Event Info
- Language: Malayalam
- City / State: Thrissur, Kerala
- Directed By: Sasidharan Naduvil
- Produced By: Remembrance Theatre Group, Christ College Alumni Campus Theatre
Higuita: The Goalie’s Anxiety at the Penalty Kick
Higuita: The Goalie’s Anxiety at the Penalty Kick is a dramatization of the famous story “Higuita” written by acclaimed writer N.S. Madhavan.
This nail-biting play, based in Delhi, is the story of a devout and well-meaning Christian priest, Father Geevarghese, who saves a tribal girl called Lucy Marandi from the clutches of the evil Jabbar. The protagonist, Father Geevarghese, is inspired by his real-life hero, the maverick Colombian goalkeeper José René Higuita Zapata, and manages to rise to the occasion with a kind of spunk and heroism not normally attributed to a priest.
On Stage:
- Jijoy P.R: Father Geevarghese
- Manikandan Pallipat: Jabbar
- Krishnanunni P: Young Geevarghese and Higuita
- Thamam Mubarish: Narrator 1/ Match Commentator
- Praveen Anto: Narrator 2 and Seth
- Rajith Kumar: Narrator 3
- Akif Aziz: Malappuram Client
- Sreekumar Prigi: Malappuram Client/ Stage Manager
- Jenil John: Father
- Sanaji Kumar: Football Team member/ Funeral Parade member/ Feast group member
- Vishwajith V Menon: Football Team member/ Funeral Parade member/ Feast group member
- Aravind A R: Football Team member/ Funeral Parade member/ Feast group member
- Rejesh Prasad K P: Football Team member/ Funeral Parade member/ Feast group member
- Githin Gigi Mannakunil: Football Team member/ Funeral Parade member/ Feast group member
- Tom Varghese: Football Team member/ Funeral Parade member/ Feast group member
- Antony Sergion Syrus: Football Team member/ Funeral Parade member/ Feast group member
- Vaisakh: Football Team member/ Funeral Parade member/ Feast group member
- Dennis Thomas: Football Team member/ Funeral Parade member/ Feast group member
- Amal K S: Football Team member/ Funeral Parade member/ Feast group member
- Jithin Johnson K: Football Team member/ Funeral Parade member/ Feast group member
- Adithya Patel: Football Team member/ Funeral Parade member/ Feast group member
- Phijo Joseph: Coach A/PT Master
- Arvinda B P: Referee 1
- Paul D Joseph: Referee 2
- Sonia Giri: Geeverghese’s Mother
- Archarana Vasudev: Lucy
- Amrutha A B: Geevarghese’s Aunt/ Tribal Lady
- Meghena K Manu: Aunt/ Tribal Lady
- Hena Chandran: Aunt/ Tribal Lady
- Athira Patel: Aunt/ Tribal Lady
Off Stage:
- Sasidharan Naduvil: Playwright and Director
- Muraleedharan Thayyil: Light Designer and Execution
- Sathyajit: Sound Designer and Execution
- Akhilash Paliyan: Assistant Sound Execution
- Francis: Set and Props
This is an independent dramatization of the famous works of N.S Madhavan (Higuita- a short story) and Peter Handke (The Goalie’s Anxiety at the Penalty Kick- a novel). Higuita was staged for the first time 20 years ago as a 30-minute short play. The stage arrangement consists of a football ground with a church on one side.
Father Geevarghese, a church vicar of a tiny parish in South Delhi, had once heard Handke’s story of The Goalie’s Anxiety at the Penalty Kick from Father Capriaty, his friend from Italy. Geevarghese dreams of football and, from a tiny television set in his room, indulges in watching World Cup football matches. He imagines himself merging with the figure of his football hero Higuita and takes audiences with him on this inner journey.
The play is dramatized such that on the centre circle of a football ground, Father Geevarghese meets with people from his past and present – Lucy Marandy, Jabbar, his friends and family. Imprisoned in their boxes, the goalkeepers stand like caged birds under a burning sun. Geevarghese is fired by the image of Higuita walking back peacefully to his own post, after extending the ball to the farthest striker of his team at the rival post. Father Geevarghese sees himself breaking all barricades like Higuita. He retorts against the injustice which confronts him and discovers that even his priesthood cannot come in between.