Last show of ‘Mission Japan’ to be staged at KA

Pio Esteves
PILAR: The 17th Exposition of the Sacred Relics of St Francis Xavier has inspired many Goans to make an in-depth study and bring to the fore the life and missionary works of this great saint. ‘Mission Japan’, a musical portraying a glimpse of St Francis Xavier in Japan, is a concerted effort in that direction.
This musical is a sequel to another play staged a decade ago and titled ‘Francis - A Man in a Hurry’.Conceptualized, scripted and directed by Fr Allan Tavares of the Society of Pilar, the music for ‘Mission Japan’ is arranged by Rocky Lazarus and Rabin D'Pietro. It is co-produced by Pilar Music Academy and Pilar Theological College.
Speaking to TOI, Tavares informed that it is a natural sequel and initially his target was China. “For Francis, Japan was an important juncture because China was still an orthodox country. A lot of traditions of China had flown to that country. Japan would be a place where he could acquaint himself. His Japanese companion Hansiro provided a lot of knowledge of that country and took Francis there,” says Tavares, revealing the background of the plot.
St Francis Xavier’s character is portrayed by two talented vocalists Melwyn Noronha and Valdo Fernandes. The synchronized dance sequences by students from North-East India depicting the culture of Japan is something that the audience should look out for through the performance.
Tavares also released a book titled ‘What did he sail for?’, which is a collection of plays on St Francis Xavier. After houseful performances at Old Goa, the last show of the musical will be staged at the Kala Academy auditorium on December 16. For more details, one can log on to www.facebook.com/missionjapan.sfx