Arete: Review of SI FAUST: A Diabolical Deal

November 22, 2025

"Faust," a 19th century tragic play in verse written by Johannes Wolfgang von Goethe is considered the greatest work in German literature. The story was about a desperate man named Faust who made a deal with a devil figure named Mephistopheles. Mephistopheles will let Faust experience heaven here on earth. But in exchange, Faust agreed that his soul will follow Mephistopheles straight into hell later during his afterlife. 

I only had a general idea of that plot, but not the details. This is the first time that I am actually watching this classic performed on a stage. However, this won't just be a regular straight play. Arete has staged this rock opera version of "Faust" as conceptualized by director Nelsito Gomez, with Basti Artadi, charismatic frontman of 1990s Filipino rock band Wolfgang (on their 30th anniversary this year), whose songs (English and Filipino) are used to tell the story. 

I have to confess that I am not at all familiar with much of Wolfgang's music, so I went into this show not recognizing any of the tunes nor the lyrics. However, the live rock band and the powerful vocalists performing this metallic music created a loud, vibrant wall of sound that really enveloped every corner of the entire Doreen Black Box theater. This music was so strong it held everyone in the audience entranced and focused on the stage.

Lyrics notwithstanding, we do get the general run of the story, thanks to the context clues of Nelsito Gomez's direction, as well as clues from the acting of the cast -- Joseton Vergel de Dios as Faust, Maita Ponce as Mephistopheles, Shaira Opsimar as Marga, the country lass he fell in love with, Joshua Cabiladas as her brother Tiño, and Matel Patayon as Tiño's wife, with the ensemble MC Dela Cruz, Jam Binay, JV Fulgencio, Thor Ganchero, and Iya Villanueva. 

The two leads -- Joseton Vergel de Dios and Maita Ponce -- were both new to me, but what exciting revelations they were as actors and rock singers. There may have been hints here and there that he was a stage neophyte, Vergel de Dios was naturally charismatic as the young, vital post-transformation Faust. Ponce was an electrifying stage presence with the spunk, confidence and rock-star attitude required for the deceitful Mephistopheles role. 

They had quite a number of duets throughout the show, and they sure can wail them out. The most remarkable of them all was "I.O.U" in the second act, when Mephistopheles ("I own you") was collecting on Faust's debt ("I owe you"). It would not be a stretch to imagine that this was the song that gave Nelsito Gomez the idea to utilize Wolfgang songs to tell the story of Faust. The sheer coincidence of the lyrical contents was just too fortuitous to ignore. 

Shaira Opsimar is the best known vocal powerhouse of the cast for me. She had recently won the Gawad Buhay award for Best Lead Actress in a musical for PETA's "Walang Aray." Here she actually went beyond the sweet and smooth musical theater belting she is known for, taking a risk to nail a grittier growling rock-style belting, especially in her deeply despondent emotional interpretation of her final climactic song "Halik ni Hudas." 

I've seen Joshua Cabiladas in a number of musicals before, from "Ako si Josephine" (Cornerstone, 2016) to "Side Show" (Sandbox, 2025). The two songs here are the toughest singing vocals I've heard him do so far -- "Sandata" and "Tulisan." I first saw Matel Patayon onstage in "Grace" (Encore, 2024) in a small, non-singing role. When she started to sing "Mata ng Diyos" with Opsimar, her singing voice turned out to be so solid and rich.

Sarah Facuri's set was a huge rectangular backdrop which had various moving panels opening and closing to change the look of the stage. Jethro Nibaten opened the show with a lighting design representing Heaven, then going through various hues in between, and ending with a deep shade of red to represent Hell. Joyce Garcia's video and projection design filled up the blank slate of Facuri's wall, at times with images of the actors themselves. 

Incredibly, this show was totally sung through, with no spoken dialogue. The entire story was only being told by the lyrics of the songs. If you don't know the lyrics or do not understand the words as sung live, you may not fully get how well the details were being told by the lyrics in specific parts of the show. Then again, nitpicking the lyrics isn't really the point. This immersive show is more about experiencing the hard rocking music and electric performances as a whole. Allow yourself to be absorbed in. 

Opsimar, Ponce, Dela Cruz, Vergel de Dios, Cabiladas at the curtain call

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"Si Faust" runs from November 14 to 23, 2025 at the Doreen Black Box Theater of the Arete in the Ateneo de Manila campus in Quezon City. Play runs about 1 hour and 40 minutes, with a 15 minute intermission. Ticket prices at 1,999 and P999 via Helixpay (LINK). 

