BY J P PEREIRA

‘Tum Londonkar vo Goemkar’, Anthony Sylvester’s latest ‘tiatr’, depicts the craze of Goans, to work and settle abroad after selling their ancestral property in Goa. The play opens with the arrival of Jerry, his wife and sister who have come to Goa.

The three have settled in London but the main reason for their trip to Goa is to sell their ancestral house to the highest bidder. Jerry’s brother who lives in Goa begs him no to sell the house but nothing seems to convince the man from London.

Parallel to this scene is the family of Maria, a widow who lives with her three sons. The eldest has just obtained a Portuguese passport. Maria requests Jerry to help her son get a job in London. Unfortunately, in London, there is no one to help him till a young girl comes to his aid. The rest of the tiatr has plenty to tell but it unfolds at a leisurely pace.

The script is nice, the comedy is decent with many humorous one liners and the actors do their parts well. Jessie does a fine act of Maria. Fatima and Sharon play the two ladies from London, act and speak well while Effie plays the young Freeda. Batist is impressive as the elder son while Rosario Botelho is perfect as Jerry. Proud and haughty at first, he mellow down in the latter half.

Others in the cast are Bushan, Aliston, Aaron (cute), Platino, Conception,Michael and Wilmix. There are good comic moments from Ben Evangelisto, Hortencio, Lipu and veteran Sabina. The four keep the audience in splits.

The music is nice and there are solos, duets and trios from Jessie, Fatima, Sharon, Bushan, Aliston, Aaron, Rons, Manuel, Wilmix, Anthony Sylvester, Lajja, Platino, Micheal and others. The play has an important message and definitely worth watching.