Tagumpay na Pambatang Musikal! PETA’s Batang Rizal and Lola Basyang (Theater Review)

Dalawang children’s musical ang napanood ko nung Sunday, September 28, 2008 sa PETA Theater Center. Una ang Lola Basyang ng 10am at sumunod ang Batang Rizal ng 3pm. Bahagi ito ng PETA sa ika-41st Theater Season.

Lola Basyang:
Matrabaho ngunit malinis ang direksiyon ni Phil Noble. Isang skeletal steel (?) na nababaklas-baklas ng iba’t-ibang anyo ang matutunghayan sa entablado. Brilliant ang set (Mel Bernardo) at interesting gamitin sa pabago-bagong mga porma sa bawat eksena. Pangit ang ilaw (Roman Cruz) at flat na flat ang pagkakadisenyo nito. Baka ikagalit ito ni Adolphe Appia samantalang matutuwa si Vsevolod Meyerhold sa constructivist set design. Makulay at matalino ang pagkakadisenyo ng costumes (Ron Ryan Alfonso). Mala-mala lang ang musika ni Noel Cabangon. Madali itong makalimutan ng manunuod.

Sa performance naman ng mga artista, mahina ang simula ng eksena at napaka-bagal ng transition pagkatapos ng bawat dula (3 stories kasi ang ikuwento ni Lola Basyang). Bilang children’s musical, isang aspeto para maging effective ito sa entablado ay kung gaano ka-tight ang pacing and rhythm ng dula, regardless of the interactions with the audience. Dapat sakto at mabilis. Direktor ang makakapag-control nito.

Mahusay si Bernah Bernardo bilang Lola Basyang. Nakakatuwa din sina Joan Bugcat, Wylie Casero at Meann Espinosa.

Antabayanan ninyo ang career ni Abner Delina, Carlon Matobato at Carl Guevarra. Kehuhusay na mga bagets umarte at natural ang pagpapatawa. Si Delina, marunong tumimpla sa seryoso at komikong approach. Si Matobato, mahusay gumalaw at bumato ng punchline. Si Guevarra, may appeal sa pagpapatawa, naaalala ko si Niño Mulach sa kanya.

Batang Rizal:
Mahusay naman dito ang pagkakasulat ni Christine Bellen bilang pambatang dula na may musikang nakapaloob. Gusto ko rin ang tamang timpla ng direksiyon ni Dudz Teraña. Hindi ko type ang set (Mel Bernardo), masyadong literal na maaari namang hindi pero mauunawaan pa rin naman ng mga bata. Narinig ko na ng ilang beses ang tunog ng musika ni Vincent De Jesus, at may trademark at style na siya. Maganda iyon kung ‘authorship’ ang pag-uusapan at ‘auteur’ naman talaga si De Jesus mapa-playwright man o composer. Hindi ko din type ang mga costumes (Ron Ryan Alfonso) na ginamit gayundin ang ilaw (Ian Torqueza). Metikuloso talaga ako sa ilaw ewan ko ba kung bakit. Alam ko kung may mali sa ilaw at wala. Para sa akin, may story dapat ang ilaw. Di ko tuloy naapreciate ang presence ng Anino Shadow Play Theater Collective na pinamumunuan ni Don Salubayba. Mahusay pa naman ang kanilang illustrations.

Nakatulong sa pagkakabuo-buo ng mga elementong panteatro sa pamamagitan ng mga artistang nagsiganap tulad nina Ian Segarra, Joan Co, Kitchie Pagaspas, Carlon Matobato, Ronna Guba, Mary Ann Espinosa at Wylie Casero. Bagay naman bilang batang Rizal si Abner Delina bagama’t may tendency na maging ‘mannered’ (sobrang aral na aral ang pag-arte) sa pag-arte, nawawala tuloy ang spontaneity na sobra-sobra naman kay Carl Guevarra bilang Pepito. Ang ikinaganda kay Guevarra, matalino at natural niyang mina-maneobra ang kanyang role sa dula. Mahusay din pareho kumanta ang dalawa.

Base sa dalawang dulang pambatang aking napanuod, maalam ang PETA kung paano gumawa ng children’s musical play. Buo ang konsepto at hindi nagpapakita ng hilaw na pagtatanghal. Maaayos din ang pagpili ng mga dulang isinasali sa Theater Season nila at sa pagpili ng mga mandudula at direktor.

Ang PETA ay patuloy na umiikot sa iba't ibang lokasyon sa Maynila at labas. Bisitahin ang kanilang website para sa lugar na paglalabasan ng mga dulang pambata sa petatheater.com o tumawag sa 410-08-21 para sa impormasyon sa nalalabing pagtatanghal sa kanilang PETA Theater Center.

Tagisan ng Katawan: "La Revolucion Filipina" ng Ballet Philippines (Dance/Theater)

Matagumpay para sa akin ang palabas na ito. Patunay lamang ang napakaraming mahuhusay sa larangan ng sayaw at teatro.

Stand-out sina Biag Gaongen (Apolinario Mabini), Patrick Rebullida (Emilio Aguinaldo), Camille Ordinario-Joson / Georgette Sanchez / Christine Santillan (Trio).

Epektibo ang artistikong pangkat nina Agnes Locsin (choreography), Ryan Cayabyab (music), Dennis Marasigan (libretto), Mio Infante (set), Victor Ursabia (costumes) at Katsch SJ Catoy (lights).

Bagama't naisa-entablado na ito ng Ballet Phils. noong 1997, muli nilang ni re-create ang mga elementong pang-artistiko sa pamumuno ng BP artistic directors na sina Alan Hineline and Max Luna III.

Brava sa inyo!

CUIDAO! Dulaang UP's “Isang Panaginip na Fili: A new musical”(Theater)

Binuksan ang tanghalan sa ikalawang produksiyon ng Dulaang UP ang ika-33rd Theater Season sa ika-100th Centennial celebration ng Unibersidad ng Pilipinas ang - ‘Isang Panaginip na Fili’, isang bagong musikal sa entablado na sinulat at idinirek ng isa mga natatanging produkto ng UP, Floy Quintos, mula sa artistikong patnubay ni Professor Emeritus Tony Mabesa. Ito ay patuloy na isinasa-entablado sa Wilfrido Ma. Guerrero Theater, Palma Hall, UP Diliman hanggang September 28, 2008.

Aking babagtasin ang ilan punang sa tingin ko ay – nakatulong at hindi nakatulong sa pagiging klaro ng nasabing pagtatanghal at pagsasa-entablado ng mga elementong panteatro base sa konsepto ni direktor Quintos.

Malimit kong natutunghayan ang El Filibusterismo ng pambansang bayaning si Jose Rizal sa ibang pagtingin at pananaw. Mas malalim ang pinupukaw ng Fili kaysa sa Noli para sa akin kung kaya’t mas mai-lalaro sa teknikal na pamamaraan ng pagkakasulat. Sa interpretasyon ni Quintos, nanatiling buo at solido ang nobelang nagbigay sa atin ng lalim ukol sa paghihiganti at katarungan. Hindi ko maikakaila na tagumpay ang manunulat sa kanyang itinahak.

Sa pananaw ni Tunying, kaibigang Pilipino ni Rizal nuong sila ay nasa Europa, nakatuon ang pananaw ng dula habang kanyang palihim na binabasa ang nobela ng kaibigang si Pepe.

Bilang direktor, nakulangan ako sa biswal na aspeto. Maaaring tama ako o mali subalit natitiyak kong may kamaliang bahagya sa aking natunghayan.

Mga punang kamalian: ang entablado na dinisenyo ni Tuxqs Rutaquio para sa akin, kilala sa industriya ng teatro bilang taga-disenyo na produksiyon, ay hindi maitatatwang ‘expressionist’ ang inspirasyon. Sa paggamit pa lang ng mga hugis at ang mga simbolikong representasyon nito sa entablado ay pagpapatunay na hangad niyang ipakita sa simbolikong paraan ang dula.

Bagama’t sanay si Quintos sa pagdidirihe ng iba’t ibang musikal, hindi nito lubusang ginamit ang entablado sa ‘expressionist’ na pamamaraan kung kaya’t mukhang litaw sa kawalan ang entablado ni Rutaquio. Attractive, maarte pero walang saysay at silbi. Mas may silbi sana kung konsepto ay humalili sa konsepto ni Bahz Lurman sa kanyang pelikulang musikal na ‘Moulin Rouge’ kung saan makulay at matinag ang biswal na aspeto ngunit kabugtutan ang nais iparating ng mga elementong ito. Naging matagumpay sana ang paggamit ng silver foil sa maraming bahagi ng entablado kung ito ay ginamit bilang pag-silaw sa manunuod kapag eksenang nobela.

Pilit ni Quintos gawing unit-set ang hindi naman dapat gawing pagkakahiwalay ng mga eksena. Ang pakiramdam kapag iyong pinanunuod, parang sabog na sabog ang ‘blocking’ ni Quintos. Mahina ang komposisyon ng mga elemento. Halimbawa, pilit niyang iginu-grupo ang mga eksenang dapat siguro ay ginagamit na ang buong entablado tulad ng eksenang sayaw ng mga ehipto (espinghe) sa mga karakater ni Rizal sa nobela. Sikip na sikip sa kaliwang entablado ang mga ulupong habang interesado kong minamatyag ang nakatutuwang melodiya ng musika (CJ Javier). Sana inihiwalay na lamang ni Rutaquio ang set sa mas maraming unit set ng mas lalong maging epektibo ang kabuuang komposisyon. Napaka-bigat kasi tingnan at mahirap unawain ang relasyon ng mga karakter sa kanilang kinaroroonan (set).

Lubos na nabagabag ako sa maling istilo sa galaw at sayaw (Van Manalo), literal na 'interpretative dance' ang kanyang isina-alang-alang at kinalimutan ang paggamit sana ng mga katawan ng artista sa mas malalim at abstraktong paggalaw. Dagdag pa sa elemento ay ang ka-walang kulay at buhay na ilaw (Luther Gumia). Ang ilaw sana ang gumabay sa pagkakaiba ng realistic at fictional scenes sa nobela. Ang matalas na pagpapalit ng ilaw ay kinakailangan sana. Isa sana itong malaking tagumpay kung naikonsidera. Ang kasuotan (Faust Peneyra) naman ay tila naglalaban-laban sa entablado. Ginastusan na sana ang mga kasuotan sa artistiko at praktikal na proseso tulad ng hitsura ng entablado. Sa mahinang direksiyon ni Quintos ay lalong lumabo ng magsama-sama na ang mga elementong pan-teatro. Namutawi ang kakulangan sa bisyon ng direktor.

Gayunpaman, mangilan-ngilan sa mga kanta (musika ni CJ Javier) ay wagi. Natuwa ako kay Franco Laurel (Pepe Rizal) sa kanyang tamang timpla ng eksaherasyon at realistikong atake. Napakahusay din niyang kumanta at masigasig niyang napapagaan ang kanyang mga eksena. Epektibo din sana si Eric Dela Cruz bilang Tunying kapag realistiko at Simoun kapag eksena sa nobela na ang tinatahak.Kung klaro ang paglipat-lipat niya ng karakter sa piyesa, ito na nga ay isang kahinaan. Salamin lang ang nagbibigay diperensiya sa malapit na interpretasyon ni Dela Cruz. Hindi dapat umasa sa ganuong pagbabalat-kayo. Sa pisikal na transpormasyon dapat umasa ang isang aktor bilang kasangkapan sa pagtahak ng sining panteatro.

