Today’s scenario of the tiatr world is disheartening, with audience turnout drastically declining, leaving many directors and actors feeling discouraged.
Alongside experienced directors, numerous emerging tiatr talents are eager to showcase their skills as writers, directors, and actors on stage.
Many new directors have created impressive productions with large casts, hoping to make a mark on the Konkani stage. However, the recent lukewarm response from tiatr-lovers has left them discouraged, in addition to incurring significant financial losses.
NOVEL IDEAS
In addition to tiatr performances in city auditoriums and villages, several musical shows have also been organised in villages recently. And, in order to attract viewers, the organisers introduced a novel idea: the shows are divided into two parts, and include a game of 'housie' with bumper prizes ranging from Rs 1 lakh to Rs 10-15 lakhs during the break.
The audience response has been overwhelming, with many attending solely for a chance to win the housie prize.
Recently, musical shows in South Goa saw massive audience participation, with some lucky attendees winning housie prizes. When two people won the 'Jaldi Five' or 'Full House,' the jumbo prize was shared between them.
Similarly, if this concept were to be introduced in tiatrs, it could attract a strong and enthusiastic response from tiatr fans, potentially leading to houseful shows, benefiting directors, actors and audiences.
AUDIENCE RESPONSE
Filipe Dias from Madel, Margao, shared his experience at the musical shows, noting that the bumper prize for housie attracts a constant stream of viewers, often leading to jam-packed venues.
"Directors are feeling discouraged due to the lukewarm response to their tiatrs in both cities and villages. After putting in so much effort, it's disheartening to face such a poor attendance. However, if the trend of introducing housie during tiatrs were adopted, it would definitely attract a larger crowd, benefiting everyone involved," he added.
Another viewer of the musical shows, Edward Verdes from Chinchinim, shared similar thoughts.
"Musical shows in various villages, especially in the south, attract massive crowds. Sometimes, it even raises concerns about stampedes, and parking becomes a challenge at such crowded venues. Yet, people travel from far and wide for the three-hour shows, all in hope of winning bumper prizes through housie, with the winners taking it all," he explained.
He believes that experimenting with ‘housie’ at tiatrs could revive the audience and, if successful, would benefit both tiatr directors and the audience alike.
“In order to bring back the missing crowd for our tiatrs, which are staged throughout the year in cities and villages," Verdes suggested, “why not introduce ‘housie’ during the break? In the hope of winning a bumper prize, people will be more likely to attend tiatrs, just like the successful trend in village musical shows.”
He believes that experimenting with ‘housie’ at tiatrs could revive the audience and, if successful, would benefit both tiatr directors and the audience alike.
“In order to get back the missing crowd for our tiatrs as well, which are staged annually and throughout the year in the cities and villages,” Verdes opined, “why not hold ‘housie’ during break time? With the hope of winning a bumper prize, people will flock for tiatrs as this new and novel trend continues for musical shows in the villages.”
Experimentation of conducting ‘housie’ for tiatrs could probably bring back the tiatr fans that have gone missing in recent times. And, if this new trend clicks for tiatrs as well, then it would not only benefit the tiatr directors, but the audience at large as well.