Giving a dose of acting, singing and overall entertainment, theatre in any language is always welcome in Goa. English theatre has proven successful in Goa and English musicals woo the audience. Big time musicals are expensive to produce in and the audience longs to watch these classical plays. This weekend will be special for English theatre lovers as there will be two plays being performed that are of different genres.
The founder/president of the CAUSE Foundation (Cooperation of the Arts for the Upliftment of Society and the Environment) and director, Leila Alvares has from the age of 18 been actively involved with various charitable causes as well as in organizing a variety of musical productions all over South India. This year, they are back to Goa with their new musical, ‘Monty Python’s Spamalot’. After performing three shows in Bangalore over the weekend, their only show in Goa will be held at Ravindra Bhavan, Margao on September 14 at 7.15 pm.
Lovingly ripped off from the classic film comedy, ‘Monty Python and the Holy Grail’, ‘Monty Python’s Spamalot’ retells the legend of King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table, and features a bevy of beautiful show girls, various barnyard animals, killer rabbits, and French people. The 2005 Broadway production won three Tony Awards, including Best Musical. “Monty Python's Spamalot’ fits the main criteria that I look for in a musical. It is a light-hearted comedy with excellent music. It also requires vibrant costumes because it’s a period musical and so makes it visually appealing. I love the fact that it is extremely funny and that it has music of various genres that resonate with me. The script and lyrics are hilarious and a pleasure to work with,” says Leila.
The musical includes some of Bangalore's finest new and old singing, acting, dancing and musical talent including Arvind Kasthuri, Deepa Jacob, Kieren Alvares Lynn, Rahael Thomas, Aakarsh Paul, Deepak Hariharan, Alapana Bagirath, Elexer Fernandes, Tasneem Kera and Prem Koshy among others. The live band - directed by Aashish Paul and assisted by Sabarisha R, while the dances are choreographed/directed by Elexer Fernandes, Kieren Alvares Lynn and Keira Alvares Ganapathy. The vibrant costumes are designed by Asha Fernandez and hand-painted sets by Alen Martin and Tsia Molloth promise a visual feast.
“The first time we came to Goa was in 2011 with this very same musical and we performed at the Kala Academy. However, this is an upgraded and funnier version of the same. We have since brought ‘Fiddler on the Roof’, ‘Ghost’, ‘Curtains’, and post covid – ‘Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat’ and ‘Something Rotten’ which was performed last year. We love audiences who understand and appreciate musicals in general, and the Goan audiences have been extremely receptive and appreciative of our efforts, which is why we look forward to performing in Goa,” says Leila about her experience in Goa. Following the performance in Goa, the musical will be performed in Mysore on September 20 and in Mangalore on September 21.
Isabel de Santa Rita Vas is a popular English playwright and director from Goa who founded the Mustard Seed Art Company. Synonymous with English theatre in Goa, The Mustard Seed Art Company was founded in 1987 and has been performing regularly for over three decades. Their latest production directed by Isabel and Rohan Olegario Nazareth is ‘Anybody Home?, a short play casting a glance at the amazing figure of Dr Francisco Luis Gomes (1846-1896).
“The play aims at arousing interest in this remarkable Goan, a multifaceted character, a doctor as well as a prolific writer, chosen to represent Goa in the Portuguese Parliament. He called for self-rule for India proclaiming “I ask for India Liberty and Light!” The script is original, as are also the song and music and dance. The Mustard Seed Art Company has been staging plays on a regular basis for the last 38 years. Its original scripts generally focus on local stories which may wide significance,” says Isabel, as the cast practises their scenes at her home.
The cast includes Shimona D’Costa e Fernandes (Salvita), Neha Khaunte (Nandini), Kiran Bhandari (Magnod) and Rohan Olegario Nazareth (Francisco Luis Gomes). The musical contribution is by Eng. Rui Lobo, the voice is that of Sanjali Sudesh Nagvenkar.
The play will be performed on September 16 at Sensible Earth, Salvador do Mundo at 6.30 pm, on September 18 at Goa University, Seminar Hall, B Block at 4 pm, September 20 at Don Bosco HS, AV Room, ground floor at 6.30 pm, September 21 at Big Foot, Loutulim at 5.30 pm and September 25 at Rosary College, Porvorim at 12.30 pm.