
Cardozo can claim credit for a number of firsts on the Konkani
stage over the many years he has been associated with it.

Cardozo, whose controversy-prone tenure as Speaker ended after
elections last year, is now back in a field he is more at home
in. He's continuing with bringing in many firsts to the 'tiatr'
field along with his Kala Mogi-Candolim troupe.

'Tiatr' is a popular and vibrant form of sub-altern Goan theatre.
Cardozo has long been associated with the 'tiatr' world, but got
caught into a lot of political controversy during his tenure as
Speaker of the Goa Assembly.

Infact, even his election as Speaker was seen in some quarters as
incorrectly done, with some votes being declared invalid before
this Congress(I) nominee could claim a win.

But last weekend, Cardozo staged his 25th 'tiatr' called 'Hello
Uncle' at Panjim's Kala Academy.

"It has nothing whatsoever to do with politics," he said
telephonically. It's instead a hilarious comedy, featuring three
youngsters who want to live extravagantly without earning a
single penny. They do so from the money of rich relatives abroad.

On the occasion, Cardozo's troupe recalled its various
achievements which it managed to introduce, and thus refine, the
looked-down upon Konkani 'tiatr' stage.

Cardozo's troupe was the first to introduce the revolving stage,
way back in December 1968. This innovation was adopted from the
Marathi stage, and the manner in which it came about is a story
in itself.

"In the neighbourhood there was a tamarind tree which had fallen
down. The trunk was sawn across and a sort of stand was made. In
the centre a big cylindrical hole was drilled, into which another
big cylindrical piece of wood was fixed which would rotate,"
recalls Cardozo.

He says that the idea of the revolving stage -- and how it could
be made from a fallen tamarind tree trunk -- came from a late
colleague, Neves Machado.

Later on, the troupe introduced novel types of stage curtains
(made from borrowed sarees), and the use of lights instead of a
whistle that was earlier used to indicate the start of a song
after a scene within the 'tiatr'.

"Change overs from songs to the next scenes were also marked by
the blowing of the whistle. This gave the 'tiatr' a very
disorganised appearance," recalls the Kala Mogi leader, Cardozo.

Shadow-play was another innovation brought on, as was the
introduction of the characters involved in the play. Flashbacks,
and depiction of dilemmas faced by characters were also gradually
brought onto the 'tiatr' stage.This was done by using different
lights and background voices.

Freezing of the characters at the end of each scene, and the use
of symbolism and suggestive stage settings were other innovations
brought on by the troupe led by Goa's former Speaker.

In some of Cardozo's 'tiatrs', the whole play was set in just two
or one stage sets -- as in 'Ixtt' (1976) and 'OK, Bye Bye'
(1988).

Along his many plays, Cardozo also introduced the concept that
Hindu artistes would play the role of Hindu characters. Since the
'tiatr' is largely popular among Catholic audiences, the lack of
participation from other religious communities not only limited
its appeal, but also brought in an element of negative
stereotyping of others.

Cardozo's 'Kallokh ani Uzvadd' (Darkness and Light, 1977) depicts
two families, one Christian and the other Hindu. Characters of
the Hindu family were played by people from Hindu backgrounds
themselves, lending an extra deal of authenticity to the roles.

Recorded background music was an innovation brought in in 1979,
and children's theatre came in 1992 through 'Bhurgem Jivit' which
was a full-length tiatr based on the life of street-children
enacted by an entire cast of child-artistes.

In 'Utram ani Kornneo' (1981), the 'tiatr' begins with a novelist
writing his novel. What he is writing is shown enacted in the
tiatr. At the end, the novelist is again shown ending his novel.

Incidentally, Cardozo's 'Kanttech Kantte' (Thorns... and more
Thorns, 1980) is a political satire "born out of disillusionment
of Goans with democratic governments".

Cardozo describes it thus: "For about 17-18 years after Goa's
Liberation, it was noticed that dishonest and corrupt politicians
only made tall and empty promises during election time. The aim
of the play was to warn Goans not to get fooled by politicians,
but to select worthy representatives on the basis of their
meritorious deeds".

In this 'tiatr', a young and promising village school teacher
contests and wins elections. He has great plans for the
upliftment of his people. But he soon realises that his cabinet
colleagues are insincere and selfish and are not interested in
fulfilling election promises they made to the voters.

Later on Cardozo himself -- who happens to be a former teacher,
and principal and a lifelong educationist -- went on a similar
track on his political career. Life imitating art?

Last weekend, Cardozo also released a cassette of Konkani songs
called 'Lharam'. It is a "fusion of east and west" and the music
is set by Mukesh. "Let's see if listeners appreciate it," said
Cardozo, speaking to this correspondent informally. (