Bukod pa kina Laurel at Dela Cruz, nagmarka sa entablado sina Ces Quesada (Victorina), Greg De Leon (Kabesang Tales), Allan Palileo (Camora), Jacques Borlaza (Salvi), Anril Tiatco (Irene), Arkel Mendoza (Imuthis), Carlo Cannu (Ben Zayb) at Astarte Abraham (Maria Clara). Gayundin sina JM De Guzman (Basilio), Micaela Pineda (Juli), RJ Solis (Isagani) at Mary Jane Alejo (Hermana Bale) ngunit minsanan ay may kahinaan sa pagsasalita o presensya.

Sa direksiyon ni Quintos, hindi ko mawari kung bakit hindi klaro ang pag-shift mula sa eksena nina Tunying at Pepe sa mga eksenang kinapapalooban ng nobela at ang mga karakter nito. Gayundin ang diperensya sa acting style nina Tunying at Pepe sa fictional nitong mga karakter. Dito marahil humina at lumabo ang pagtingin at pagsulyap sa realistic at di-realistic na istilo at proseso. Karamihan din sa mga artista ay hindi kumakanta kung kaya’t kaliwa’t kanan ang sintunadong rendisyon. Nakapanghihinayang.

Mula sa kung saang apartelle sina Tunying at Pepe hanggang sa pagsasakulay ng mga karakter sa nobelang Filibusterismo na progresibong isinasabuhay ni Pepe ay dapat na klaro. Sa kabuuan ng pagtatanghal, kapana-panabik ang bersyong ito bilang isang musikal.

Sa talas ng materyal, humihingi din sana ito ng talas ng biswal na interpretasyon sa entablado. CUIDAO! (Beware!)

Tanghalang Ateneo’s Otelo and the 30 years of Philippine theater pride (Theater Review)

Noticeable production of Tanghalang Ateneo’s version of William Shakespeare’s ‘Othello, Moor of Venice’ is one of the more memorable productions of this year’s contemporary golden age in Philippine theater scene. In celebration of the 30th season, TA still continues to promote world classical works featuring some of the leading theater artists today with enthusiastic Loyola students at the helm. In their season theme Echoes, the company dwells on Iago’s relationship with Othello as a trusted advisor putting the sub-Saharan African descent in a tragic entrapment with his pure love for Desdemona.

‘Otelo: ang Moro ng Venecia’ is a Philippine translation adapted from the original three-act tragedy of Shakespeare by late talented playwright-poet Rogelio Sicat with additional texts of UP professor-playwright Luna Sicat-Cleto in telling the tale of love, jealousy, racism and betrayal.

National Artist for Theater Design Salvador Bernal, TA artistic director-theater director Dr. Ricky Abad and veteran but under-rated actor Teroy Guzman contributed to an exciting, provocative and controversial racial play of the leading dramatist of the English Renaissance stage, William Shakespeare.

Salvador Bernal’s symmetrical scene design and movement mechanics explored the perfect picture of an expressionist painting. Bernal’s vision for the set was totally arresting and vital. With the unusual stage machineries in that small theater space of Rizal Mini-Theater in Ateneo, he was able to transpose lucid temperaments to that of Otelo’s extreme developmental behaviors. The web-like major design represented a lot of images that symbolically manipulated slow traverses of scenes.

Ricky Abad’s direction was mature enough to display stunning images melted with some unified theater elements particularly the lighting and music. Though he was not able to configure exciting odd visual spectacle in planning visual transformations, Abad relentlessly proves his trust on his Otelo actor Teroy Guzman. Otelo’s fury about Desdemona’s falsity of love for Cassio was not directorially managed. The destruction was too clean and safe. On the other hand, the conceptual casting of Abad in his production was a directorial strategic success. Having invited Teroy Guzman on stage to play Otelo, Ron Capinding as Iago, Missy Maramara as Desdemona and Randy Villarama as Cassio made his half of a director’s work initially done though the three latter theater artists mentioned needed enough maturity and multiplicity of engaging nuances in such character portrayals as the tragic piece requires magnanimity and high-mindedness.

Teroy Guzman, who happens to be a natural-born actor, surmounts his capabilities of transcending sensitive imagery of racism as one of the major societal issues tackled in TA’s Otelo. Guzman had a clear vision as an actor of what Otelo should be physically and mentally without exaggerating the make-up. Literally, Shakespeare did not require physical stage specifics in portraying the role of Otelo. However, capitalizing on an eccentric stand-out role-play is a requirement. Guzman triumphantly succeeded in bringing out Otelo’s peculiar character viewpoints as deemed necessary in Venice. His cultural differences with the Venetians should be evident and it was seamlessly shared through Guzman’s effort and clarity. Thus, making Teroy Guzman a truly respected craftsman in the field of acting.

Other veteran artists included in the cast were Nonie Buencamino (Otelo), Irma Adlawan-Marasigan (Desdemona) and Rody Vera (Iago) with Neil Ryan Sese (Cassio).

Tanghalang Ateneo, being the leading theater group in the Loyola Schools, surely brought delight, excitement, provocation and discourse both for the audiences and their resident and guest artists. Hail to these artists that make Philippine theater exciting!

Excellent Devised Performance in 'Asian Tosca' (Theater Review)

Alison Oddey’s useful book with the title “Devising theatre” (1994) narrates how a devised theater functions in today’s strong post-modernistic theater of images and auditory.

Using traditional written play texts, source of inspirations from photography, music, news article and magazines, these collaborative artists would artistically and scientifically investigate on how to distort and deconstruct conventional insights about plot, character, idea, language, music and spectacle. This is the present twenty-first century drama and theater. Leading western artists Anna Deavere Smith, Anne Bogart, Robert Wilson, Pina Bausch, Andy Warhol, Martha Clarke, Julie Taymor, Philip Glass, Andrei Serban, Ariane Mnouchkine and Peter Brook are considered to be visionary artists who paved way in promoting installations of new and exciting art devises using dance, music, theater, film, print and theater.

In the Philippines, we have selected individual theater artists and theater companies that would take interest in promoting fragments of ideas and subjects practically transposing into a full-blown theater experience.

Theater director and educator Josefina Estrella, an MFA graduate of Columbia University under a fulbright scholarship led the Philippine stage in promoting devised theater performances from her numerous recent body of work with influences of her graduate mentor Anne Bogart, an award-winning New York based director and founder of the SITI (Saratoga International Theatre Institute) company and sensei master-director-acting theorist Tadashi Suzuki and the Suzuki method from Japan.

The Philippine Educational Theater Association (PETA) enthuses Philippine theater in collaborating with three of the most recognized Asian theater companies: Black Tent Theater of Japan, The Practice Theater of Singapore and Theater Company of Nottle of Korea.

Tosca, a popular Giacomo Puccini opera based on Victorien Sardou’s drama La Tosca, is a collaborative project shared since 2006. This 2008 project, 'Asian Tosca' was possibly made in collaboration with PETA, Black Tent Theater and Theater Company of Nottle held at the PhinMa Theater of PETA last August 30, 2008 through the generous support of The Japan Foundation with The Agency of Cultural Affairs.

From the process to its product, Asian Tosca becomes one of the best theatrical performances of the year. Weaving three versions in one devised performance is a living proof that Asian theater is and will be an exciting threat to the Westerns with new conventional theater forms uniquely told in various Asian multi-cultural ways.

To recognize its colossal effort, fantastic improvisational artists include PETA’s Nor Domingo (Mario), Bernah Bernardo (Tosca), Raffy Tejada (Scarpia) and Wil Casero (Angelotti) with BTT’s Kiritani Natsuko (Tosca), Hiraiwa Sawako (Tosca), Motoki Sachiyo (Tosca), Hattori Yoshitsugi (Mario), Kota Kadoaki (Soldier) and Nottle’s Lee, Ji-Hyun (Tosca).

Fusing improvisational movement with accurate jagged sound effects design (Shima Takeshi) was one of the theatrical highlights. PETA actors Domingo, Bernardo and Tejada, BTT’s Yoshitsugi and Natsuko and Nottle’s Lee became the powerful factors that hyped the practical but effectively functional staging. Collaborative theater directors Soxy Topacio (PETA), Kiritani Natsuko (BTT) with directing adviser Won, Young-Oh (Nottle) contributed immensely in making Asian Tosca the most powerful devised performance medium staged here in the Philippines.

Pinoy theatergoers must make themselves available in this kind of a performance. Because of the influences of the Western’s Broadway and West End, we tend not to appreciate and categorically emphasized Asian’s theatricality and magic. But when you get to evaluate those that we see in popular Broadway-type musicals and plays, most of their ideas and subjects originally rooted from the exciting and theatrical Asian traditional references.

Brevity in Theater Down South’s Rapunzel (Theater review)

Any formula for live entertainment and pleasure is as crucial as having considered the time duration of the performance. While the Greeks mount their three-act tragedies written by eminent playwrights like Sophocles or Aeschylus during their City Dionysia festival in honor of their god Dionysus in Athens, William Shakespeare’s five-act comedies would satisfy Queen Elizabeth I and other paying audience members in their pleasurable form of entertainment at the Swan Theatre during the English renaissance. The usual number of hours used by these periods would take three to five hours long per play. Fast forward to the present time, musicals for contemporary theater would always run at a minimum of two hours or even lesser since the attention span of the audience nowadays seems to be cut-off due to other technological advancements such as the growth of television, movies, internet activities among other alternative forms of entertainment.

Theater Down South’s second production offering is the musical Rapunzel, a story of a cobbler and his wife who steals vegetables from the garden of the witch and promises to give the first born child (Rapunzel) to the witch three years later. The child grows up into a beautiful lady with her longest hair and meets Prince Brian and their adventures in the forest together follow soon after. A happy resolution finally ends the play.

Books and lyrics were written by David Crane and Marta Kauffman. Michael Skloff did the music with ten songs in it. It was under the direction of Theater Down South artistic director Michael Williams, a seasoned theater actor who performed in the original Miss Saigon ensemble at the Drury Lane Theatre in London. Deana Aquino did the choreography. Martin Esteva took in charge of the lighting design while Niki Delos Reyes-Torres supervised the production design. Other collaborating artists include actors Mika Margolles (Rapunzel), Daryl Zarraga (Prince Brian), Ria Quintos-Ortega (The witch / wigmaker), Chino Veguillas (Simon the valet), Joey Torres (King) and Micko Yabut (storyteller). It was held at the interesting theater of Insular Life in Alabang.

Surprisingly, the play only lasted for an hour and fifteen minutes including the musical numbers. The decision to make this deliberately short as a performance is not an indication of worthwhile theater experience for audience members who would attend all the way from the northern part of Metro Manila. Aside from the ordinary and boring artistic embellishments of choreography and production design, the staging did not value proximity in the tested formula of a children’s musical where unpredictability, magic, excitement and precision instantly vanished and even made it the production’s loopholes. Veering away from the traditional route of elitist’s concept of a musical theater is a suggested answer to a supposedly interesting idea of community theater gathering in a given time and place. The Greek and the Elizabethan audiences might wonder and ask: “Isn’t that theater is a shared artistry? How come we did not experience it?”

Hit and Miss in GTF’s Florante and Laura (Theater)

In its 31st season theater offering, Gantimpala Theater Foundation in cooperation with National Parks Development Committee presented at the AFP Theater the timeless Filipino tale of love and revenge via Francisco Balagtas’ Florante and Laura. Bringing closer to students, this is one of the four Filipino classic plays GTF wants to stage for this year’s season. It also includes Kanser (Noli Me Tangere), Ibong Adarna and El Filibusterismo.

