Communication 33 ISSN 2321 – 371X Tiatr: A New Form of Entrepreneurship Commerce Spectrum 5(2) 33-37 © The Authors 2018 in Goa – Problems and Prospects Reprints and Permissions [email protected] www.commercespectrum.com Dr. Juao C. Costa1 Associate Professor, Department of Commerce,Rosary College of Commerce and Arts, NavelimSalcete Goa. Abstract Tiatr as a form of entrepreneurship has created direct as well as indirect employment to many artists as well as non-performers. Some families are fully dependent on this form of entrepreneurship for their livelihood. The economy of the state to a large extent is supported by this form of entertainment. Realizing its importance in the goan economy, the government of Goa has devised various schemes financial as well as non-financial for the development of tiatr.However, it still needs the attention of the policy makers as it has bright prospects, Goa being a tourist destination.The main objective of the paper would be to highlight how “Tiatr” as a form of entertainment evolved as a form of entrepreneurship providing jobs – directly as well as indirectly to the masses. Key words Tiatr, Tiatrist, culture, entertainment, problem, prospect. Introduction Tiatr1 is a type of musical theatre popular in the GOA, once a Portuguese colony for 450 years, is a state of Goa on the west coast of India as well as in small region on India‟s west coast sandwiched Mumbai and with expatriate communities in the between the Western Ghats and the Arabian Sea Middle East, London and other parts of the world with rich cultural traditions. Maritime trade contacts where Konkani speakers have a considerable and Portuguese colonial rule helped fuse and blend presence. The dramas are performed mainly in the cosmopolitan cultural elements in Goan society Roman Konkani dialects and include music, dancing giving rise to unique ethnographic and musical and singing. Tiatr performers are called Tiatrist. traditions creating an unusual amalgam of East and Tiatr today revolves around social, religious and West, a simple folk and modern Indian cultural political themes. It is considered to be a mirror of ethos. The economic, social and cultural life of the Goan culture. Goan people is greatly influenced by the Portuguese The drama consists of 6 or 7 acts called pordhe2 . rule in Goa. The rich cultural heritage of Goa is a The acts are interspersed by songs which need not be stark contrast to the rest of India. This is one quality directly linked to the content or the issues of the that makes the culture of Goa truly unique. Goa is a main drama. There are 2 or 3 songs between each of place where you find people accepting the presence the acts.These usually relate/narrates a real life of all major religions without any prejudice. This is incident ( social/political) and end with a moral or the place where people follow traditions as well as message. Tiatrists have always demonstrated a very remain ahead with times and trends. The people of Goa high degree of social awareness. Most of the themes have the essence of music in their culture. In fact music of tiatr are concerned with social problems is quite dominant among people living in Goa. Not just confronting the people.The Tiatr is an instance Indian, they take pleasure in western music and listen where mass support plays a crucial role. It is one of to the likes of trance, western classical music, techno, those arts which despite centuries of Portuguese jazz, blues, etc. They have varied tastes and choices suppression and post-liberation neglect from the when it comes to western music. 1 Corresponding author: 1 Associate Professor, Department of Commerce, Rosary College of Means theatre in Portuguese/ Italian language, a form of drama Commerce and Arts, Navelim Salcete Goa. originated in Bombay( British) by Goans and later entered to Goa( Portugues) 2 Scenes of Drama 34 Tiatr: A New Form of Entrepreneurship in Goa – Problems and Prospects state governments, has not just survived but also 6) The script writer automatically became the thrived and reinvented itself in many ways. director and direction was given due importance. Prior to the emergence of tiatr, entertainment in Konkani was mainly through zagors3 and khells4. 