H. Britton

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Hermenegildo Camelo, better known as H. Britton, was an Indian artist who worked on the Konkani tiatr stage. He was born on 16 October 1935 in Agaçaim, Goa, then part of Portuguese India, and died on 29 September 2009 in Penha de França, Goa.

Britton wore many hats: he was a singer, actor, lyricist, composer, playwright, director, and producer. He is best remembered for performing female roles in tiatr productions and for composing more than 700 songs. He moved to Bombay (now Mumbai) to pursue acting, where he worked with various theatre groups and spent much of his life, along with his wife and two children. He always kept a link with Goa and returned for tiatr shows, eventually settling in Britona, Bardez, Goa.

In the late 1960s, Britton’s return to a Britona tiatr during the Our Lady of Penha de França feast drew a large audience of tiatr fans. He sang in female roles with a distinctive style that delighted onlookers, who often asked for encores. Locals continued to call him by his first name, Hermegildo, showing how warmly they regarded him.

Britton was also a prolific creator. He wrote and directed full-length tiatrs and produced popular titles such as Ekvottachem Foll, Custom Officer, Jivit Kuwaitchem (Life in Kuwait), Bebdo Put (Drunkard Son), and Bunhad Naslolem Ghor (House without Foundation). His songs, including Bandra Festac, Marialina, and Pandu Lampiaum, remain well known.

Britton’s death in 2009 was mourned by many in Goa, including the Chief Minister and fellow tiatr artists. He is remembered as a pioneer who kept Konkani tiatr alive and vibrant, especially during times when there were few women performers on stage.