The company’s objective as enunciated by GTF founding president and still the artistic director Tony Espejo is to focus on live theatrical performances using it as an educational tool for the student audiences and the public. For the company, preserving cultural heritage is an important contribution to contemporary Philippine theater. Roobak Valle directs and designs Florante at Laura using Rene Villanueva’s text and “komedya” as its form. Arkin Da Silva (Florante) heads the ensemble cast that also includes Nelia Aguado (Laura), Ronald Concepcion (Adolfo), Abner Delina Jr. (Batang Florante / Tagapagsalaysay), Dong Afurong (Duke Briseo), Pamela Hundana (Reyna Floresca), Abel Napuran (Haring Linceo), Christian Parado (Menandro), Billy Parjan (Antenor), Jerald Napoles (Sultan Ali-Adab), Yutaka Yamakawa (Aladin), Lailanie Ann Tejuco (Flerida), Julius Empredo (Osmalik) and the GTF ensemble. Andy Villareal serves as lights designer while Sergio Anlocotan Jr. functions as the choreographer.

To put komedya in GTF’s version is a hit and miss. Having learned komedya as one of the oldest existing dramatic theater forms, it talks of the lives of the Moors and Christians. It is also usual to hear it in dicho (recitative). In completing the artistic expression of komedya, director Valle must have at least considered the whole staging conventions of the form in his juxtaposition to Balagtas’ play. The production missed the point of the set (stage design) where the two kingdoms (Moors and Christians) should distinctively be evident on stage. Color best represents the division of the two kingdoms regardless if it would be realistic or stylized (non-realistic in design). These were not clear in the staging. Moreover, the costuming was confusing as it did not detect who is the victorious and the villain among the Christians and the Moors unless one exactly knows the komedya characters. Design, color and accessories were totally floating on stage as each costume cannot be determined one from the other. There was no indication of symbolic wealth and beauty. It is all gloss and spark but no contextual meaning. Consequently, what is missing is the sense of mahiya (magic) especially in such work as Florante at Laura where fantasy is definitely involved and experienced.

In contrast with the initial weak premises, the dances were a hit. The brisky paso-doble in entrances and exits of the royalties, the marching patterns paseo and the sword fighting movements and gestures called batalya, were used as traditional komedya choreographies. Students proudly cheered everytime they would see these dances.

Gantimpala Theater Foundation’s effort to stage Florante at Laura and other folk Filipino classics is a true commitment in fulfilling their objective to make use of theater as an educational tool for specific target market – students. There is no doubt about it. Though a suggestion is offered after watching it – the company needs to make it more imaginative, arresting and updated.

FIESTA-rific: Ballet Manila’s Halo Halo Supreme (Dance / Theater)

Have you ever imagined Philippine folk dances, Tinikling as an example, turned into a pas de deux? How about popular ballroom exhibitions and modern street dances for Pinoys such as Samba and Hiphop transformed as a jete? What if Filipino games like sipa, luksong tinik, tumbang preso or taguan are explored using pirouet as the basic pattern? Perhaps, it is mesmerizing to visually experience seeing these Filipino cultures and traditional forms rolled into one ballet concert.


Ballet Manila, Manila Broadcasting Company and Aliw Theater collaborated to present this colorful and delightful ballet concert entitled HALO HALO SUPREME, A FIESTA OF FILIPINO BALLETS featuring Prima Ballerina Lisa Macuja-Elizalde, who also serves as the artistic director of BM together with Osias Barroso, the artistic associate; Jerome Espejo; Mylene Aggabao; Gerardo Francisco; Nino Guevarra; Ruby De Dios; Sofia Sangco; Yanti Marduli; Marcus Tolentino; Eileen Lopez; Francis Cascano and Alvin Santos among other company members including BM company and school scholars. Lighting designer and technical director Jaime Villanueva, live band group Makiling, noted choreographers Agnes Locsin, Tony Fabella and Albert Dimarucut successfully joined in as part of the creative team.

The first part of the show was a little bit vague and shaky in contrast with a more solid and interesting rendition of the second part called Pista. Halo Halo started out using wrong choices of music such as Allegro (Paul Hindemith) and Arachnida (Les Helcomb and Matthew Fargher). These two did not gel with the title itself to begin with. It sounded so foreign and totally out of the concept. Obviously, it was sort of a warm-up for the BM dancers although consequently, the dance Dulce choreography was closer to the theme. Then came Pista, the strongest if not the brightest part of the show. It showcased the various traditional Filipino games which went higher and higher to its peak. To see sipa, patintero, luksong tinik and taguan to name some injecting humor plus character role-play of the dancers created such theatricality and originality. Social celebrations were also used and added. Choreographers Barroso and Francisco stirred the fun and excitement for young and young at heart audiences using maglalatik, sayaw sa bangko, subli to name a few as it visually transformed as a concrete ballet form.

Indeed, Ballet Manila proves successfully this mixture of classical strict form ballet juxtaposing enjoyably with our identified Pinoy traditions in contemporary setting on stage. At the huge Aliw Theater in CCP complex last August 10, 2008, many young audience members appreciated watching an interesting rendition of such concept. Lisa Macuja-Elizalde, artistic director of Ballet Manila, undoubtedly made the right move to include in this year’s season repertoire.

Halo Halo Supreme is a unique Filipino dance-ballet concept reaching out conveniently to more audiences – teenagers and adults alike. Ballet Manila shoud never stop from creating bravura ballet dance pieces mirroring our very own Philippine traditions.

The cinematic impulse in Tanghalang Pilipino’s Golden Child (Theater)

Sharing the theater limelight of Lea Salonga in Broadway Asia’s Cinderella held at the Main Theater is the - Tanghalang Pilipino staging of David Henry Hwang’s Golden Child at the Little Theater, both showing in the premises of Cultural Center of the Philippines and both Tony award-winning Filipino theater artists.

Golden Child tells the story of Andrew Kwong who visited in a dream by his long deceased grandmother Ahn, and forcefully narrates the story of her father. While doing a flashback scene in China, the family awaits his return after spending several years of doing business transactions in the Philippines. His three wives, Siu Yong, Luan and Eling, after receiving each a gift, fear that their strict traditional Chinese culture might lead to an end. Consequently, a British missionary Reverend Baines influences Eng Tien Bin to convert to being a Christian. It follows then through some unfortunate events in the lives of the family as Ahn, claiming to be the golden child and the daughter of Siu Yong, observes what has become the story of her father’s destiny in life.

Hwang made this voyage so similar with the story of his grandmother who particularly lived in Cebu, his grandparent’s hometown.

In this particular play, Loy Arcenas, the director, captured what has to be both Asian and Western. Using witty dialogues of Hwang, he even made the staging visually stunning when he used layers of translucent scrim curtains of black and red from foreground to background, typically used for Asian’s representation of death (black) and revenge (red). This becomes so cinematic especially on the use of lights.

One comment though in the play is that there is a need on stage a white curtain perhaps at the center to complete the perfect harmony of death, revenge and rebirth. The latter should symbolically represent as a continual journey of life after death (notion about the souls roaming around us). This definitely was not clear.

Tantamount to its brilliant set design and direction were the actors. Every scene was so effective and magnified with its allusion of cinematic editing transitions whenever lights would dissolve from one area to another, leaving the mysticism of the Chinese tradition so interesting to look at on stage. Tina Chilip (Luan, the second wife) played it so well that every scene of hers catches every beat and nuance of the lines. She creates her own space as if she owns it. Liesl Batucan (Eling, the third wife), Tess Jamias (Ahn, golden child), Leo Rialp (Reverend Baines) were also captivating in most of the scenes. Art Acuna (Andrew Kwong / Eng Tien Bin) displayed his acting style so vividly. His clarity and understanding of how the characters should be are evident in his portrayal. Finally, this perhaps makes Irma Adlawan Marasigan one fine thespian artist we can boast of today in contemporary Philippine theater. She puts exact timing of humor and seriousness effortlessly not to mention her elegant, consistent gestures with confidence and maturity as an actress. Truly, a great ensemble cast artistically enunciated with power and intelligence in the craft.

Hwang must not have been aware of the positive marks he has done with theatrical scenes almost like film sequences, inter-cutting it with one room to another. This idea welcomes the usage of cinematic techniques on stage wherein seldom thought of by a playwright who has a background on screen writing. In the Golden Child, this concept is absolutely striking.

In multiplying the dramatic efficiency of Arcenas’ staging were Victor Villareal’s rhythmical use of sound and music, Gino Gonzales’ costuming and Barbie Tan-Tiongco’s cinematic lighting. These greatly supported the cinematic impulse of David Henry Hwang’s masterpiece.

Potent Machinations in Broadway Asia Entertainment’s Cinderella (Theater)

The temperament of staging conventional theater musicals these days seem to inculcate basically humanistic values and indicative of personal-spiritual transformations. But to some extent, these purveyors of theatrical fantasies can be harmful as well.

Having watched the ongoing musical led by Tony award-winning actress Lea Salonga at the Cultural Center of the Philippines Main Theater in collaboration with an almost inter-racial ensemble cast has led the Filipino audience literally unmoved. Perhaps, the staging did not focus much on the basic storytelling device which is to intentionally move the audience and let them experience what these basic human distortions can offer. Instead, the archetypal process of this production totally misleads the audience using technology as a source of hypnosis. Director Bobby Garcia must have been too keen in perfecting the theatrics and forgets ultimately that musical theater is also a way of boosting the morale of the audience. Hence, making the audience experience falsification embroidered with artificiality and disdain.

The ornamentation of Cinderella story captivates all sorts of Asia's societal issues including cruelty, discrimination, injustice, greed, inequality, lust, power and poverty as seen through in various countries especially the Philippines. Dreaming is hallucinatory in effect. It can be psychologically disturbing. On the other hand, dream can signify hope. Hope is real and should never be taken as a mockery but an awakening of calculated future actions. Garcia was neither giving both interpretations a space on stage. He maneuvered the audience endlessly with pure machinations. Everything was mechanical not to mention credible magic machineries like the changing of the rags-to-riches Cinderella costuming, transformational sceneries from the castle to the ball, the pumpkin carriage and a whole lot more.

Though it succeeded in giving spectacular technical triumph in terms of scene design (David Gallo); costume design (Renato Balestra); wig and hair design (Robert-Charles Vallance); lighting design (Paul Miller); projection design (G.A. Fallarme); magic design (Don Wayne); sound design (Michael Waters); orchestrations (Robert Russel Bennett); orchestrator (Larry Blank); musical director / conductor (J. Michael Duff) and choreography (Vince Pesce), the production still lacks sincerity and sympathy.

Salonga, no doubt about her crystal voice and longevity in acting and singing effectively Rodgers and Hammerstein’s long list of musical achievements in tones and melodies of all the songs of Cinderella, should avoid doing ingenue roles. Vivacious as she is, casting her on stage doing child-like Cinderella is a make-believe. Peter Saide (Prince) plays the character with full of theatricality adding on to the wrong vision of the production. However, Saide makes his charming physique successful to a younger crowd. Moreover, the metaphoric contrapuntal parts of the ensemble cast were exaggeratedly annoying probably because of stereotyping the characters the way other cultures would definitely disagree.

It would have been an interesting viewpoint to see an all-Filipino cast interpreting Broadway Asia’s Cinderella in an emotionally-charged ensemble pervasive of its Asia’s true socio-economic conditions. Thus, becoming more relevant to theater audiences in Manila. After all, Cinderella did originate in China, an Asian country with full of mysticism and magic but still hopeful of reality - like a dogma.

