Mangaluru: Uxcel Institute, a communications institute instituted and run by Prof. Phyllis D’Costa, formerly of the school of social work, Roshni Nilaya, staged a play “ When Papa Comes Home” here at the St. Agnes auditorium to focus on the plight of the elderly.
The play, written, directed and produced by Phyllis D’Costa, was managed by Hisrar events and celebrations.
The play, which had several dramatis personae, from children as small as two years to the ‘Papa’ who was 80 years old, focused on the plight of elderly parents, who even as their grandchildren loved and wanted them at home, were discarded by their own children as they felt them a burden, especially when they were unwell. The play however had a happy ending, when ‘Papa’ and ‘Mama’ decide to return to their home, at the request of their sons, Kevin and Kenneth, played by Chetan Pinto and Anand Bhat, after residing for a year at ‘Shalom’, an orphanage patronized by them. But even as they were discarded by their own sons, they found accidental support from someone they referred to later in the play as their third son, in a restaurant owner, Santosh, played by Brian Fernandes. The lead roles of ‘Papa’ and ‘Mama’ were enacted by Brian Nazareth and Dr. Anita Ravishankar. The play had music, dance, angst and pathos and was a complete family entertainer with an element of truth in it.
Before the play began, Savitha Salian, president of Winners toastmasters club, welcomed the packed auditorium and the guests of honor – senior citizens, Carmel D’Costa, Santan Lobo, all of 104 years old, but sprightly as ever, Sr. Mary Leena, AC, and Dr. Sr. Prem D’Souza, the just retired principal of St. Agnes College. The senior citizens together with Phyllis D’Costa lit the traditional lamp to kick off the event. Phyllis D’Costa then honored each of them with bouquet and bowl of fruits as each of them were introduced to the audience.
In her concluding remarks, Phyllis D’Costa, rued the fact that Miss Olinda Pereira, 89, founder principal of the School of Social Work, Roshni Nilaya, was not able to be present, due to ill health. She commended the 456 alumni of her UXEL institute, for their desire to learn, determination and hard work and noted the fact that all of them are well placed. She said, her institute had dedicated 2014 to the elderly conducting three programs for them, the first a ramp walk, the second a quiz and the third the drama, “When Papa Comes Home”
Shwetha D’Souza compered the event with panache.
