WHEN WOMEN FIRST CAME ONTO KONKANI STAGE.....
- John Claro

Like all the stages the world over, Konkani stage, also started with males playing female roles, but on one Tuesday, the November 22nd, 1904 in Bombay City, at Gaiety Theatre (present Capitol Cinema, Bori Bunder) a bold step was taken, a lady, for the first time appeared on the Konkani stage.  The lady was non other than Mrs. Regina Fernandes, wife of Joao Agostinho Fernandes, one of the architects of the first Konkani tiatro, who is better known today as father of Konkani tiatro.  Mrs. Regina acted in her husband's drama "Bhattkara".  When Mrs. Regina came on the Konkani stage, not even a single lady has appeared on the Marathi stage.  This fact has been confirmed by emminent personalities of Marathi stage such as Satish Alekar and Ratnakar Matkari.  It seems that only 60 years back, Mrs. Kamlabai Gokhale came first on the Mararthi stage.

The honourable first place among the ladies of the Konkani stage goes to Mrs. Regina Fernandes only. After her death, Joao Agostinho Fernandes' second wife, Luiza Maria also came on the stage.

Joao Agostinho Fernandes being a far sighted man, started the movement of bringing girls for femal roles on the Konkani stage.  However, his effort did not succeed, because at that time for a lady to act on the  stage was considered below their dignity. Again on October 8, 1925, Joao Agostinho Fernandes brought one Anne Fernandes in his drama "Albert Gonsalves vo Drunkard" at Gaiety Thetare, Jack Mulal on June 16, 1932 in his drama "Paichem Ghor Borlam Ghirestcaien" at Princess Theatre, Bhangwaddi brought another girl by the name Miss Ida.  On October 17, 1932, Lusitanian
Dramatic Co., staged another drama titled "Alma Vetat Sorgar" in which Miss Ermelinda, a famous dancer took part together with two ladies named Miss Adela Mendonca and Mrs. Artimisia Almeida.  On May 20, 1934 at Royal Opera House, A. Fonseca in his drama "Angelin Bomboinchi Puzadkarn" brought another three girls: Miss Etelvina Menezes, Miss. Carlota D'Souza and Ms. Herieta Cardozo.

Like Joao Agostinho Fernandes, and others A.J. Rocha also worked hard to get ladies interested in stage work.  He brought Missl Georgina to the stage on June 10, 1934.  His own wife, Mrs. Ermelinda acted in his dramas, Mrs. Ermelinda, not only acted in Konkani dramas, but also in Hindi films.  Another veteran of the Konkani stage, Dioguinho de Mello brought his own sister Ms. Ismenia.

Although this revolution was taking place on the Konkani stage, ladies were not coming forward to act in dramas.... Males continued to play female roles. Some performed the female roles so perfectly well that it was difficult to imagine that they were males. Their zests movements and actions were to the precision, so that no one could say that they were not females.

Vincent de Saligao, Miss Ida Demiterio, Miss Julie, Remmie Colasco, Andrew Fernandes, Master Vaz, Miss Marekin, Effie Fernandes, Aristedes Dias, Nelson Afonso, A.R. de Souza Ferrao,  Minguel Rod, J.R. Fernandes(Fithna), Luciano Dias, Manuel Rod, D.S. de Salcette, Romaldo, Champion Peter, Jackson, Star of Arossim, Luis Rod, H.Briton and Christopher Leitao have earned laurels doing female roles on the Konkani stage.  These names and many others have kept alive the Konkani stage by doing female roles.  A girl of the Konkani stage is like a beautiful flower and the more girls or ladies in a drama, makes it still more beautiful.

Of all the directors, the credit for bringing more girls on the stage goes to C.Alvares.  Because of him, many ladies became noted actresses of the Konkani stage, such as Miss Mohona, Shalini, Filomena Braz, Carmen Rose, Cecilia Machado, Antoneta Mendes, Ophelia Cabral, Jessie Dias and Betty Fernandes.  Although these girls came forward at that time to act on the stage, therefore few males to name here Andrew Fernandes, Remmie Colaco, Marekin, Effie continued performing female roles.

We have entered the centenary year of Konkani Tiatro. Konkani Tiatro has a history of hundred years.  When our country is trying to step in the twenty first century, our KOnkani stage should not lag behind.  In modern theatre, there is no place for males to do female roles.  If we still have, we should get rid of all the deficiencies existing in our system and compete with others in the field of drama to a certain standard in our tiatros.

Tiatro is a unique form of performing art of this region and it has a tradition  of one hundred years.  

Now, times have changed.  No female roles are played by males, because today we have amidst use many female artistes.  Konkani stage of tiatro have been endowed by many female artistes who have depicted their
various shades in right perspective and enriched Konkani tiatro.

The dreams, which Joao Agostinho Fernandes, was dreaming 88 years ago, have now been fulfilled.  The pioneers of the Konkani tiatros have always upheld the right of a female and never neglected their cause. Today in Konkani tiatro male and female artistes work hand in hand, for the uplift of Konkani language and Konkani stage.  It is a good omen! 

(Photos of Mrs. Regina and Mrs. Luiza Maria Fernandes - courtesy Felicio Cardozo).

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Special Thanks for the arrangements: Gaspar Almeida
with Fausto V. Da Costa. {Amchea kerit dhinvas Gaspar
Almeida ani Fausto V. Da Costa-k) - Goa-World Team
(Kuwait).