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.