Members:
Backbone of Tamasha
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| Picture courtesy: google |
The composer was generally the proprietor of the
troupe as well. He was known as the Shahir
which is a derivative of the Persian word Shayar
meaning poet. The Shahir was
accompanied by a band of musicians. Next to the Shahir, the two most important
members of a Tamasha performance are
the farceur and the danseuse. The farceur, properly called the Songadya or “player with many faces” is the key element of a Tamasha show. He is in some ways a
character akin to the western Greek chorus, manipulating the strands of the
plot as they unfold from situation to situation. The farceur has retained his importance to the present day. Famous
modern farceurs include Daha Konde, Nilu Phule and Raja Mayekar.
The danseuse,
who is often partnered by junior dancing girls, is accompanied by the singing
of the Lavni. It is customary to see
an elderly singer standing near the harmonium while her three daughters sing
and dance on the stage. The art of Tamasha,
whether it be that of the farceur or
of the danseuse, passes down from
generation to generation within the same family.
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