PETA's Noli at Fili Dekada 2000

Two outstanding novels Noli Me Tangere (1887) and El Filibusterismo (1891) written by our National Hero Jose Rizal once more are proven to be timeless and appropriate up to these days. The Philippine Educational Theater Association (PETA) proudly brings their audiences to another level of discourse tackling the social, political and economic conditions of our fellow ‘kababayans’ and our beloved country today.

Nicanor Tiongson adapts the novels into two-act dramatic text without forgetting some of the most memorable characters popularized by its authenticity in Philippine culture and identity – Act I: Ibarra Marasigan (Crisostomo Ibarra); Governor Santiago Santos (Kapitan Tiyago); Salvador Salvatierra (Salvi); Damaso Villareal (Damaso); Kumander Elias (Elias) and Act II: Kumander Simon (Simoun); Kumander Sally (Salome); Juli (Juli); Basilio (Basilio) to name a few. Members of the audience can easily identify the characters made by Rizal to that of Tiongson.

PETA’s version parallels and presents socio-realistic viewpoints about the ongoing national issue on deforestation and its continuing illegal practices of loggers from various provincial towns like in Tara Illenberger’s Brutus, a Mindoro tale in the lives of illegal loggers and one of the winning entries in Cinemalaya Independent Film Festival 2008.

Specifically cited in the program notes is the town of Infanta, Quezon where in 2004, hundreds of families and thousands of people suffered from heavy floods and mudflows due to the evident loss of trees. While in the play, Tiongson cites Maypajo town in the province of San Lorenzo in Southern Tagalog with Sierra Madre mountains as the most affected area.

PETA’s resident theater director Soxy Topacio synthesizes Tiongson’s newer interpretation to his provocative staging about power, leadership, betrayal and love for the country. Impressive theater elements depicted on the staging are Gino Gonzales’ elegant yet ominous set design, accurate lighting provided by Jonjon Villareal and Dodjie Fernandez in creating an engaging music and sound together with Noel Cabangon.

Lead actor Lex Marcos heads an effective ensemble cast of veteran theater artists Robert Sena, Bembol Roco alternates with Bodjie Pascua, Jack Yabut, Raffy Tejada, Ernie Cloma, Jess Evadone and Upeng Galang-Fernandez. Marcos makes his acting debut on PETA stage something to look forward to especially with his death as Kumander Simon in Act II.

In the epilogue, it stirred those Rizal fanatics in embroidering hope and continues effort to change the absurdities and helpless conditions of Filipinos in the twenty-first century’s ever increasing oil crisis, rice and other basic commodities. Does this sound too cliché for the numbing resolutions of Philippine governance? To quote in their program: “The slaves of today will be the tyrants of tomorrow.” Change should start from within oneself or society’s cancer will definitely spread all over like a virus. Thus, change is a wake-up call for all of us regardless of social status and faith.

Noli at Fili Dekada 2000 is PETA’s 41st Theater Season opener. It will run until August 24, 2008 at PhinMa Theater, PETA Center. For ticket inquiries, call PETA office at (02)4100821.

The Phenomenal Cinemalaya: an Experience

Cinemalaya started having a very small community. I have not heard of it til Cinemalaya’s 3rd came last year. I was able to watch almost all the full-lengths. Of course, many entries were mostly half-baked last year. Jim Libiran’s Tribu though became one of my favorite viewed films and eventually held the best picture in the recognition rite.

I have always craved for excellent Filipino aesthetics. Many of our kababayans are much into the arts. Even our kasambahays (helpers) are good at either singing or inclined in a lot of art appreciations. They also become critics when watching TV’s teleseryes and other local and international movies shown in cable while amos (bosses) boringly watch in their living rooms preoccupied with a lot of things in mind. Kasambahays, after all, come from rich sources of native arts that would even be related when they see such on television.

The ability to grow in us the art forms embodies the kind of people we are – hungry and thirsty for artistic excellence. My Cinemalaya experience delimits the class struggle for I saw, heard and mingled with different sectors in our society talking intelligently about the films. Many of our influential personalities (celebrities, politicians, producers, directors, businessmen) would bring in their PA’s (personal assistants) / secretaries and others would bring in their kasambahays (helpers) beside them watching conveniently (maids are the ones buying tickets for their amos and they’re included in the privilege of watching). On the other hand, I saw some prominent people (Atty. Giana Reyes-Montinola, daughter of the owner of FEU, director Joel Lamangan among others) that would even fall in line to secure tickets. While students and their respective teachers in film and other tangible subjects in different universities all the way from Los Banos, Binan, Cavite, Bulacan, Quezon and Rizal were even there for cinematic experience and perhaps, springboards for future interactions in classrooms through viewed films. Even the Mangyans in Mindoro (Brutus) came in to see their own stories in their film.

This is phenomenal I must say.

I congratulate each artist as they involved themselves in the practice of the craft and presumably perfecting it. If last year I was able to watch almost all film entries with close friends from the entertainment industry (actress Eugene Domingo, director Andoy Ranay, comedienne Candy Pangilinan, director Dante Garcia among other friends), this year I finally became independent and watched all full-lengths. Most of the time, I would just go in CCP without pre-planned viewing with friends and yet I get to see a lot of familiar friends and ended up together in watching.

This Independent Film Festival became my independence as well as an audience member and lover of cinema.

I was impressed on the directorial approaches of Ellen Ongkeko-Marfil (Boses), Francis Pasion (Jay), Chris Martinez (100), Paul Morales (Concerto), Tara Illenberger (Brutus). They were able to transform the written text into an exciting set of visual and aural spectacle. I was moved, affected and disturbed by 100 (Chris Martinez), Boses (Ellen Ongkeko-Marfil), Jay (Francis Pasion) and Concerto (Paul Morales) because of the premise, conflict and even catharsis of their respective stories.

I salute actors Shamaine Buencamino, Meryll Soriano, Nonoy Froilan (Concerto); Mylene Dizon, Eugene Domingo, Tessie Tomas (100); Baron Geisler, Coco Martin, Flor Salanga (Jay); Julian Duque, Ricky Davao, Coke Bolipata, Cherry Pie Pichache (Boses); Jojit Lorenzo, Ces Quesada, Dante Balois (Baby Angelo); Ronnie Lazaro (Brutus); Neil Ryan Sese (Huling Pasada); Mailes Kanapi (My Fake American Accent) and Garry Lim (Ranchero).

I love the editing of Jay (Kats Serraon, Chuck Gutierrez, Francis Pasion); Concerto (Laz Andre); Brutus (Fiona Borres, Tara Illenberger). I commend the production design of Concerto (Gerry Santos), Boses (Bianca Gonalez). I enjoyed and was moved by the theme music of Namets (Vince de Jesus); Concerto (Jed Balsamo); Boses (Coke Bolipata).

I hope that with Cinemalaya’s quest for development in Philippine cinema, filmmakers, whether mainstream or independent, should realize and must then create outstanding and 'never-heard' stories using this phenomenal medium and still the most popular artistic tool in the arts today.

The event itself deserves all the recognitions it must take.

To close this event and my life-experience in Cinemalaya, let me tell you that our fellow Pinoys are aware of their innate creative talents - encourage and challenge them instead of suppressing their freedom and their rights to express. They should be given more opportunities like this. Stop the politicking and Philippine arts would soar high. Stop the crab mentality as well and everything will turn out well. Sometimes artists themselves would destroy each other's personal reputation.

Just do your thing, create, excel and that's it!

Brava Philippine cinema! Brava Cinemalaya!

Dulaang UP's Hinabing Pakpak ng ating mga Anak

The hope to change street children’s lives is a test for survival among fellow Filipinos living in poverty and cataclysm. Even with the consistent support of government and non-governmental agencies like Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Global Call to Action against Poverty and Bantay-Bata 163 of the Lopezes, these kids keep on increasing and increasing out on the streets. This upheaval is yet to be told in an artistic eloquence and susceptible lyricism.

Dulaang UP’s right choice to touch on this issue has overwhelmed the audience during its opening night held at Wilfrido Ma. Guerrero Theater in UP Diliman last Wednesday, July 16, 2008. Anton Juan’s ‘Hinabing Pakpak Ng Ating Mga Anak’ narrates the stories of poverty and of dearth as children fight for true survival. These children – abused, tortured and harassed – are our true unsung heroes of Philippine society’s hope and realization for change. Juan’s elegy declares much sensitivity and calls all kinds of people to unite for justice and truth in Philippines’ decaying governance.

To parallel this theatrical event is to juxtapose the name late Rene Villanueva, a true artist and propagator of children’s mythical legends and stories in literature, be it a short story, poetry, essay and drama. Villanueva is considered by many artists as ‘father’ of children’s literature for he almost dealt his life for children. Aside from creating stories in literature, he went on to pursue exposures in media – being the creator of a popular children’s show ‘Batibot’ during the 90’s and soon followed with a whole lot more of children’s programs on television discussing refreshing insights and impact for both adult and kids. Villanueva was a recipient of many award-winning entries and even reached the ‘Hall of Fame’ stature in the annual Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards for Literature among other significant literary recognitions in the world of literature, theater and the arts.

Anton Juan, known for his first-rate visual and aural spectacle in the theater, proves once more of his intelligent use of theater as a medium of communicative transference and artistic expression to audience. His directing has a lot to say to the world and discusses the importance of memory and moments in Rene Villanueva’s literature to that of his true-to-life observations and experiences. With a keen translation of words to images, Juan creates effective symbols using Semiotics in dialogic way.

Juan collaborates with some of the noted and leading theater artists today. Among them are Alex Cortez (the new DUP artistic director), Dexter Santos (choreography), Leo Abaya (Production design), John Neil Ilao Batalla (lights design), Winter David (Video / Graphic design), Fabie Ortiz (managing director) and Jethro Joaquin (music and sounds design). These talented artists contributed a lot in the success of Juan’s staging.

The ensemble cast led by competent film-tv-theater artists Joel Saracho and Earl Ignacio, however, should put their transformations into a more truthful interpretation of the characters. Ensemble needs to realize the necessity for truth and sincerity in their acting as the staging calls for it urgently that is why immersions are encouraged in the theater for artists to observe and keep record of what the full-reality is.

Dulaang UP is making history in reaching Philippine institutions and agencies to do something for the welfare of the street children – our hope; our future. These kids are not just like dolls and toys; they’re human beings as well.

Anton Juan, now based in NotreDame University in Indiana, USA as a theater director-professor, pays tribute to late Rene Villanueva in a new devised theatrical experience.

Catch this engaging theater production at Wilfrido Ma. Guerrero Theater, Palma Hall, UP Diliman. It opened July 16 and runs until August 10, 2008. For inquiries and ticket reservations, call (02) 926-13-49.

Cinemalaya Best Picture: JAY

‘Jay’ is an entry to the official CCP independent film festival termed as Cinemalaya this July 2008. Witnessing the brilliance of this film makes even more exciting to see all the full-length films lined up for competition.

The premise of the story simply translates the literal to a very captivating imagery of cinema verite (documentary) as it uses a kind of genre which is automated in reflexive type. It is like film within a film within a film – three levels of camera delusions and life-theatrics.

It tells the story of (present) Jay (played by Baron Geisler), a documentary producer and director of a newly-opened reality drama television show aired over Channel 8. He covers (past) Jay (played by RJ Payawal) who was stabbed to death in his rented apartment in Manila by an allegedly masseur (played by JC Santos) and with the 'supposedly' assistance of the tv program. Exposing the story might help discover the true gay-killer criminal in a realistic scenarios of television complexities and justice in the family. Incidentally, both Jays are gays characterized in the film and it tackles the complexities as well of this gender.

