The tiatr has been called on of the most vibrant forms of modern Indian theatre. It is known to strike a chord with its audiences, and also remain viable. Where do its origins lie? How did it get its legacy of music and song? What role did the city of Bombay play in promoting the tiatr? Who pioneered this drama form? What challenges does it now face? These are some of the issues tackled in this book.
This work — by an associate professor at the Goa University’s Department of English — traces the growth of the tiatr (or tiatro) right from its diverse, overlooked, roots in the zagor and the khell. It unearths references to the earliest Portuguese plays in Goa. It also helps understand theatre in Goa, and the region’s cultural history, besides the role of diaspora communities in keeping the Konkani language live and vibrant.
The book is an extensive documentation of the history and growth of tiatr. It also has interviews of senior tiatrists and speaks at length about the future of tiatr. The book which took six years of research documents in a systematic way the roots of tiatr. It speaks of its music and analyses the tiatrs of veteran tiatrists. Dr Fernandes who was present said that the future of tiatr is bright but there was always room for improvement. Mr Cardozo said that the book will especially benefit those interested in earning more about tiatr.
