There is no doubt that the Tiatr or even for that
matter the Khell-tiatr reflects the Goan Catholic Society completely, be it on the
social level or even the political one. A murder in Canacona will be sung with
gusto by a tiatrist in Margão, Mr. Parrikar’s appointment as the Defence
Minister may be lauded but in all probability will be criticised, the Nigerian
drug wars were a topic for heartfelt change for a very long time. Chances are
that if you manage to go for a Tiatr these days it will be all about the
absence of beef in the local markets. Oh yes, the tentacles of the Tiatr reach
far and wide and very deep, touching every little bit of life in Goa.
There are of course differences between the Tiatr and
the Khell-tiatr, not in content of course but in the manner of portrayal. Whilst
the Tiatr has a single story broken up in parts interspersed with most of the
times satirical songs as well as comic interludes also satirical in nature.
On the other hand
the Khell-tiatr has three distinct parts with three separate stories unconnected
to each other called Parti, the partis are interspersed with comic interludes,
hardly ever songs. Of significance is that Khell-tiatrs are held only during
the three days of Carnaval, the best part is that they are roaming troupes,
with their own band, in buses with a loudspeaker in front, large Banners advertising
the Khell-tiatr hung on the sides and back of the very colourful bus. What joy
to see and hear the Khell-tiatr making its way through the village.
Last year the central theme of the Khell-tiatr I had
attended was conversions, spreading the Word of God. In one Parti, a girl who
marries a Hindu had not only converted her husband’s entire family but managed
to get the entire Ward to follow Catholicism. I was disgusted and the audience
bored to tears with the preaching. It was Carnaval for God’s sake!
This year I hoped that there would be more humour in
the Parti and less preaching. Sitting under the mango tree we waited in
impatient anticipation, the band with two very energetic keyboard players
announced with a flourish the opening Chorus. The first Parti had begun;
Alisha
and her lover Franzell come skipping onto the stage, very much in love,
murmuring sweet-nothings, promising each other eternal fidelity. Taking a break
from their cooing to discuss their problem, Franzell has managed a job in
Kuwait but is running short of money. The problem looms large, just
then Franzell’s friend Alister pops on to the scene. On hearing their problem,
Alister decides to help, speaks to his mother Rosalin, after much discussion and
dire predictions from the mother Rosalin, they decide to hypothecate their
house and lend the money to Franzell. The young couple is overjoyed; Franzell
can now leave for Kuwait.
Every day at an appointed time Franzell calls Alisha,
Oh my God! Screams Alisha in exasperation and utter boredom, doesn't this guy
have anything else to do? He is supposed to work not bore me to death with his
the-most-boring-love talk. Here I was meeting Jodric and we were to eat pizza.
Franzell sends her money regularly, just pay Alister, he says, I want them to
have their house back. Ok, ok darling, murmurs Alisha as she quickly
disconnects the phone and moves away with Jodric her new boyfriend. Does she
pay Alister any money? Never, not a penny, why should she? Sadly and much as
Rosalin had predicted, Desmond to whom they had hypothecated their house takes
away the house as they are unable to pay any money within the stipulated time.
Rosalin dies at her sister’s place.
Meanwhile Alisha has been cheerfully feeding Franzell
the most outrageous lies, she claims that every time she went over to Alister’s
place to pay him the loan, Alister made a pass at her and one fine day actually
raped her. Franzell is so incensed that without informing any person in Goa he
decides to confront Alister.
Comes to Goa, insults Alister for taking ‘advantage’of
Alisha. As luck would have it, Franzell meets another pal of his, Francisco,
who explains the entire scenario to Franzell, they decide to confront Alisha.
Arrange a meeting with her. Alisha comes with her latest boyfriend, Macenroe.
Alisha looks very mischievously at Franzell and says
‘Franzell you told me to buy anything I wanted, you sent me the money, I was so
tempted, I just had to spend it. I like to be with men, you are never there...I
love pizza too, so what could I do? And skips off in excellent humour, no
pleading, no remorse, no talk of God, no moralising, nothing, just skips away
with Macenroe to eat a pizza which she adores.
Franzell, Alister and Francisco look at her with
envy.
I could not believe my ears, talk of being astounded,
I truly was. The Director had in one stroke liberated Women from being the
servile, docile creatures forever wronged, always begging for forgiveness. They
could have the upper hand too, if they felt like it; truly the roles had been reversed
with vengeance.
We relaxed had a cup of strong tea, ate some boiled
kabulli channa and waited for parti three of the khel-tiatr.
Facyll
leads a terrible life married to Snowden, every day the mother-in-law Mari
Santan insults her, curses her, wishes she would fall into the nearest well, or
die under a fast moving train, that way her precious Snowden could marry a nice
girl and have wonderful children.
But Snowden and Facyll love each other and despite
having no children and even if Mari Santan is a virago par excellence they
manage four years of married life.
Everyone urges
them ‘go to a doctor’ ‘no says Mari Santan, my son is as virile as Quistod’s
Bull. There is absolutely no need. It is this barren woman’s fault.’ Even Snowden’s
vagrant brother, Snivio urges his brother, ‘Irmão go men,
maybe some treatment will help you ...both’, he adds hurriedly when he sees his
Mother’s dark glare.
Snivio the vagrant gambles heavily, anything will do cards, matka,
tablam and best of all bets placed on Quistod’s Bull during the bull fights,
dirio. He is always asking for money, begging every family member, ‘give men
only ten rupees, will return no as soon as I get the winning number for matka.
He does win sometimes but that money goes towards bets placed on Quistod’s Bull.
Sometimes he pleads with Facyll, ‘give men, why are you such kanjoos , you earn
nicely working as a teacher no?’ Sometimes Facyll does give some money tired
with all the disgusting pleading, truth be told she does like Snivio, he can be
quite funny at times.
Everything is fine, if of course you can consider it fine living
with Mari Santan and her insults, humiliations. Mari Santan at times does not
rest until she has humiliated Facyll to such an extent that Facyll has been
reduced to sad person who is a nothing. But Facyll and Snowden lead a decent
life, until Facyll’s father, Rosario, comes for a visit and is horrified to hear
Mari Santan berating Facyll in that terrible, terrible way. He urges them to go
to a Doctor, but Snowden refuses. Now Rosario comes often, he realises Facyll
needs support and love. Although he urges them repeatedly
to consult a doctor it falls on deaf ears. On one such day when Rosario is at
Facyll’s house, Facyll talking to him collapses in a dead faint. Everyone
rushes and the Doctor is brought, a brief examination, the doctor beaming says,
‘good news Mari Santan, Facyll is pregnant. Pregnant? Scream all of them, how
could it be? And then Facyll says, ‘yes it was Snivio, who attacked me, raped
me repeatedly’ Snivio just looks on and says not a word. But Facyll says, ‘see
it was not my fault’. Everyone is thunderstruck, no one urges Facyll to get rid
of the baby, Mari Santan content, and happy to have a grandson, does not blame
Facyll for leading her precious son astray, perverting her darling son Snivio.
Rosario does not urge Facyll to go to the police. Everyone thinks after all
these years a Baby.
Was it rape? Who knows, who cares, and after all
there is a baby at the end of it all. Again the Director makes the woman a
powerful person, she wanted a baby and it is her choice to have one whatever
the methods employed. Once again no scenes of crying, pleading, recriminations.
Everyone so joyful.
I go home happy, the Director has made it crystal
clear, the Woman has a right to decide her own course of action.
