Goan Tiatr Academy

Goan Tiatr Academy


On 27th April 1892, a 27 year old lad from Assagao in Bardez, Mr Lucasinho Ribeiro from Bardez staged the first known Konkani play , a translation of a popular Italian soap opera of that time and was titled “ Italian bhurgo” .


Though it was a mere translation of an Italian opera, staged at the new Alfred Theatre in Bombay, it is regarded as the first Tiatr from Goa. However it was Mr. Joao Agostinho Fernandes from Margao, also known as Pai Tiatrist, who scripted his own original play “sundori Cabelchi” which catapulted the Goan Konkani Tiatr in its unique art form on a great journey.

116 years of Goan Tiatr history,is a great achievement . Before the advent of the Tiatr, the Zagor and khell were the art forms of theatrical expression in Goa and were mostly prevailing in North and South Goa respectively.


Today Tiatr has been taken to each and every corner of the world by various stage artists from Goa who surfaced on the Konkani stage regularly and shone at state as well as the international levels.



In 1956 the khell tiatr or non-stop tiatr came into existence. Unlike films there being no chance of retakes, the stage actors have to be thorough with their dialogues as the same has to be delivered live on stage.


Recently the tiatr as an art form was plagued with various problems and there was a fervent plea from the tiatrists to the government to declare them as a small scale industry. Some tiatrists have expressed happiness at the response given by the Chief Minister Mr Digambar Kamat but are however doubtful about the final outcome and are however optimistic about the governments decision.

Athough it is a tough task, tiatr’s have survived in Goa. Staging the tiatr for three hours in Goan auditoriums which normally are ill-equipped with the infrastructure and also taking the dramas to the villages has been quite challenging given the cost factors . However despite all odds the tiatr has triumphed and some of the tiatr shows have crossed the century mark.

It was therefore with open arms that the government decision to recognize goan tiatr by setting up a tiatr academy was welcomed. The government of Goa has decided to set up this academy with an initial grant of Rs 15 lakh and the tiatrists of Goa hope that the Academy would actually fructify into a reality and would also speak of the governments commitment to the Konkani language.

http://goacom.blogspot.com/2008/12/goan-tiatr-academy-on-27th-april-1892.html
Monday, December 22, 2008