Goan Drama Gate-Crashed in Kuwait: A Review


By Gasper Crasto 

Comedian Agostinho’s drama MOG-KAZAR-DIVORCE entertained an almost overflowing SIMS auditorium in Kuwait 14th Sept 2018.

With record number of people packed in the hall that can accommodate only about 500 chairs; many were seen standing on the sides like attending a feast mass. Surely, it was history in the making.

The show was organized by a group called NRR productions. Cheers to the organizers for controlling the crowd from gate-crashing, and the public for maintaining decorum in the hall throughout the show.

Acclaimed as one of the season’s best, the drama lived up to people’s expectations as a sensational showpiece. 

Apparently, this was the last show of the drama according to director Agostinho. 

ROSY ALVARES & JANET DELIGHT

Seasoned Rosy Alvares and Comdiean Janet excelled in the show with super-flowing acts. 

While Rosy Alvares ascertained her rating as one of the best on Konkani stage over the years, with some top-class, flawless acting; Janet had the audience in splits playing her role with fluent dialogues and an unique Sanguem-taluka dialect. 

Rosy Alvares shone in the ‘pordho’ where she loses her handbag and raises hysteria bringing the house down.

Other female in the drama, stylishly dressed young Cia Clancy Fernandes played her role stunningly as well and received lot of admiration for her costumes and stage presence.

Other artistes of the troupe played their part well too especially Jaju Fernandes, Pascoal Rodrigues, Philip Almeida, Pradeep, Creto de Navelim, etc. 

Benny de Aldona sang the opening song of the drama which was just a conventional song though – nothing spectacular or eccentric about it. The other song in the drama was a comedy trio by Philip-Janet-Selvy towards the end; it did not have the desired punch either.

The ‘cantos’ however were set to nice tunes and words; Creto and Jaju were terrific in their singing, expressions and showmanship.

The director reminded everyone before the start of the drama that it was a non-stop drama with no individual songs in-between. Still, even though the drama was ‘a breezy entertainer’ with never a dull moment within, the audience seemed to miss something – the traditional kantaram.

Audience in Kuwait and Goans in general enjoy comedy and songs; political songs are much favorite among Goans anywhere in the world – more than political speeches.

STORY & SCRIPT

The story of MOG, KAZAR, DIVORCE is quite simple but attractively presented. It focuses mainly on ‘people having love affairs before marriage’, and its implications on life after ‘marriage’ leading to plenty of divorces.

Hats off to Comedian Agostinho for offering a script intervened with simple incidents and plenty of comedy -- relevant to modern life and times.
Agostinho’s well-thought out ‘rezavam’ dialogues and biblical messages portrayed the director’s deep sense of philosophy.

While Comdian Selvy looked like a sidekick in the drama, Comedian Agostinho, as usual, belted out his trademark dialogues with lots of venom towards the co-stars and audience. 

There were plenty of references to PM Modi or the government which may have been included only to squeeze out some laughter or make the drama more appealing. 

Political lines were not necessarily required in such a masterpiece drama as Mog-Kazar-Divorce. Directors could avoid such references for posterity reasons.

Well, it is rare that the public sentiment decides immorally or unwisely, but the individual who differs from it ought to distrust and examine well his own opinion.

The fact that Kuwait audience is greatly knowledgeable proved at the final curtain which had the audience applauding and appreciating long after the artistes had left for the airport.

[Thanks to Rivon Gomes for the picture].

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