Goan food and history come together in this immersive theater performance by PaChaak Productions

“Bebinca is prepared with very simple ingredients but the coming together of these simple ingredients makes this dessert incredible. It projects everything about Goa culturally, including the Portuguese and Indian influences,” says Mario Jerome, actor and co-director at PaChaak Productions. Goa is a Bebinca is their immersive food-and-theatre production, scheduled to take place on October 25 at Knowhere in Bengaluru.

Originally envisioned and commissioned for the 10th Serendipity Arts Festival in Goa, this play revolves around the many layers of Goan history, society and legacy complying with the metaphor of the many-layered dessert, bebinca.

It is a production of PaChaak, an immersive theatrical dining initiative founded by Diyva Rani and Deepa Rani. The inspiration for the title and the Goa setting was easy as their productions usually rely on the regional traditions of the locations where they perform. The play is written by Shubhra Chatterji and directed by Divya Rani.

Divya says, “When one sees Goa, they only see the beaches and shacks. But there is more to Goa than that. There is a deep history, various cultures, traditions and people. We wanted to represent all these layers through this production.”

During the one-hour play, the audience will be served authentic Goan food prepared from original recipes. In a tavern-like setting, the participating audiences will be immersed in a realistic atmosphere. . “Wherever we are performing this, we want to bring that slice of Goa to the audience. There is no one right tradition or culture, one doesn’t supersede the other, and this balance is also in the ingredients of Bebinca,” Mario says.

“If you’ve been to Goa, walking into the tavern will feel like you’re actually there.” The smell of Goan vinegar and spices are integrated into the setting. The play is set in 1986 and revolves around the story of a father and daughter. With strong female characters and evolving Goan societal structures, the play defies patriarchy and old ways.

Talking about the writing process, Shubhra says her connection with Goa began a long time ago during a shoot of a food show. Her meeting with a fellow actor and a Goa-based entrepreneur, led her to the history of Goa’s culinary tradition. This play is a result of research, lived experiences and visits to spice farms, villages and homes.

“At PaChaak, we have always loved storytelling, food and people,” says Divya. She recalls her nursery days where children gathered around a large table at lunchtime, “It didn’t matter where we came from or what our parents did, the only thing that mattered was what we had in our tiffin box, which we shared, with each other.”

PaChaak was started with a similar goal —  the desire to bring together people from different walks of life to the same table and tell them stories. 

Goa is a Bibinca’will be staged on October 25 at Knowhere, Bengaluru from 12:00PM. Tickets start from ₹2,500 available on district.in.