Prince Jacob Production’s latest tiatr ‘Aao Ja-O Goa Tumhara’ is a sleek presentation of how Goa is being taken over by migrants who try to dominate the locals while Goans are moving to foreign countries for better prospects. Migration is acceptable, but when a person migrates he has to live according to the culture of that land and adhere to rules therein. However, this does not happen in Goa.
The action takes place in a small village where locals live in peace and harmony. In this village there is the house of Caetano, a sales representative, his wife Assumtina who is always dreaming of a better future and their son Joe, all set to go to the United States to make money. There is Sridevi and her drunk husband Rajaram, the fisherwoman Angela whose husband Damiao, is in the USA and not seen for many years. The ‘susegado’ landlord has rented out his house to Sharma, a migrant businessman. Sharma is into all types of illegal business, bribes the authorities and keeps on helping people from his native state to settle in Goa. One day Damiao returns and Sharma’s wife Mayawati comes to settle with her husband with their child. Watch what happens later, on stage, in this interesting play of various characters as Caetano and Damiao are visited by a man from their past.
The play is written and directed in style by Prince Jacob. From the opening song to the final act, there is plenty to learn and is an eye opener. Most of the illegalities practiced are brought to the fore. This is not political but an attempt to save the land. As the character of Caetano tells Sharma, we have tolerated everything that you do but we will not allow interference with our lives and our health. The setting from Joaquim and the light effects from John add to the beauty of the show. There is good music, nice songs and plenty of comedy. In fact the entire first half is a laugh riot while the second half tends to get a bit serious as things have to be taken more seriously. The fine cast gives their all. Dolla is Assumtina and Diana is Sridevi. The two are perfect in their acts. So are Reema as Angela and Valency as Mayawati. Both add to the comedy too but Valency who always does serious roles is superb in the comic parts, especially when she calls out to ‘Damiiiiaao’. Michael dominates as Sharma. His dialect and style make him a typical migrant who has just amassed wealth. Jacinto is the landlord, Jose does well as Joe, the son who is preparing to leave the state and Rons plays various characters including the sarpanch and the visitor from the past. Cajetan, Joaquim, Augusto and others play minor roles while Bonnie Alvin is cast as the Parish Priest. The comedy is a laugh riot. Jacob, John D’Silva and newcomer to the Konkani stage Bunty Udelkar had the audience in splits. It was great to see John and Jacob as respectable husbands and Bunty, a superb actor, rocks the stage with his drunken act. These three with all the four ladies create an extremely funny atmosphere. Watch the scene when John returns from the USA and another, when the baby is left with him.
The band has Seby and Mathias on trumpets, Richard on keyboard, Rizvan on bass and Aniceto on drums. Good music to back the various songs. The opening song is a choral, rendered by many of the cast in various Goan costumes, with Jacob playing the ‘ghumat’. There are good songs from Reema, Dolla, Valency, Augusto, Cajetan, Bonnie Alvin, Rons, Jose and others. A solo each from Rons, Bonnie Alvin and Jose, a duo for the father by Bonnie-Michael, duet from Reema-Jacob and a trio from Jose-Valency-Michael need special mention. Every Goan must watch this show.