Apa Lipa, effective display of emotions
By RON FIDELIS

A tiatr with a title like Apa Lipa would make anyone think in terms of a story-line about cops and robbers. However, this tiatr produced by Alto Betim Junior Chamber and staged on December 12, at Kala Academy, displayed a novel theme. The writer-director Willy Goes seem to have done a wonderful job on the script, as well as at the direction, well supported by a cast of merely 4 artists. The side track was also hilarious and well-enacted, with the comedy element mixing well in the proceedings.

Apa Lipa is a tiatr set with a background comprising of a local communication booth (STD/Xerox counter) run by Denzil (Domnic D’Costa), who has for his company, a restless friend named Arvind. As luck would have it they catch on the habit of drinking.

In the tiatr, Denzil is portrayed as a workaholic youth, who work all round the year keeping himself busy with odd jobs like making floats, running around for election propaganda etc, while Arvind is a Kuwait returned youth, still lamenting about Saddam Hussain’s sudden attack, which left him jobless and back in Goa. This frustration makes him to resort to drinking. Under the influence of alcohol, he even uses anyone around him, for his own entertainment.

Arvind is more happy, when a non-Goan urchin, Mama comes along. Arvind’s restlessness makes him manhandle Mama, but is stopped by Denzil, who rebukes his friend’s behaviour and condemns Arvind for his carefree life style. This infuriates Arvind, who then concentrates on Mama, more vehemently, thus giving way to his frustrations.

One day, in an intoxicated state, he loses his sense of reasoning and begins to insult Mama, with lines like Hanga amchem pottam marpak ani Goem piddar korpak tumi ailai (you have not only come to spoil our Goa but deprive us of our jobs).

However, at a point in the tiatr, when Arvind goes to buy cigarettes, Denzil tries communicating with the urchin but fails. Then Denzil discloses that, he has been secretly seeing Arvind’s girlfriend, Tracy (played by Bernadette Gomes). The things have however come to this point only because of Arvind’s lack of commitment, it is learnt. Due to this fact, Denzil offers his shoulder to Tracy. This revelation leaves Arvind shattered and he take out his frustration by beating up Mama, when Denzil walks in to stop him from doing so. Arvind continue with his drinking, thus causing great worry for Mama, due to the fear of being beaten up.

A very crisp and well-written script by Willy Goes, wonderfully presented by the actors, on a single set of the STD booth. The costumes and make-up by Sandeep Hoble and Sandhya Palekar, supported the play very well, except for the dress given to Tracy, during her momentary appearance on stage, which looked out of place with the character. If the dialogue delivery had more punch, it could have fetched a few points at the contest.

The comedy in the tiatr went well with the audiences. It was well-handled by Jayendra Nagvekar, Willy Goes, Prakash Naik, Kedar Palekar, with a special mention of the character called Piquen, a cheat with some pretty innovative tricks up his sleeve, ably played by Doyle Cotta.

The songs however were not too bad, with some lovely topics chosen for the lyrics, such as one on the Hindu-Catholic rivalry highlighted by the appearance of the Lord himself at the end of the song. A duet ‘Ami Bhikari’ blended voices of singers in an effective way. Amelia Fernandes with her song on ‘Bebdeponn’ was the best out of the lot. The main characters Domnic D’Costa, Pravin Sabnis (Arvind) and Gaurish Gaunekar (Mama) deserve a pat on their back, for their performances.

The tiatr ends with Arvind stabbing Mama with a sharp knife, only to realise later that, he should not have done it. At this moment, the two friends leaning over the body of the injured Mama, the curtains come down, with Mama saying Dev Borem Korun.
(Navhind Times)