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!