Tiatr Review: Kal Aiz Sodankal

Tiatr

: “Kal Aiz Sodankal”

Director: Willy Silveira

Cast: Pascoal Rodrigues, Shenaya Pereira, Willy Silveira, Michael D’Silva, Johnny, John Abranches, Scully D’Souza, Tommy Afonso, Santan Pegado, Evaristo de Arambol, John D’Silva, Pitush, Gabbie, Alina Simoes, Jr. Reagan, etc.

Rating: ***1/2

Willy Silveira’s latest Lenten tiatr ‘Kal Aiz Sodankal’ has been developed from a concept by Scully D’Souza. The family story focuses on infidelity, extra-marital affairs, ego, temptation and forgiveness.

Daniel (Pascoal Rodrigues) on retirement visits

Dubai

to spend some time with his only son,

Sydney

(Willy Silveira) and daughter-in-law, Jasmine (Shenaya Pereira). Sydney holds a prominent position in his company and in the bargain neglects his family. As a result, Jasmine finds love in Jhonny, who visits the house in secret. Jhonny comes disguised as a delivery boy to give a demonstration of a home appliance, Daniel smells a rat and questions Jasmine, but she hides the truth. Jasmine is now afraid that Daniel may reveal the fact to her husband. When she calls Sidney and learns that his mobile is in possession of his secretary, Senhorita (Scully D’Souza),she begins to doubt her husband. Jasmine sensing that her father-in-law is a threat, hatches a plan to poison Sidney’s mind against his father. Sidney easily falls prey to his wife’s plans and packs his father back to Goa. Over time, misunderstanding and doubt surface between Sidney and Jasmine and lack of concern and love for each other and constant fights lead them to file for divorce. Will Jasmine find happiness with her new lover, Johnny? What is the fate of Sidney? and where does Daniel end up? The answers unfold with some suspense in the later scenes.

The play with its twists and turns has a good script, interspersed with some punchy dialogues and lively cantos. The production can boast of a good direction. The background action display of biblical scenes in between the main scenes include the three temptations of Jesus in the desert. Gabbie as Jesus, Evaristo as an angel and SantanPegado as a devil exhibit great talent. Willy and Shenaya as the couple perform their role to perfection. It’s a delight to watch their engrossing performance in the Café where they accidentally meet sometime after their break-up. They are competently supported by Pascoal Rodrigues, Michael D’Silva, Jhonny, John Abranches and Tommy Afonso. Scully D’Souza stands out in her cameo of the secretary, Senhorita.

In the comic acts, John D’Silva as ‘Guddguddo’, Alina Simoes as his wife, Gabbie as his father and Pitush as his father-in-law provide some laughing pills, however the comedy is not up to the mark and has no relevance whatsoever to the main play and requires some editing.

The stage sets designed by Saldanha and managed by Baptist and John are average. Background music by Arif Correia is impressive and light effects by Jason are appropriate and timely. Good use of stage props is made, however the costumes need improvement.

There were a number of songs on various topics. Willy and Scully render the opening song. Both the trios, Scully-Alina-Shenaya and Jr Reagan-Evaristo-Gabbie are rendered well, but both are non-interactive and are choral in nature. Scully’s solo is very well sung but lacks the feel of a tiatr song. The two solos ‘Parrikarachi Samadhi’ and ‘Aiz Mhozo Ho Bhes’ by Tommy Afonso and Pascoal’s solo ‘Padri’ are the picks. The songs and the cantos are backed by scintillating music led by Selwyn Bragança and Christo Fernandes at the trumpet, Arif Correia on keyboard, Joeman on bass guitar and Ashok at the drums. A fairly good orchestration indeed!

A good plot with some suspense and matched with punchy dialogues and biblical quotes, good performances and some good songs make Kal Aiz Sondakal worth a watch.