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.
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.
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).
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