Because I arrived a little late, I was given the last seat on what seemed to be the final row of the Premium seats near the theater door. These seats seemed to be all on the same level, so the view from the back is blocked by the heads of the people seated in front. I can see actors fine when they were standing up. However, when they were crouched, sitting or lying on the floor, we could barely see any action at all, which was a pity. 

DUP: Review of PARA KAY TONY: TUNGO SA GININTUANG ALAALA: Justifying Justice

November 15, 2025

Dulaang Unibersidad ng Pilipinas (or Dulaang UP) was founded by Prof. Antonio "Tony" Mabesa in 1976. Next year 2026 is already its 50th anniversary, so they are already building up to that milestone celebration with this current season. For the first offering of its 48th Season (DUP was set back one season becausw of the pandemic), they pay tribute to Sir Tony by staging a twin-bill of two hour-long one-act plays, both of which tackled stories about the bane of oppressive authority. 

The first play is "Kalahating Oras sa Isang Kumbento" written in 1934 by the playwright for whom the main theater of Dulaang UP at Palma Hall was named after -- Wilfrido Ma. Guerrero. They used the Filipino translation by Lilia F. Antonio. It was first staged by the UP Dramatics Club (precursor of DUP) way back January 15, 1938. This new staging was directed by UP Theatre Arts student Lloyd Sarmiento Uy, guided by his mentor-director Erika Estacio. 

A troubled teenage student Yolanda was called to report to the the office of the Mother Superior. She was being expelling for disruptive conduct unbecoming of a student of her school. The older nun would not budge on her decision anymore whatever Yolanda said. A more compassionate younger nun Sister Vitalis was trying to argue on Yolanda's behalf, but the senior nun had already called Yolanda's father to pick her up. 

Sheryll Ceasico 

as the intimidating Madre Superyora

The atmosphere of this play was so tense so that the whole audience was held rapt in full attention, hanging on to every word spoken by the women onstage. Rona Lynne captured Yolanda's confusion and inner conflicts.  Sheryll Ceasico played Mother Superior with unforgiving narrow-minded conservatism. Paulyn Abando exuded kindness as Sister Vitalis, while Gena Suelto projected carelessness as Sister Teresa.

After a 10-minute intermission, the setting was a fiesta.  Two actors (Francheska Andaya and Akin Cullarin) came out to teach the audience how to sing a couple of verses of a song that they will ask us to sing during the show. There was a five-piece band there to play the musical score and songs live.  While the first play only had the stage lit up with audience area pitch dark, this second had all the house lights on brightly the whole time. 

The second play is "May Katwiran ang Katwiran," written by National Artist for Literature and Theater Rolando Tinio in 1972. This current first-ever staging by DUP is directed by UP Theatre Arts student MJ Briones, with mentor-director Charles Yee. The stage represented the various settings of the story as Senyor and his Kasama make their way to the other side of the mountain. They start from the town proper, to the middle of the sea, and finally, in the middle to a forest where bandits roam. 

Daniel Duplon and Kerr Allen

as Kasama and Senyor

En route, Senyor and Kasama would discuss before making important decisions, like how to share their food rations, how to survive a sinking raft, and how to avoid getting the attention of bandits. Even if the approach was comedy, this play was tackling an important concept of social justice. When life and death decisions were being made in society, rules were invariably be defined by the rich to favor the rich, leaving the poor to accept scraps.

Kerr Allen, with his fair skin and mestizo looks, was perfectly cast as the wily Senyor. On the other hand, Daniel Duplon deglamorized himself with unkempt hair and a slouch to make a convincing Kasama. The dynamic interaction between these two went back and forth for more than 15 acts, each time demonstrating how social justice swung unfairly. Every line was witty yet thought-provoking, steadily building-up until it reached a suspenseful climax, with the ensemble Andaya, Cullarin, Pat Ebro, Camille Fabian and Julianne Quimio as bandits.  

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"Para Kay Tony: Tungo sa Ginintuang Alaala" runs from November 14 to 30, 2025 at the IBG-KAL Theater, UP Diliman, Quezon City. Regular tickets cost P1000 via Ticketmelon (LINK), or via Google Form (LINK). 