Baron Geisler disguises as the present Jay who translated the literal into something magnificent acting stint. He carries out even small scenes into bravura performances.

Some of the memorable scenes of Geisler include the scene with the past Jay’s mother (played by Flor Salanga) in the room re-enacting the seeing of the bird as a premonition of the death of his son Jay; another scene is when he asked the mother to re-enact destroyed footages of the first exposition – mother seeing for the first time the dead Jay in the embalming room for the dead; another is when he visited the museum inside the basement of the church with Jay’s former lover (played by Coco Martin) and him playing at the backdrop of this huge painted altar for 'getting married' couple.

These are some of the outstanding scenes of Geisler as he is brilliant in portraying the role of Jay. Martin, on the other hand, marks his natural acting in the film.

Successful production team is composed of director of photography (Carlo Mendoza), assistant director (Karla Pambid), production designer (Joy Puntawe), fabulous editors (Kats Serraon, Chuck Gutierrez, Francis Pasion), music (Gian Gianan), sound recording (Mark Locsin), Costume designers (Rowena Sanchez, FEU's Charmaine Idea), art director (Kariktan Pagarigan), script consultant (Armando Lao), design consultant (Leo Abaya) with Click Digital Post functioned as post production, line producer (Ronald Mangubat) and production managers (Hans Audric Estialbo, Andrew Legarda).

Though the film wants to touch a lot of universal issues, Pasion makes this directorial piece deliberately beautiful, well-crafted and intelligently told in an 'interesting way’ kind of film.

This film is currently showing in Cinemalaya 2008 at CCP.

Word of Mouth's Macbeth: Unplugged

Theater productions are everywhere these days. In Manila alone, almost all of the theater companies are passionately dedicated to produce refreshing, attractive and insightful productions for the audience. University-based theater groups as well exert tremendous effort in brewing intellectually thought-provoking, mesmerizing and intriguing productions.

To name some, Tanghalang Pilipino (TP) of the Cultural Center of the Philippines recently concluded the triumphant success of Virgin Labfest 4 in collaboration with the Writer’s Bloc. Repertory Philippines (REP) showcased thespian Jose Mari Avellana in 'Tuesdays with Morrie' and an interesting stage concept of 'Hamlet' both shown first quarter of the year. Philippine Educational Theater Association (PETA) will launch this July a newer version of Jose Rizal’s Noli-Fili with Nicanor Tiongson as the adaptor of these two novels set in a small town in the Quezon province. Our own Philippine theater pride Anton Juan Jr. explores captivating imagery using dead children as subjects in the forthcoming Dulaang UP (DUP) production this month. Tony awardee Lea Salonga plays Cinderella, a Musical under Broadway Asia this coming August.

Part of the list is a newly-established non-stock, non-profit organization that brings in world-class artists and performers together through Word of Mouth (WOM) Theater Philippines’ preview of a modern-day interpretation of William Shakespeare’s ‘Macbeth: Unplugged’, artistically-headed by theater actor-director Jeremy Domingo.

Domingo, with lengthy vigorous years of rigid theater training under mentors late Zenaida Amador and UP professor-emeritus Tony Mabesa, envisions Philippine theater with renewed vitality and exuberance for all performing artists today.

With this year’s left and right quality theater productions, is the golden age of Philippine theater near or is it actually here?

WOM’s production of Macbeth may not be the best product so far exhibited in the theater circuit for the year but can be a benchmark of another golden age in contemporary Philippine theater scene. Directorially, it needs tightening up especially in transitional scenes where set-pieces inhibit theatricality and magic. On another point, Roeder (Camanag), as he is popularly called by his fellow colleagues, bravely takes the lead character into an unconvincing softer interpretation which it should have been boldly portrayed as a man of steel. He still needs to develop the charming but aggressive Macbeth. Gigette Reyes (Lady Macbeth) is evidently alluring on stage. Maritina Romulo, Cherry Mae Canton and Judith Javier (three witches) enunciate the dialogues well.

The production ‘Macbeth’ displays the opening scene with an all-white art-deco inspired scenic style of various sizes serving the actors as their unit set-pieces. Quite abstract at that, Domingo entices the audience to think and imagine. Still, one of the more popular plays of Shakespeare, the entrance of the three witches in the prologue catches the attention of the audience and furthers its spectators with exposition of the characters including the entrance of Macbeth and eventually his wife, Lady Macbeth. With corporate suits and elegant swatches of costuming, the Shakespeare characters in WOM’s staging provided a reachable modern dress tale of guilt, deceit and egocentricism. In the end, Macbeth is killed and was beheaded by Macduff. This tragic tale was evidently shared by stellar performances of some of today’s recognized theater actors.

Together in the ensemble cast include Leo Rialp and Richard Cunanan (Duncan), Manuel Aquino and James Paolelli (Banquo), Apollo Abraham and Andre Tiangco (Macduff), Jeremy Domingo (Malcolm), Astarte Abraham (first witch), Jing Reyna Jorge (second witch) and Jenny Jamora (Lady Macduff). Also in the powerful-house cast are Miguel Vasquez, Gio Respall, Rob Rownd, Henry Strzalkowski, Martin de la Paz, Don Rivera, Lexter Victorio and Ricardo Osita.

Liesl Batucan assists in direction. Gio Respall supervises the passable choreographic patterns with Miguel Vasquez as fight choreographer. John Neil Ilao Batalla designs the lights while Gwyn Guanzon exhibits sufficient art-deco production design. Jacques Borlaza is at the helm of managing the production. Cara Mesina heads the stage management team with Technical Director Arnold Cao.

WOM Theater Philippines initially launched its preview of ‘Macbeth: Unplugged’ at the PETA-PHINMA Theater Center for possible sponsorships and special invitational tours. Call (02) 489-48-19 and look for Jeremy or Liesl.

Layeta Bucoy & Rogelio Braga: two promising playwrights

There are two promising plays opened at the Tanghalang Huseng Batute, Cultural Center of the Philippines for the fourth installment of a laboratory festival for playwrights popularly known as VIRGIN LABFEST 4.

To mark-off this festival’s success, two different scheduled plays exhibited uniquely two promising productions: Layeta Bucoy’s Las Mentiras de Gloria, directed by Tuxqs Rutaquio and Rogelio Braga’s Ang Bayot, Ang Meranao at ang Habal-Habal sa isang nakababagot na paghihintay sa kanto ng Lanao Del Norte, directed by Nick Olanka.

Bucoy’s theme investigates more on a character-centered type. Las Mentiras de Gloria ( The Lies of Gloria ) touches on a woman's relationship with fraternal twin brother Utoy. Incest was its primary focus and how they have kept lies and deceit living separately through the years as they become more mature and old. The play ended so dramatic and pitiful.

May Bayot’s emotive performance made the play so moving and affecting. She delivered the character almost like a Cancer victim. Bart Guingona, her co-actor, could have been more effective if he commanded the speaking dialogue ( in Tagalog ) well. However, he was having a hard time coping for the right speed, unpredictable rhythm and seamless pronunciation of native words. Surely, acting wise, he was able to justify with his engaging performance.

Tuxqs Rutaquio, with his numerous work experiences in directing, bravely confronts the level of difficulty the play of Bucoy. Thrust staging though is a tricky space where one would not see the difference between staging a proscenium and a thrust. Thrust staging is a three-sided stage where a director would take advantage in using consistently quarter and profile blocking for actors or even the set is placed with a three-quarter axis. Rutaquio's blocking scenes were done mostly in proscenium not to mention its mistaken set axis (toilet sink, faucet, drawn shower curtain, book box and false back wall) from which it evidently positioned frontal. This affects the viewing pleasure of an audience when sitting on both unfavorable sides of the stage. Tricky as it is, Rutaquio successfully contributed intensely as a director to his actors.

Braga’s theme on the other hand deploys the omen of Philippine society today. The play, as intended to be satirical, tackles hilariously unresolved problems every Pinoy is still facing. Racial and gender discrimination, hypocrisy, bigotry, divisiveness of faith and corruption are few of the discussed issues in the play. To add on to its mirthful observations, the play sarcastically used vulgar street language, tawdry words and shabby cultured taste which, by the way, was so effectively done by two outstanding actors in the production – Joey Paras and Arnold Reyes. They were actually the saving grace. Paras played a gay visiting NGO worker while Reyes, effortlessly personified a Muslim-accent Habal-Habal native guy with his real motorcycle, is heard like the normal Muslim vendors who sell pirated DVD's in Quiapo.

Truly, effort is necessary in the theater – whether it has a good or bad effect in the outcome of the product.

Though known more in the film circuit, Nick Olanka, the director of the play, also bravely handled such competent actors. However, the set and the choice of costumes were badly decided upon. These theater elements are really worthy to be thought of by a director. To see only a projection of supposedly mountainous Habal-habal and a motorcycle all through out the play is quite disappointing. This abysmal display of designs created some deductions of making this play an outstanding one.

These two playwrights, Layeta Bucoy and Rogelio Braga, should inspire the others in making more witty, challenging but tastefully-written drama for Philippine theater in the years to come. One of the ways to save it is to explore delicate issues and problems of our society in the most dramatic or comic approach one could ever think of. Bucoy and Braga have absolutely achieved through this year's Virgin Labfest.

Floy Quintos' Ang Kalungkutan ng Reyna

The Cultural Center of the Philippines, Tanghalang Pilipino and Writer’s Bloc in collaboration with the National Commission for Culture and the Arts, Japan Foundation and Ms. Mae Paner introduces an annual celebratory festival for untried, untested, unpublished and unstaged plays written by promising and competent playwrights, directed and acted by novice and veteran actors and directors of today billed as VIRGIN LABFEST 4.

Festival artistic director Rody Vera is at the helm of this fourth installment theatrical event for Writer's Bloc while Tanghalang Pilipino artistic director Dennis Marasigan supervises its triumphant success.

One of the plays presented in Tanghalang Huseng Batute seen through the play ‘Ang Kalungkutan ng mga Reyna’ was directed by Virgin Labfest first timer Floy Quintos, an accomplished theater and television director, actor and multi-awarded playwright. Quintos also wrote the play and envisioned it in the most surreal way, proven to be a successful auteur.

The use of hair and beauty, as juxtaposed in the play metaphor, is an indication of a leader’s reflecting image peeped in for society’s change and change in other people’s perceptions on self-serving corrupt officials. To achieve absolute transformation, an official examines and even hires stylists for radical replacement on its physical aspect, particularly - the hair, coupled with appropriate and digested well-mannered gestures and postures.


Yolanda Cadiz ( Shamaine Centenera-Buencamino ) proves this psychological theory of image and personality the only solution she could think of to better her various pessimistic images seen by her constituents. Cadiz hires Marcel ( Tuxqs Rutaquio ), a world-class beauty and image enhancer of royal queens and princesses of other Monarchical countries. Marcel could have changed the physical attributes of Cadiz in a period of decadence but then again, at the end of the play, the people’s plot to assassin her made the ending so tragic and bothering.