7) Encouragement to Singers (old and new) to Both of them had their distinct style. While the compose new songs on newer subjects was zagor was more lyrical, the khell had dialogues and given. while the former was more popular in Bardez, the 5 8) A separate rehearsal for songs and “Cantos ” latter was firmly entrenched in Salcete. became necessary and compulsory. Tiatr, Portuguese for theatre, is a type of musical 9) A full 5 instrumental brass-band became an performed in Konkani and includes live music, integral part of the Konkani tiatr. dancing and singing. Tiatr songs and performances are commonly recorded and sold as audio CD‟s and 10) Konkani tiatrs were regularly performed round DVD‟s in Konkani speaking markets. The primary the year in established auditoriums in Mumbai, aim of tiatr is to entertain and therefore besides the Goa and other parts of the world where Goans plot; comedy and music are very important. But it is and Konkani speaking people lived. equally true that Tiatrist have always upheld social 11) Konkani tiatr became a must as a part of the values and kept up with the changing times to celebrations for Hindu and Catholicfestivals in provide audiences with appreciable entertainment. every village of Goa. Drama reflects the realistic view of Society. It is 12) Advertising for Konkani tiatrs became more the most rigorous form of literary art expounded in organised i.e. an adsvertisement or two in a the form of performing art. Drama is art as well as local newspaper with a special page carrying craft and reality is life and breath of it. Tiatr, the all tiatr performances , distribution of handbills popular Konkani art form also falls under the near churches, football games and other places category of drama. In fact, the main basis of tiatr is where people gathered and publicity by car drama. Tiatr also has all the elements of with a microphone and loudspeaker moving entertainment such as a play, music, song and dance through the villages of Goa. So also a poster of which are so necessary for the dramatic expression. the tiatr was put up at the venue of the show. Tiatr has become the mirror of Society. Besides providing entertainment, it educates, sensitizes and 13) Permanent tiatr contractors came up in every enlightens the people on various problems faced by village and hall who organized the entire show the society. The innumerable performances of tiatr in their area of operation. reflect the great mass appeal that it holds. Today 14) Allied business like poster painting, handbill tiatr is the only commercial stage of Goa (Claro, and tickets printing, block making, car John) publicity, sound equipment hire, light effects, According to Wilmix , one of the stalwarts of hire and settings, stage hiring, hiring of the Konkani stage. He has identified the following entire enclosure with chairs for seating major changes in the Konkani tiatrvis a vis Konkani arrangements, generator hirers etc. were tiatr of the earlier days over the last three decades. established. 1) A well written script became the basis of a Origin and History Konkani tiatr as against a haphazard one in the April, 17, 1892 is regarded as an important date in past or as was on some occasions, “no written the history of Goa on which date the first Tiatro script at all” titled “ ItalianBhurgo” ( Italian Boy) based on Italian 2) Script writers started writing their own original operetta was staged in then Bombay ( British) at the script as against adapting established scripts of new Alfredo theatre. It was staged by a Goan English playwrights. working in Bombay who was well versed with 3) Extensive, well organised rehearsals became a music, proficient in English, a good writer , regular feature for Konkani tiatr. composer and worked for an Italian operetta company and toured several parts of the country. 4) “Settings” relevant to the play were introduced 5) Use of light effects, back-ground sound Second in line in the development of Konkani effects, trick-scenes etc. was introduced. Tiatr in the olden times was Joao Agostinho Fernandes. He was a great thinker and creative writer, who tirelessly worked to re-establish tiatr. He 3 A form a unorganized form of entertainment mostly performed ranks second in the hierarchy of Goan tiatr. It is he preferably by Hindus in North Goa throughout the night 4 A form of entertainment performed mostly in south Goa during 5 A song emotional or depecting the story of the tiatr sung by the pre-Lenten season by catholics artist. Dr. Juao C. Costa 35 who infused realism into Konkani drama. He studied The recurring expenses per show are anywhere the works of Molliere, Congraver, Hartley, Dickens, between Rs 50000/ to Rs 60000/ considering the Cerventes, Dekocks Schiller and many other best set up and good actors. The shows in Goa are dramatists and novelists and found that the writings performed in the Government run RavindraBhavans of these great men reflected the life and culture of consisting around 1200 seating capacity. Assuming their respective people. He then realized that what that a show is performed with 100% full capacity, his contemporary writers were doing was incorrect the producer will earn anything between Rs 60000/ and set out to reflect Goan life in his plays. It is he to 70000/. This applies to the performances in the who pioneered original scripts in Konkani, until then cities only.