TP: Review of GREGORIA LAKAMBINI: A PINAY POP MUSICAL: A Heady Her-story

November 14, 2025

We know Gregoria "Oryang" de Jesus as the wife of Andres Bonifacio. But beyond that, we do not know much about her anymore. To remedy this, November 2025 seems to be Gregoria de Jesus memorial month. The film "Lakambini: Gregoria de Jesus" by Arjanmar Rebeta opened last November 5. And now, just one week later, "Gregoria Lakambini," a new stage musical by Tanghalang Pilipino opens tonight at the Tanghalang Ignacio Gimenez, CCP Complex.  

Both film and stage musical touch basically the same highlights of Oryang's life -- her parents' dislike of Andres, her letter of appeal to the gobernadorcillo, their Katipunan wedding, the Tejeros Convention, Agapito Bonzon, Bonifacio's arrest and execution, Julio Nakpil. However, the musical added segments about how Oryang first met Andres at Teatro Porvenir, Oryang's only son Juan Nakpil, and her last encounter with Emilio Aguinaldo. 

Even if the topics were the same, the treatment of the material was definitely different. The title of this new production proudly announces that it is "A Pinay Pop Musical." and this subtitle immediately brings up a host of exciting expectations about the show. P-pop is the latest phase in the evolution of Original Pilipino Music in the 2020s among the Gen Z. These catchy pop songs have elements of dance, rap and ballads, heavily influenced by the distinctive style of South Korean and Japanese pop idol groups. 

Marynor Madamesila takes her bow

Marynor Madamesila plays the title role of Gregoria de Jesus. Madamesila has steadily been building up her name in the theater industry, recently just playing joint leads in PETA's "Walang Aray," Full House's "Buruguduy..." and Sandbox Collective's "Side Show." However, this solo lead role may just be her biggest breakthrough. She had songs that ranged from subtle melisma to power belting, as well as rapid rapping. She was always at the center of every group dance number and she can certainly nail those complex steps. 

The other six actresses in the cast can all sing, dance and act just as well. They form the Ensemble portraying all the other roles of either gender, as well as the Greek chorus who broke the fourth wall and provided comic commentary along the way. They all get to play one main supporting character: Anya Evangelista as dashing Andres Bonifacio, Sarah Monay as Gregoria's stern father Nicolas, Murline Uddin as lascivious Agapito Banzon, Sofia Sacaguing as earnesr Julio Nakpil, Ynna Rafa as idealistic Juan Nakpil and audience favorite Heart Puyong as jaded Emilio Aguinaldo.  

The triple-threat Ensemble

The book of the musical is by Nicanor Tiongson and Eljay Castro Deldoc, with music by Nica del Rosario and Matthew Chang, arranged by Flip Music Productions. Stage direction is by Delphine Buencamino, who also co-choreographed those fun energetic dances with Jan Matthew Almodovar.  Mark Lorenz designed the set, Earvin Estioco the lighting, JM Jimenez the projections, and Arvy Dimaculangan the sound. Sabrina Basilio was the dramaturg.

The most striking aspect of this production are costume designs of Marco Viana. The cast wore avant-garde costumes fusing period Filipiniana with street punk and cowboy-Western accents. Various little accessories were added to the basic costumes for the actress to transform them from one character to another. Hat color distinguished the members of opposite factions. While looking artistically creative, they also had to be durable and flexible to withstand the dynamic dance moves that the cast had to execute. 

The talented cast and crew

"Gregoria Lakambini: A Pinay Pop Musical" is the only new production in Tanghalang Pilipino's 39th season lineup, previous hit productions "Pingkian: Isang Musikal" and "Mabining Mandirigma: A Steampunk Musical" being the other two -- all about the thoughts and actions of heroes who ignited the Philippine Revolution. By using the current style of P-Pop music, this show's message of nationalism and woman empowerment is specifically targeted to Generation Z. With songs so catchy and dances so fun, this show can definitely do the job. 

It was only their first show that I watched so there were still some notes going astray and some jokes going flat. Nevertheless, the 2-hour show (with no intermission) was very entertaining overall, and the energy of the seven ladies never sagged a bit even if they were all practically onstage the whole time. The lustful cheers, boisterous laughter and hearty applause of the audience during and after the show were proof positive of their successful connection. 

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"Gregoria Lakambini: A Pinay Pop Musical" runs from November 14 to December 14, 2025 at the Teatro Ignacio Gimenez, CCP Complex. Get your tickets via Ticketworld (LINK), Ticket2Me (LINK) or by direct selling (LINK). Ticket prices: VIP P2,000 and Regular P1,800. 