This is one outstanding play produced in this year’s theater festival. Shamaine Centenera-Buencamino makes the character of Yolanda Cadiz so perfect. She controls anger, fear, frustrations, pity along with laughter, humor and wit. Centenera-Buencamino always adheres tremendous performances ever since she stood on center stage during her UP years in Wilfrido Ma. Guerrero Theater mentored by the stalwart Prof. Tony Mabesa. Tuxqs Rutaquio, also a Mabesa baby, being the co-actor of Centenera-Buencamino, did not play an under-rated acting stint with the giant actress. He can also maneuver his powerful presence with several scenes where he essayed the role effectively with wit and accuracy as evident in his fitting performance in this difficult play and for Zsa Zsa Zaturnnah: Ze Musicale produced by Tanghalang Pilipino years ago. He effortlessly distinguishes clearer nuances of an actor from other jaded acting styles of other Filipino theater gay-actors. The suitability of the film ‘Bernard and Doris’ ( 2007 ) starred by Susan Sarandon and Ralph Fiennes can be explored and paralleled as a source of inspiration for this well-thought of play.

Quintos, another Mabesa mentee, marks this directorial staging an elation of sorts in Philippine contemporary theater. With the use of elegant velvet red curtains as accent with carefully-chosen chairs, his set design transposes functionality in minimalism. Costumes were pertinent while the chosen music ‘Somewhere over the rainbow’ ( Judy Garland version ) theme provided an apposite leitmotiff. It is recognizable to mention ensemble cast that include Jonathan Tadioan, Nar Cabico, Riki Benedicto and Jerald Napoles to complete the perfect picture.

On the contrary, the Veranda door would have been effective with door holders from behind. It was strategically placed rather on a weak area (up stage left). It should have been located at the up-center stage, the strongest part of the stage for thrust staging. The imaginary glass should stay as it is. If one closes, it should not be flawed by breaking the imagined glass while touching and closing it through using seen front door holders.

It is also high time for mentor Tony Mabesa to observe and watch his former students grow like gems in such an intimate industry as theater.

Bullet Points for Virgin Labfest 4, CCP

Tanghalang Pilipino, Writer's Bloc and Cultural Center of the Phils. in collaboration with National Commission for Culture and the Arts, Japan Foundation, Boysen Paints and Ms. Mae Paner proudly brings you VIRGIN LABFEST 4 - untried, untested, unpublished and unstaged plays - featuring theater artists from different theater companies, student artists among other artists from various fields.

Festival artistic director Rody Vera culminates these materials on center stage from June 25 - July 6, 2008 at the CCP.



June 25 Wednesday

(Re-Staging)

ANG OBRA NI MAESTRA.
Strengths:
Actors Abby Gonzales, Nympha Gonzales and Cashlyn Cuarez. Costuming.
Weaknesses:
Unsurprising. Dragging. Niel De Mesa’s uninspired direction. Niel De Mesa’s written text. Multi-media set design.

ELLAS INOCENTES.
Strengths:
Riveting. Appropriate pacing. Actors Ness Roque and Lovely Balili. Layeta Bucoy’s text. Set design. Costumes.
Weaknesses:
'thrust' staging.

THREE SISTERS: A NOH PLAY. (Most Powerful of the three)
Strengths:
Engaging. Histrionic. Costumes. Jose Estrella’s elegant direction. Yoji Sakate’s powerful dramatic material. Actors Mailes Kanapi, Marj Lorico, Bong Cabrera and Cheryl Ramos.
Weaknesses:
Set design.

June 26 Thursday

(New Plays)

LAS MENTIRAS DE GLORIA. ( Good )
Strengths:
Poignant. Tuxqs Rutaquio’s intense direction. Layeta Bucoy’s dramatic text. May Bayot’s performance.
Weaknesses:
Set design. Bart Guingona’s performance. 'Thrust' staging.

ANG MGA HALIMAW.
Strengths:
Hilarious. Ensemble performance of JK Anicoche, Amihan Ruiz, Kristine Balmes, Alvin Obillo, Nar Cabico, Isab Martinez and Oscar Garcia. Paolo O’Hara’s actor’s perspective in direction. Set Design.
Weaknesses:
Costumes. Carlo Garcia’s weak points in the dramatic text.

AMOY NG LANGIT.
Strengths:
NONE
Weaknesses:
Tedious. Tiresome. Monotonous. Wearisome. Dull. Toshiisa Yoshida’s mind-numbing direction. Hase Hirochi’s uninteresting material. Set and Costumes. Dreary performance of the cast.


June 27 Friday

PAMANTASANG HIRANG.
Strengths:
Nicco Manalo and Jonathan Tadioan’s performance.
Weaknesses:
Obvious. Inert. Tim Dacanay’s material text. Hazel Gutierrez’s slapdash direction. Set axis.

MASAGANANG EKONOMIYA.
Strengths:
Profound. Deep-seated. Victor Villareal’s formless direction. Incorporation of peculiar techniques and devices connected to theater images and stage directions.
Weaknesses:
Unclear. Fuzzy. Allan Lopez’s nebulous dramatic material.

DONG-AO.
Strengths:
Assertive. Star-studded ( Bembol Roco, Nanding Josef, Carme Sanchez, Tommy Abuel, Dido de la Paz, Monica Llamas and Gigi Escalante ). Stand-out performances of Nanding Josef, Tommy Abuel and Gigi Escalante.
Weaknesses:
Set design. Loud-mouthed ending. F. Sionil Jose’s over-ambitious text for a laboratory theater festival. Chris Millado’s go-ahead stage direction.

June 28 Saturday

ANG KUWENTO NG MENGINGA NG NEW YORK CITY NA KAMUKHA NG BEE-STUNG LIPS NI JULIA ROBERTS.
Strengths:
George De Jesus’ stage direction. Ricci Chan's theatrical presence and clarity in delivery.
Weaknesses:
Superfluous. Unessential. George Kabrisante’s excessive material. Ricci Chan’s occasional clown-around performance. Set design. Too long.

ANG BAYOT, ANG MERANAO AT ANG HABAL-HABAL SA ISANG NAKABABAGOT NG PAGHIHINTAY SA KANTO NG LANAO DEL NORTE.
( Good )
Strengths:
Mirthful. Fastidious. Joey Paras’ uproarious performance. Arnold Reyes’ believable Muslim-accent performance. Rogelio Braga’s opinionated dramatic text.
Weaknesses:
Nick Olanka’s appalling direction. Unimaginative set and costume design. Too long.

GUMAMELA.
Strengths:
Authentic. Dennis Teodosio’s non-toxic theater script. Roobak Valle’s coherent direction. Set. Chrome Cosio, Riki Benedicto and Russell Legaspi’s credible performances.
Weaknesses:
Phil Noble’s poor vocal energy. Slow-paced rhythm. Too long.

June 29 Sunday

MGA BABAENG TOO BRIGHT
Strengths:
NONE
Weaknesses:
Inane. Debbie Tan’s convoluted plot. Ana Valdez Lim’s unvarnished directorial approach.

ANG KALUNGKUTAN NG MGA REYNA ( Outstanding )
Strengths:
Shamaine Buencamino. Tuxqs Rutaquio. Floy Quintos’ spotless direction. Floy Quintos’ valiant dramatic text. Set. Costumes. Music.
Weaknesses:
NONE

ANG DALAWA NIYANG LIBING
Strengths:
NONE
Weaknesses:
Leo Rialp’s dull direction. Ensemble’s distressing performances.

July 6 Sunday 3pm

BRU-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA, BRU-HI-HI-HI-HI
Strengths:
NONE
Weaknesses:
Argel Tuazon's amateurish script. Mayen Estanero's awful direction. Bea Sara.

UUWI NA ANG NANAY KONG SI DARNA
Strengths:
Job Pagsibigan's light but substantial text. cast.
Weaknesses:
weak technical cues. Catherine Racsag's direction.

TERENGATI
Strengths:
colorful. Niel De Mesa's direction.
Weaknesses:
Niel De Mesa's predictable adaptation.

The film "Urduja" sets a higher standard

APT Entertainment owned by Antonio P. Tuviera seems to be engaged with setting a higher standard for Philippine animation feature. Undoubtedly, “Urduja” is the finest full-length animation picture so far ever produced and created by an all-Filipino artistic team in the history of cinema in the country.

Using Pangasinan’s epic tale of a native warrior princess Urduja, the decision to adapt the myth into a full-blown picture surely ignites once more the possibility of another Golden Age for us. However, Filipino audience should support this humble beginning as they venture into another set to show on December 2008 with its title "Dayo."

The myth tells the story of Urduja (originated from “Urja” which means “breath’), daughter of the old chieftain Lakanpati who is about to pass his throne to her in order to lead the kingdom of Tawilisi situated along the shoreline of Lingayen Gulf with neighbor China Sea. Limhang, a Chinese pirate, accidentally lingered the paradise and sees Urduja on a shore. The encounter of the two starts its usual Filipino mythical problems such as Urduja’s arranged wedding for another warrior (Simakwel); other rival community; other Chinese pirates to kill Limhang among other convoluted sub-plots but finally reaches towards a joyful resolution, the love of Urduja and Limhang for each other.

The film’s highest points were, of course, the character images created in collaboration with the Seventoon and Imaginary Friends, two of the hardworking teams we have in Philippine animation circuit. The late Mina Caliguia, another enthusiastic producer of animation and a former colleague in the National Commission for Culture and the Arts on Cinema representing the new media that includes animation, might have been proud of this achievement. The hand-drawn images and its absolutely terrific movements made this film a quality product. Animators should have thought of something more Pinoy-looking characters though. At one scene, Urduja had the slight semblance of Mulan (Disney Pictures). Another point that made the film so strong was the use of music. Noel Zarate is known for his theatrical melodies used in Filipino theater musicals as he furnishes good selections of melodies for Regine Velasquez (voice of Urduja). Voices used became credible, among other notable prescriptions were Eddie Garcia (voice of Lakanpati), Cesar Montano (voice of Limhang), Allan K (voice of Tarsir), Jay Manalo (voice of Simakwel), Michael V (voice of Kukut), Johnny Delgado (voice of Wang) and Ruby Rodriguez (voice of Mayumi). The direction was strongly compressed, thus, keeping up a tight pace. Thank to Director Reggie Entienza who also made its screenplay and story adaptation for its outstanding quality-controlled vision. Finally, bravo to the Tuvieras as well for a job well done.

As for the audience, make sure to catch up this film. This is the only way to bring back another Golden Age in Philippine cinema through its new media – animation.

Cinemalaya produces PINOY NEW WAVE

Pinoy New Wave has just arrived. Definitely, Francis Pasion’s Jay, Paul Morales’ Concerto and Chris Martinez’s 100 are included in the new breed of distinguished and skillful filmmakers this year for Cinemalaya Independent Film Festival organized by Cinemalaya Foundation Inc., Cultural Center of the Philippines, UP Film Institute, Ecolink Investments Inc. and Film Development Council of the Philippines.

The French New Wave of film directors during the 60’s provided new and exciting insights in filmmaking. Eminent French film critics-turned-film directors Claude Chabrol, Jean Luc-Godard, Jacques Rivette, Eric Rohmer and Francois Truffaut created films with their own distinct and remarkable styles which the audience favored much over the mainstream directors. Soonafter, they led the new cinema in France during those fervent times.

And with the exhibited films of these three Pinoy filmmakers’ entries in Cinemalaya, there is actually hope in bringing Philippine cinema in a new phase and development. The accurate use of digital camera plus ardent thirst for creating art films would lead us to a higher level of film appreciation and education especially that audience now wants more intelligent but entertaining cinematic experience. This event perhaps is a precursor of younger filmmakers to join this meaningful and fruitful Cinemalaya in the years to come.

