This story is from February 19, 2015

‘Lent is the best time to drive the message home’

Comedian-director Joana talks to Marcus Mergulhao about her second tiatr, ‘Sosta Taka Dev Posta’, & its timing
‘Lent is the best time to drive the message home’

Inside an unoccupied single-bedroom flat, a stone’s throw from Goa’s commercial capital of Margao, Joana Pereira is intently playing out her busy schedule early one morning.

There are phone calls to attend, dialogues to deliver, music in the adjacent room to stay attuned with, tea to prepare and delicious beef croquettes to serve to the gang.
She does it all with professional aplomb, surprising for someone who is into only her second tiatr production.
All those years on stage for several other directors must be paying off.
“I had my first production last year and the response I received was encouraging,” shouts out Joana, intent on being heard over the band practicing in the adjoining room. Staged during last year’s monsoon, ‘Novo Dis Udetana’ focused on family and discipline and had 17 shows.

While it could have had more shows had the band, and sometimes the cast, been available, her real reward was when priests and others walked up to her, ready with commendations.
“All of them felt the tiatr would have been more effective if we had staged it during the Lenten season,” she recalls; which is why she has chosen this Lenten season for her latest production—the aptly titled, ‘Sosta Taka Dev Posta’. And just like her first tiatr, this one too is penned by husband, Manuel Pereira.
“He has written plenty of tiatrs in the past but without any appreciation. His (ghost-written) tiatrs have become hits, but his name has never featured in any advertisements. It’s sad that he was never acknowledged,” says Joana.
Fed up with the double standards of the tiatr fraternity and the lack of appreciation, Manuel gave up writing tiatrs, till Joana nudged one out of him. “I thought to myself, when I have such a good writer at home, why not use his talent?”
The decision worked with the first tiatr, and Joana is sure they will taste success—and appreciation—again.
“This tiatr has a strong message and Lent is the best time to drive this message home,” says Joana, “I am sure people will take something positive when they see this tiatr.”
The show-stealer, apart from rib-tickling comedy, is the end scene where a cross opens and shows Jesus in all his glory. The story, Joana confesses, is a “normal one” and must happen in every neighbourhood, “but it’s the delivery that matters”.
Helping Joana in her mission is a plethora of talented actors and it helps that the tiatr is being staged during the Lenten season, a time when directors like Joana—who produce just one tiatr a year—can pick and choose—she had jumped in joy when she discovered that the superb comedy duo of Sally and Humbert were both available, and Joana, herself an accomplished comedian, knew she had found a sure-shot route to success.
“If it was not for Sally and Humbert’s availability, I would not have staged this tiatr,” confesses Joana.
Apart from the comedy duo, it also helps that she has in her lineup a promising cast which includes Satyavan Tari, Natty Pereira, Peter de Pedda, Agnelo de Dabolim, Marcus Vaz, Sabina and Aplon.
“It helps when the director is a comedian. Humour is the best way to tell a story and convey a message. The people can grasp the message easily if there is humour added to it. Today’s generation doesn’t like sermonizing or lecturing from parents,” says Aplon, a veteran of the Konkani stage.
The last few weeks have been spent rehearsing for the season ahead. The opening show cannot come soon enough.
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