Full House: Review of SHREK THE MUSICAL (2025): Odyssey of an Ogre

November 7, 2025

Lord Farquaad (Alfredo Reyes) hated fairytale creatures, so he banished them away from the kingdom of Duloc. They camped out in a nasty swamp, which turned out to be the residence of a scary green ogre named Shrek (Jamie Wilson). To get his house back, Shrek struck a deal with Farquaad to find and rescue his dream wife Princess Fiona (Krystal Kane) from the tower guarded by a dragon where she had been locked in since her childhood. 

This musical written by David Lindsay-Abaire with music by Jeanine Tesori was adapted from the 1990 children's book "Shrek!" by William Steig, as well as the 2001 Dreamworks animated feature film "Shrek" (2001). This film version, with voices by Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy and Cameron Diaz, was a well-loved box-office hit that had since spawned its own film franchise of four films, now with a fifth one currently in production planned for a 2027 release. 

The first time "Shrek the Musical" was staged locally was back in 2014 by Atlantis Theatrical Production under the direction of the late Bobby Garcia. I was able to watch this show with my whole family at the Meralco Theater, and we enjoyed it very much (MY REVIEW).  Franz Imperial led the cast as Shrek, Sheila Valderrama-Martinez as Fiona, Nyoy Volante as Donkey, Carla Guevara-Laforteza as Dragon, and Jett Pangan as Farquaad. 

Most people who will watch this musical are already familiar with the story, so the magic lay in how this story will unfold onstage. The stage of the Newport Performing Arts Theater is very expansive, so the stage director will have to know how to "think big". With the last three enormous Full House productions -- "Ang Huling El Bimbo" (2018), "Buruguduy..." (2024), and "Delia D." (2025) -- in his resume, director Dexter Santos is certainly the man for this job.

In cooperation with his talented crew, Santos really knew how to fill that huge stage up with colorful spectacle. The main sets were Shrek's swampy abode deep in the forest to Lord Farquaad's grand palace in the city.  However, the main highlight set piece was Dragon herself, executed as a gigantic puppet which totally dominated the stage when she's on -- whether lurking in her dark lair, or breaking through stained glass of the cathedral.

Santos also used the audience area itself to involve the viewers more into the fairy tale action more. There was one long scene when Shrek and Donkey made their way through the audience, engaging with kids along the way. They were joined by dancers carrying lit-up giant sunflowers, as well as forest animals (rendered via moving puppets a la "The Lion King"), plus a cameo appearance by a future adjacent character Puss in Boots. 

The costume designer and the make-up artists also had the challenge to make these very well-known animated characters come to life convincingly. Shrek had a whole head and face mask and fat body suit. Fiona had her green dress and red braids, but also an ogre nose and hands when the time comes. Donkey wore a furry body suit with wide hips and jaunty long ears. Farquaad's costume had to create the illusion those tiny legs of his can actually move. 

With his expressive voice and body, Jamie Wilson was able to bring out Shrek's kind heart even we cannot see his actual face. Krystal Kane nailed those long high notes of Fiona's songs, as well as the quick changes she required. Even without a snout, Topper Fabregas imbued his delightful Donkey with a cute bouncy gait and a sharp sassy attitude. 

Kneeling to play Farquaad must have been physically punishing for Alfredo (formerly known as Bibo) Reyes, but we do not see any of that with his gleeful portrayal of cartoonish villainy. Having played alien plant monster Audrey II before in "Little Shop of Horrors" surely helped vocal powerhouse Julia Serad portray another larger-than-life creature -- the Dragon. 

The original songs are mostly sprightly and fun, with catchy melodies, even if there was no clear memorable stand out that will stick. Theater kids will recognize iconic bits from other Broadway musicals like "Wicked" and "Dreamgirls" incorporated into some songs, and cheer. For the finale, the whole cast sang The Monkee's 1966 #1 hit "I'm a Believer" as Shrek and Fiona's wedding song, and surely that tune will have you merrily humming it all the way home.

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"Shrek the Musical" runs from October 31 to December 13, 2025 at the Newport Performing Arts Theater . Tickets are available at Ticketworld, Newport World Resorts Box Office, and Helixpay: P4,500 (SVIP), P4,000 (VIP), P3,000 (Gold), P2,000 (Silver), and P1,500 (Bronze).