Francis Pasion’s JAY

‘Jay’ is a reflexive film that deals primarily with intertextuality of a producer-director handling a new reality-based television program, a gay incidentally with a name Jay Mercado on the other hand was murdered and tortured by an allegedly masseur and finally, revealing the actor Baron Geisler portraying the producer-director character Jay Santiago. Pasion intertwined these three different plots in one tight film. Geisler was brilliant in this film and so was Coco Martin who played as the childhood friend of the character Jay Mercado. Editors Kats Serraon, Chuck Gutierrez and Francis Pasion are to be recognized with actors Flor Salanga, Angelica Rivera and JC Santos as well.

Paul Morales’ CONCERTO

‘Concerto’ tells the story of familial relationship and how it maintained during the horrors of World War II. Morales’ true-to-life family history engages the audience into the classic tale of the Japanese occupation in the Philippines. It was set in one of the small towns in Mindanao. Joselito, son of Ricardo and Julia, becomes the interpreter of the family to the neighboring Japanese. Highlighting the cast are the performances of natural-born actresses Meryll Soriano and Shamaine Centenera-Buencamino, noted choreographer Nonoy Froilan with fresher faces and captivating appeal of Jay Aquitania and Yna Asistio. Commendable in the artistic team of Morales include Jed Balsamo for musical score, Jethro Joaquin for sound design, Regiben Romana for director of photography, Gerry Santos for production design and Laz’ andre for editing.

Chris Martinez’s 100

‘100’ examines how a cancer victim explore one hundred things to do before dying. Mostly, practical and spiritual obligations, Mylene Dizon’s excellent portrayal of the character is a must-see cathartic film experience. She manipulates her dignified acting style through mixtures of both laughter and tears. Adding on to its stunning story-telling are: Eugene Domingo who perpetuates her friend’s condition simply by allowing her to be happy in the last few days of her life; Tessie Tomas who elaborates her concern as a mother; Simon Ibarra who functions effectively as the brother of Dizon; and Ryan Eigenmann who benevolently stood for Dizon’s character until the last breath of her life. Martinez establishes the first and the last scene as the prologue and epilogue of the film with the premise of death as a new journey of life. Joining in this film are creative supervisor Marlon Rivera, line producer Madonna Tarrayo, music scorer Brian Cua, composer for original music Ricci Chan, editor Ike Veneracion and director of photography Larry Manda.

Pasion, Morales and Martinez also share equally the billing of writers for they wrote their own respective scripts – being auteurs indeed. Seldom we take note of the brilliance and talent of directors who at the same time can write intelligently. Moreover, each distinctively showed personal approaches in directing and critical as they are in providing unique insights on communal problems such as relationship to oneself, to others and to society.

The Pinoy New Wave is here and hopefully this marks another new breed of film directors, actors, actresses, designers and producers in the surviving Philippine contemporary cinema.

Cinemalaya screening entries are exhibited daily until July 20, 2008. Witness this growing and developing festival for independent cinema makers. Bravo!

PETA's Karaoke Dreams, an apt theatrical feast (Theater)

Working in other countries is a dream for many Filipinos. This dream has been fully-realized in exchange of hard work savings earned for lengthy years of service in local companies we have served for. Incidentally, some would sell or barter passed-on material wealth by our ancestors or parents who left us behind in order to augment the fulfillment of that dream.

Some would be successful but others fail. Filipinos thrive best to earn a better living abroad despite sacrifices for family separations and even psychologically-torturing experiences these foreign nationalities might have not been aware of.

The case is simple – make sure working documents are authentic.

The Philippine Educational Theater Association (PETA) recently staged Karaoke Dreams, a musical comedy with full-blast humor using “karaoke” singing as a Pinoy habit and witty social commentaries on the plight of Filipino aspiring migrants who intend to work abroad for greener pastures. Award-winning playwright-composer Vincent de Jesus takes us to a higher level of consciousness with the use of sharp comic devices depicted through the staging and its thematic ingredient of the dramatic text.

In collaboration with the generous European Union (EU) through the Philippine Border Management Project (BPMP) implemented by International Organization for Migration (IOM), the musical has exhibited tremendously an unexpected apt staging with usual cliché about fake passports and visa as deemed by co-Filipino fixers and pretending travel agents. The ensemble cast led by Julienne Mendoza (Rudy Natsugi), Joan Bugcat (Julie Nahuli) and Paolo Rodriguez (Isko Nabisto) masterfully-woven the lives of their families, relatives and friends set in Aling Pising’s Carinderia and Karaoke. .

Other stand-out performances were Mary Ann Espinosa (Aling Doray) and Carlon John Matobato (Bayaw).

Though the musical needs to be tightened-up, director Maribel Legarda explores un-theatrical possibilities especially in blocking an all-cast stage appearance. She may have the purpose of staying it that way but ‘firing squad’ blocking is a “no-no” and a “lazy chore” in the theater. Boni Juan, production designer, gives a very effective devised set contrary to the flat lights design of Ian Torqueza. Some choreographic patterns are interesting to look at. “Factory” dance is one of the highlights.

Over-all, the message is crystal clear. The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) headed by Secretary Alberto G. Romulo should celebrate as PETA achieves both the artistic integrity in Philippine theater and the socio-political information campaign against using fake passports, visa and human trafficking of aspiring Filipino migrant workers in this timely Filipino musical comedy.

As You Like It (Theater)

In celebration of the University of the Philippines’ Centennial, the duly recognized academic theater organization in Diliman, Dulaang UP, presented in September 2007 English and Filipino versions of As You Like It (Paano Man Ang Ibig), a romantic comedy written by the eminent playwright of the Elizabethan stage, William Shakespeare. The Filipino version was the translation of the late National Artist for Theater and Literature Rolando Tinio. The play was presented at the Wilfrido Ma. Guerrero Theater, Palma Hall Building.



As You Like It is considered by many to be one of Shakespeare’s greatest comedies, and the heroine, Rosalind, is praised as one of his most inspiring characters and has more lines than any of Shakespeare’s female characters. Rosalind, the daughter of a banished duke, falls in love with Orlando, the disinherited son of one of the duke’s friends. When she banished from the court by her usurping uncle, Duke Frederick, Rosalind switches gender and as Ganymede travels with her loyal cousin Celia and the jester Touchstone to the Forest of Arden, where her father and his friends live in exile. Observations on life and love follow (including love, aging, the natural world, and death), friends are made, and families are reunited. By the play’s end Ganymede, once again Rosalind, marries her Orlando. Two other sets of lovers are also wed, one of them Celia and Orlando’s mean older brother Oliver. As Oliver becomes a gentler, kinder young man so the Duke conveniently changes his ways and turns to religion so that the exiled Duke, father of Rosalind, can rule once again.


At the helm of the UP production was Prof. Josefina Estrella (who bills herself as “Jose Estrella”, currently the artistic director of Dulaang UP. Estrella is an associate professor of the Department of Speech Communication and Theater Arts, College of Arts and Letters in Diliman. She finished her Master of Fine Arts in Directing in Columbia University as a Fulbright scholar.



Her artistic team was composed of Dexter Santos (choreographer), Amiel Leonardia (lighting designer), Lex Marcos (set designer) and J. Victor Villareal (music / sound designer).

This theater review touches in part on feministic images used by Estrella in her postmodern day interpretation of Shakespeare’s “As You Like It” and juxtaposes the debatable issue on the representation of female characters in Elizabethan Theater.



Estrella’s Theater Elements

Set. One of the most influential elements in the history of theater performance is the set. It functions dramatically as conveyor of images of the physical environment and the magic it purports. In the fantastical modes of Shakespeare’s setting, the set symbolizes numerous meanings and representations. Chief among them are the forests that always transcend imagery of fantasy and mystery and a castle that perennially connotes hierarchy and bureaucracy.



The set was like the work of art of Saldy Calder (an American artist during the 1930’s), known in the visual arts for using aerial space in his abstract art. Marcos put hanging dried twigs and branches to perpetuate images of the forest Arden where many significant scenes transpied. In addition to the texture of the same scenario, a see-saw was used.



Marcos scenery evoke intuitive feelings. The concept of balance, geometrical shapes, imaging colors, and sculptured installations as studied in Humanities, Physics, and Engineering were executed as one major idea in the set. However, the mechanical illusions had some errors. The see-saw for example, did not function as intended.



Costumes. The costumes had a contemporary look, which proved the usefulness of ready-to-wear outfits. Though the major characters’ costumes were represented by color, they somehow lacked powers of solidity and elegance. The costume statement was aesthetically weak. Even the significant part wherein Rosalind (played by Nathasia Garrucha) cross-dressed did not succeed politically. The scene called for a ritual supposedly aided by the costumes; however, the director created a mishap. Jacques, one of the male characters, experienced the same fate on the choice of his costume, which was deliberately transposed into a female role-play.



It was difficult for the director and designer to achieve the costuming and transposing of the two different genders played by one actor. Conceptually, there was an attempt to manage with intelligence the role-play as perceived through the director’s aesthetic decision. But the costumes were inadequate and sloppy to purport gender transposition. It could have been better if the director and designer teamed up to achieve practical ways for the audience to better understand the play. The wonders of the costumes got lost in the way.



Music / Sound. Music plays a major role in any production. The music put together by Villareal was forgettable. The music did not create any emphatic impact on most scenes. In theater design, Villareal’s choice of music was quite incompatible with Estrella’s conceptual staging. This pastoral play should focus on fundamental music and soundscape. Any designer should ultimately aim for simplifying tests and experimentations in music especially if it is a Shakespearean play.

With Villareal’s execution, an atmosphere of uncertainty was felt that contributed several unnaturalness and irritability in the production.



Lighting. Most scenes in the play were intentionally darkened. Lighting problem had more to do with intensity. Romantic comedies are always staged with a lighter design. A director may still achieve the illusory mood effect provided by a designer, but to intensify darkness on stage may result to eye irritation and unconscious negative reactions from some people in the audience.



Rhythmic lighting was the loophole in the production. The intensity was totally different from the rhythm. The scenes of the play had a struggle, which were manifested sophomorically in the production. Leonardia, compared to his numerous engagements as a lighting designer, did not succeed in this production. In effect, some choreographic movements of Santos were a failure due to dark lighting. Theatrical elements must create a mise-en-scene for the stage play to succeed and lighting has a special function as it unifies almost all elements seen on stage. Lighting destroyed the overall technical composition of all elements of the production.



Acting. Shakespearean plays are usually an actor’s piece because lines are dramatically lengthy and usually hard to deliver. The ensemble style of acting was quite ordinary except for actresses Mailes Kanapi (Jacques) and Dolly Gutierrez (Celia). Both created an exciting visual acting styles and effective internal nuances. Kanapi, with her well-enunciated delivery of words and eloquent portrayal, precisely uttered the famous monologue “all the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players…” Gutierrez established herself as Celia effortlessly and candidly. At some point, with her wit in understanding the essence of Shakespeare’s subtexts, Gutierrez seemed to be one of the greatest actresses in Philippine contemporary theater. Mike Manotoc (Orlando), JC Santos (Silvius), Natasha Garrucha (Rosalind), and Mara Marasigan (Phoebe), though quite new on stage, memorably articulated a clearer character interpretation and intention.


Feministic Images

Estrella’s decision to make a woman play the role of Jacques indicates an imagery of women power. Putting Kanapi into the role of Jacques was dangerous but challenging. In the “classic” periods of Greek and Elizabethan theatre, women were absent from the stage, an absence that has been the object of feminist deconstructive activity (Aston, 1995: 16-17). This evolved with Estrella’s interpretation of Jacques’ character, which connoted a strong female persona.



