[Gulf Goans] REFLECTIONS: " ME and MY TIATRISTPONN"

Sat, 30 Jul 2005 10:30:35 -0700


 
 
REFLECTIONS:  "ME and MY TIATRISTPONN"

  by Domnic Fernandes

 

 

My ‘tiatristponn’ lay dormant in me for over two decades.  Just like any expat tiatrists, I began my ‘tiatristponn’ in Bahrain - as a prompter, then as a ‘Partist’ (actor) from 1973 to 1980.  I have saved some handbills of tiatros I acted in.


I got my first break through Zefferino Silveira (from Calangute) in his tiatr “SIRVIDOR.”  Actually, I was assigned a prompter’s job but suddenly the main ‘partist’ who was doing bhattkar’s/father’s role backed out.  This is where Zefferino asked me to do the role which I did with great perfection. Zefferino used to be the make-up man for Bombay tiatrists until he came to Bahrain. He is also the person who presented a “Zagor-cum-tiatr” with gumttam-madhiim-kansaiim on the stage in Mapusa in the early 1980’s.  I learned through Jessie Dias, the stage actress from Anjuna, last May that Zefferino is now in England. 


I was next booked by the late Vincent de Saligao for the hero’s role in one of his dramas in which his daughter, Luiza de Saligao, was the heroine; she also acted with me as a heroine in one more tiatro – sorry I can’t remember the title.  Luiza lives in Singapore.


I played a variety of roles in dozens of tiatros in Bahrain during the above-mentioned period -   Miss Santana from Candolim acted with me as heroine in most of the tiatros.  She married Joaquim Nunes from St. Inez; he was one of the best hockey goalkeepers of the YGSC in the 1970’s.  Martha D’Souza, Maria Fonseca, Jessie (Mangalorean), Blanche Goveia (w/o Jimmy Goveia – Mangalorean), Lancy Sequeira (Mangalorean singer), John Mendonsa, and Luis Frois of the Gulf Daily News are a few names that come to my mind.  Many have passed away during the last three decades.


I was mainly associated with the late Peter-de-Morjim (Peter Mascarenhas, originally from Morjim but resident of Bandra, Bombay) and Mario Alphonso from Salcette who I believe is still in Bahrain.  Both these gentlemen are very good actors, comedians, singers, writers, composers and directors - a bundle of talents!  They presented 2-3 dramas/year under the banner “MM Production” (Mario & Morjim Production); I acted in all their tiatros.  I could recall only two names “MHOZO PUT” and “VISVAS GHATH” by Peter-de-Morjim. 


During my tenure as the General Secretary of the Young Goans Sports Club (YGSC) - now Young Goans Club (YGC), we brought Bombay professional tiatrists to Bahrain for the first time.  They were:  The late Jacinto Vaz, Mary Vaz, C. Alvares, Betty Ferns and Remmie Colaco; Cyriaco Dias was already employed in Bahrain.  Altogether, we staged 5 tiatros: 
KEDNAM UDETOLO TO DIS by C. Alvares,  GHORACHEM SUKH by Remmie Colaco, 
GHOVACHEM GHOR by Jacinto Vaz,  FARIKPONN by Cyriaco Dias and yet another
tiatr by Cyriaco Dias.  I played lead roles in all these tiatros.


I also acted in two more professional tiatros in Bahrain by the late Bab Peter and by Rico Rod.  The following actors/actresses participated in both the tiatros:  Alfred Rose, Bab Peter, M. Boyer, Ophelia (Babli was just six months old), Antonette, Fatima, Rico Rod, Titta Pretto, Joe Rose and Seby Coutinho.  The late Chris Perry provided music for both tiatros.  Chris was then employed with the Moon Plaza Hotel in Juffair. I acted only once in M. Boyer’s tiatr in Mapusa; it was a small role - that of a doctor - and Joe Rose was the one with whom I had to deliver a few dialogues in a particular significant scene.

While in Bahrain, I was also closely associated with the Mangalorean community through the Karnataka Sports Club.  The Goan tiatrist fraternity in Bahrain at the time succeeded in bringing the two communities closer by staging specially written tiatros with Goan and Mangalorean cast.  We successfully staged four such joint-ventures.  In one of the tiatros, the story was based on Goan-Mangalorean families.  The late Baptist Mendonsa
(Mangalorean – was employed with the Gulf Hotel) and the late Peter-de-Morjim jointly wrote and directed the tiatros.  Peter-de-Morjim, Mario Alphonso and I are the founder members of the Konkan Singers’ Club (KSC) which was founded by raising funds through tiatros.  Cyril D’Souza, a Mangalorean, was the brain behind the formation of the KSC.  He and several others brought many advertisements which helped us raise funds for the new club.

Tiatr band players in those days came from the Bahrain Police Band.  The band was headed by the late Custodio Fernandes (rhythm guitarist), late Cajetan or Cajie Fernandes (drummer & solfist) - he wrote solfas for our tiatros; he played for Bombay professional tiatrists before he came to Bahrain), Raposo Fernandes (sexaphone), Carlito Fernandes (trumpet) – I believe he still plays for tiatros in Goa and gives music to audio cassettes/CDs), and there was another guy who used to play the clarinet.  I think Carlito Fernandes lives in Benaulim.  He played music for all the tiatros I acted in.


The entrance fee for a tiatr in Bahrain in the 1970’s was Fils 800 and 500 respectively.  The fee of Fils 800 was later raised to BD.1.000.  It was quite difficult in those days to stage tiatros in Bahrain.  We mostly suffered losses but we didn’t give up; we continued to stage tiatros for the love of Konkani and Goans there.  Every time we staged a drama, we had to pay BD.5.000 as hire charges for “pod’de” (curtain drops.) We came across an artist - Domnic Viegas from Tivim who painted four drops for us free of charge. 


The painting job was carried out on the terrace of late Seby D’Souza’s residence in Manama.  Seby hailed from Navelim.  He also was a tiatrist, writer and director.  I acted in one of his dramas. All tiatros that we staged in Bahrain in the 1970’s were a one-time event.  As such, one had to give his/her best and prove his/her ability in one attempt!

It is my desire to give some tiatr performances after I retire my job in a couple of years' time!


Moi-mogan,
Domnic Fernandes
Anjuna/Dhahran, KSA                Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED]

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