The play has similarities with the film Stage Beauty directed by Richard Eyre and starred Claire Danes and Billy Crudup. Set in 1660, Edward “Ned” Kynaston (played by Crudup) was England’s most celebrated leading lady as women were forbidden to appear on stage. But Charles II forbade actors to play female roles and the prohibition ended Kynaston’s fateful career on stage. He then reinvented himself by doing male roles on the Elizabethan stage.



Somehow, Estrella’s use of role reversal was a crucial decision that resembled Kynaston’s. Decision to change is a form of empowerment on the part of Estrella since it is a form of experiementation or thinking out of the box that is needed in Philippine theater to induce more audience and entertainment and to apply certain theories in performance studies. The role reversal is also empowering and challenging because it is difficult to act out the role of the opposite sex.



As You Like It showed the complex plot of Shakespeare. Estrella made it more complex, if not confusing. Rosalind’s change of role to Ganymede can be considered as another image of strong feministic force, which Estrella successfully attained due to strong nuances of her actresses Gutierrez (Celia) and Garrucha (Rosalind-Ganymede).



Howard (2001) in Norton Shakespeare explained that Rosalind cross-dressed to become Ganymede whom Orlando wooed. The alias “Ganymede”, however, “commonly signified a young boy who was the lover of another (usually older) man…Provocatively, Shakespeare uses Orlando and Rosalind’s encounters to overlay a story of a male-female desire with traces of another tale of a man’s love for a boy” (1591-1598). This Ganymede-Orlando homoerotic relationship was given a contemporary version through the homoerotic or lesbian movements of Celia and Rosalind. In fact, contexts of homoerotic readings in the roles of Celia and Rosalind were felt more than the supposedly Ganymede-Orlando tandem. It reflected the radical feminist perspective of lesbianism.



Santos’s choreographic movements, as conceptualized by Estrella, explored the use of neck, arms, lips, hips, and legs to symbolize sensuality and vulnerability in Celia-Rosalind’s intimate relationship in the forest of Arden. In another scene, Rosalind was almost nude while Celia seductively helped change her identity into Ganymede using theatric dance movements. Gutierrez (Celia) used her sensitivity perfectly as her eyes, breathing, and hands “caressed” Garrucha (Rosalind) who reacted as if she had an orgasm with a male through a ance ritual of cross-dressing.



Synthesis



Up to now, exclusion of women in the Elizabethan Theater tradition is questionable and oppresive. Feminism is a compelling issue that theater historians have not resolved until now. Wilson and Goldfarb (2000: 197-198) explained that the absence of women in Elizabethan Theater “has led to interesting discussions regarding the representation of female characters. Cross-dressing (that is, dressing as the opposite sex) – which in today’s drama has become popular way to point out sexual stereotyping – had many reverberations in Shakespeare’s plays…We should note that cross-dressing in Elizabethan drama usually did dramatize negative ideas about women.”



Estrella was able to oppose the sexual stereotyping by using role reversal and injecting homoerotic interpretations. The attempt to have a feminist approach is a welcome development in this Elizabethan Theater.



Estrella had Anne Bogart as mentor, one of the pioneers of postmodern viewpoints in theater and whose performance theory applies specifically for all theater artists working for a collaborative end product. As an educator-artist, Estrella reflected Bogart’s viewpoint that “an actor’s craft lies in the differentiation of one moment from the next. A great actor seems dangerous, unpredictable, and full of life and differentiation. Thus, moments are highly-differentiated” (in Dixon & Smith, 1995: 11).



This idea was clearly demonstrated in Estrella’s As You Like It as veteran Philippine actors and actresses underwent the process of “disorientation”, “difficulty”, and “terror.” Bogart emphasized changes in the process and production of a new culture in theater by shaking the culture of every production (in Dixon & Smith, 1995: 5). Estrella’s stage direction, instead of using traditional staging, bravely attempted to rediscover the vision of Shakespeare when he was writing romantic pastoral comedy and applied Bogart’s viewpoints. Even if weak in theatrical elements, Estrella was able to pull through with the strong alliance of feminist actresses’ physical qualities that made her staging quite interesting.



Bogart’s influences on Estrella might also have created several confusion and disorientation among fellow Filipino artists. Are Philippine theater actors and actresses, designers, technicians, and managers ready for this Americanized version of Russian Stanislavski’s theater methodology? A closing thought for fellow artists and scholars.

Skin Deep (Theater)

Point 1: It is indeed a queer parody.

“Queerness can be seen as an oppositional stance not simply to essentialist formations of gay and lesbian identities, but to a much wider application of the depth model of identity which underwrites the epistemology deployed by the bourgeoisie in their ascendancy to and maintenance of dominant power. As such, the queer label contains a critique of a more vast and comprehensive system of class-based practices of which sex/gender identity is only a part. ( Moe Meyer, 1994: 87-88 )

PETA’s Skin Deep has misrepresented the use of the popular “A”lienation Effect which originated from Bertolt Brecht’s idea to break the fourth wall of the stage and establish relationships to the audience for critical evaluation of moral and social values (queer and campy) of the people.


Point 2: It is mindful to say that the production displayed a CAMPY performance.

To use Meyer’s topic of Acting Camp in his introduction to The Politics and Poetics of Camp from the book Performance Analysis, 2001: It would mean that the production would discuss the parodic label of queer. The term “camp” would lead the audience into the concept of “self.” Nor Domingo, Skin Deep director, would lead the audience and substitute the “self” as performative, improvisational, discontinuous and constituted by repetitive and stylized acts instead of providing the notion of “self” as unique, abiding and continuous. He (Domingo) has a gift of a visionary artist but needs further maturity in stylized blocking.

In Domingo’s theatrical elements, he explored intelligently the uses of music, dance, lighting, sound, set, costumes and actors. Stand outs were actors Rem Zamora as Dr. Beau (though weak at times in creating the imagery of a circus master); Erick Bisa as Ciso; Gail Guanlao-Billones as Amor de Sangre; Diana Malahay as Happy; Jonjon Villareal’s magical lighting which juxtaposed very smooth transitional devices per scene; Christine Crame Santillan’s expressionistic-styled choreography and the elegance of repetitive gestures and movements made even more exciting visually. Contrary to its stellar staging and elements were Leo Abaya’s set which did not make it flattering for both actors and the director; Kalila Aguilos’ costumes were a bit confused and half-baked. It did not solidly justify the “campy” appearance and expressionistic mood. Lucien Letaba, Vincent De Jesus and Melvin Corpin’s composition and arrangement in music had a very “un”-unified aural output.


Point 3: It can only reach only to those who are much connected to the artificialities of the world ( the bourgeois society ).

It can be argued innocuously that Skin Deep displayed all modes of sexual identities (heterosexual, homosexual, metrosexual) but did not display all social identities (rich, upper middle, middle, lower middle, lower and outcasts).

The other half which constitutes the major population in reality was totally alienated from this material. This is partially a success and a work that should be in progress.

The parody of beauty and truth is seen through the playwright’s intention to share tragic disappointments in life. In his program notes, Vincent De Jesus, the annotator of this production’s plot, exploits his personal version of queerness and physical instabilities. Taking into consideration of the majority of the population in the country, this piece can never reach out what PETA’s dream vision of becoming the PEOPLE’S THEATER. This is a dangerous decision to include in their repertoire of plays.

These two opposing forces, Vincent De Jesus’ dramatic material text versus PETA’s vision of a People’s Theater, are a misnomer for PETA artists dealing a strict mission to Philippine Theater.

Altar Boyz (Theater)

In the book "Power Plays..." (2000) written by John O. Whitney and Tina Packer, they examined what the notion of power is. To quote: "Power is a freighted idea, filled with shifting cargo: power to build, power to tear down; power to hasten, power to delay; power to inspire, power to frighten; power to give, power to withhold; power to love, power to hurt; power to do good, power to do evil." (p.25)

Repertory Philippines' ALTAR BOYZ did not actually promote such versatility of power. This musical comedy should somehow be associated to the classic rendition of what musical farce is. Farce, by the way, in its common definition would mean - a depiction of life-situation and mockery of society's problems like faith in its most comical-sarcastic way. The term "farce" is ordinarily-termed as the "satire" of today.

Farce, when staged, should be ideal in its theatrical elements. Perfection is needed and hightened accuracy of simple details should be achieved by its director. The director of the production, Chari Arespacochaga, was not able to achieve the idealism on such genre (musical-farce) configured to be called a musical-satire. What lacks is power! The power of this material is to transform somehow the enormous faith in Catholicism and Christianity of the believers (audience). To achieve this realization, an audience member is needed to reflect or even renew religious beliefs and common practices after watching through this almost post-contemporary (technological) age.

Kevin Del Aguila (book), Gary Adler and Michael Patrick Walker (music and lyrics) should be recognized for their generous efforts to discuss simple but relevant microscopic view of what faith really is. Thanks to an interesting material.

The power, as mentioned in the introduction, is needed badly in the production. Faith (Religion) is POWER and POWER is attained when used in multiple variations such as what Whitney and Packer would see.

The production was not even edgy and sharp.

To go into the theatrical use of elements by Arespacochaga, the set (designed by Tuxqs Rutaquio) almost attempted to ridicule concert sets. Unfortunately, it did not function well during the actual staging. Through the downstage blocking, the actors were not able to move freely to all sides of the stage (in terms of aesthetics and logical actions), hence, making their movements so limited as opposed to the conventional musical concerts that we see in reality. It (the material) calls more for a bare stage with strategic scaffolds and the use of moving lights on stage should fuel-up the energy of the set. It also calls for a more sarcastically concert-type of thing.

The costumes (designed by Faust Peneyra) were too flat. Again, "concert" concept should provide an avenue for experimentation in fashion. Peneyra lost sight on this valuable idea. The change of costumes from one song to another should signal magic and mystery - threading another sub-story into it. This interesting idea got lost in the way.

Lighting (as designed by Martin Esteva) served only an illumination and not the usual superfluous and terrific effects each concert musicale would appeal in tangent with live music (where an effective band-play was executed). Ace Philippine lights designers John Neil Ilao Batalla and Voltaire de Jesus might agree on the idea of concert-effect lighting. Several lighting cues of Esteva should have had hundreds of lighting cues in this kind of dramatic-material.

The only effective element used in the production was the band-play (music notation) headed by Jojo Malferarri (Musical Director / Conductor / Keyboardist and Repetiteur). Again, unfortunately, because of the direction, the band was not seen entirely which defeated the very purpose of a musical concert. Why? What was the purpose of it? It really did not work efficiently in the production.

Finally, the performances of the actors-singers were partially effective. Definitely, there were attempts to exaggerate hilarious scenarios which should be, since this is a presentational (musical) staging. However, only Red Concepcion (played the role of Mark) and Reb Atadero (played the role of Juan) contributed to its obvious genre.

PJ Valerio (played the role Matthew), Ryu (played the role Luke) and Chevy Mercado (Abraham) lacked bigger and theater facial expressions and nuances. Most of the production dance numbers were too tamed and ordinary, nothing to brag about on its movements and patterns of dances (choreographed by Jason Zamora).


To sum the production, it really lacked POWER.

The power to build, power to tear down; power to hasten, power to delay; power to inspire, power to frighten; power to give, power to withhold; power to love, power to hurt; power to do good, power to do evil.

These different approaches and uses of power should somehow be the initial guiding principle of the production.


"ALTAR BOYZ" needs to fuel-up more POWER!