Review of PILATO: A Troubling Truth to Tell

April 5, 2024

Poncio Pilato (Jerome Ferguson) was assigned to Judaea as its new Roman prefect. His wife Procla (Christy Lagapa) was very supportive of his ambition to leave a significant legacy. A Jewish historian Josepo (Onyl Torres) has been commissioned to record his rule. When Pilato placed monuments with Caesar's face in Jerusalem and then used temple funds for his aqueduct project, he caught the ire of Caiaphas (Jeremy Manite), high priest of the Sanhedrin. 

Act 1 chronicling Pilato's rise to power in Judaea ran for about 1-1/2 hours long. This part of the story will be new for most viewers (including me), as writer-director Eldrin Veloso distilled his extensive research into Pilate's largely apocryphal history into his Filipino languae script and lyrics. The start may be rather confusing as we met Pilato's father (Robert Macaraeg) and Emperor Tiberius's rep Sejanus (Thor Ganchero), but we do get the drift soon enough. 

An interesting part of Act 1 was the scene where they gave us a peek into the debates in the Sanhedrin, as Pharisees and Sadducees  (Mika Espinosa, VJ Cortel, Julia Panlilio) argue over laws applicable to the cases at hand. We also meet Nicodemus (Darwin Lomentigar) and hear his more liberal views. However if the production will decide to streamline the play in future stagings, this is likely the part which may be cut out without affecting the run of the story.

Hesus (Noel Rayos) will not come out until Act 2, which also lasted 1-1/2 hours long. It opens with His triumphant entry into Jerusalem greeted with palm leaves.  We see all the key events -- the Last Supper, the kiss of betrayal, the release of Barrabas on Pesach (or Passover), the trial with Herod Antipas (also Thor Ganchero), Pilate washing his hands, the Crucifixion and the sign above His head. We Christians already know this part of the story like the back of their hands, but I still feel that most of us watched this show only expecting to see this part of the story. 

An interesting part of Act 2 was when Pilato's three sidekicks -- Publius (Marit Samson), Decimus (Chan Rabutazo) and Marcus (Ard Lim) -- give their analysis of a tense meeting between Pilato and Herod Antipas. This was one of the rare humorous scenes of the whole play, as the three make witty side comments as they decode the hidden double-talk meaning of each and every statement made by the two politicians. (Before the show, we already heard Marit Samson warning that rule violators will be punished by flogging.)   

Jerome Ferguson certainly looked the part of Pilate, with his patrician looks and how he rocked a toga. However, his performance of Pilate as an ambitious governor with a streak of violence was not consistent. Ferguson had some uneven moments when it felt like he slipped out of character. This was perhaps because of the way this character was written to be an enigma, as there was barely any record about him before and after his time in Judaea. 

For me, the best total performance of the show was given by Noel Rayos for his emotionally and physically pitch perfect portrayal of Hesus. Even if the central character of this play was supposed to be Pontius Pilate, it cannot be denied that Jesus Christ still dominated this story. From the moment Rayos entered the stage through the doorway of the temple at the start of Act 2, he fully embodied the image of Jesus as leader, teacher and sacrifice. 

The best singers in the cast were: Jeremy Manite, whose soaring tenor lifted his Caiaphas over everyone else; Christy Lagapa, whose Procia can belt like any of the best power-divas; and Onyl Torres, whose vocals were solid throughout as he sang his lengthy wordy narrative songs. The rest of the ensemble include: Hiro delos Reyes, Misha Fabian, Francel Go, Harrah Casey, Cynthia J. Santos, Jason Chan -- all showing potential to be triple threats. 

The original songs with music by Yanni Robeniol and lyrics by Eldrin Veloso, had appropriate solemnity, yet the melodies were catchy and had some pretty complex choral arrangements. I'd listen to the whole soundtrack on Spotify if they uploaded them, to better appreciate the lyrics. The lighting design of Ian Torqueza worked very well to enhance the Tsard Chua set, as well as build up the drama of the emotional scenes, particularly those of Hesus. With a few tweaks here and there, this show could be a Lenten stage staple for years to come. 

The point of the play was precisely about the accuracy with which Pilate's history had been written. Among Christians, he was mentioned by name in the Apostles' Creed as the man who made Jesus suffer, as recorded in all four Gospels.  He believed Jesus had done nothing wrong, but he bowed to the pressure of the Jewish mob. Presently there are Orthodox Churches who even consider Pilate a saint because this disinclination to pass sentence. As Pilate himself asked Jesus in John 18:38, "What is truth?" Such is the question of any history.

Rebutazo, Manite, Torres, Ferguson, Lagapa and Rayos

lead the ensemble at the curtain call

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"Pilato" runs at the PETA Theater Center from April 4 to 13, 2025. Ticket prices are as follows: P2,200 (VIP), P2,000 (Orchestra Center), P1,500 (Orchestra Side and Lower Balcony Center), P1,200 (Lower Balcony Side and Upper Balcony Center) and P1,000 (Upper Balcony Side). To buy tickets, please click on this LINK.  

9 Works: Review of LIWANAG SA DILIM: Twisting and Turning in Time

March 30, 2025

In 2025, young NGO worker Elesi (Khalil Ramos) became an orphan again. His adoptive parents passed away within a year of each other. Elesi received two things which he had with him when he was adopted. One was a necklace with a distinct pendant. The other was a handheld spinning toy. Elesi soon realized that he can actually travel back and forth in time      whenever he would press the green button on this toy. 

In one of his trips back in history, Elesi found himself in the 1880s in Manila. He met Cris (Vien King), a gentleman who just came home from studying in Europe. For more ease, Cris and his fiancee Clara (Alexa Ilacad) called Elesi as Elias. Cris was busy building a school in his community, while seeking justice from a powerful person who had disrespected his father. One day, a bad accident at the construction of Cris's school put all his plans in jeopardy.

This new production staged by 9 Works Theatricals is another jukebox musical, this time using the songs written by Rico Blanco for himself and for his previous band, Rivermaya.  As you can probably surmise from the synopsis above, the book written by director Robbie Guevara was based on a certain famous Philippine novel, at least the first act. However, on the second act that Guevara totally went off page to whip up new surprises for all the characters.

Musical director Daniel Bartolome had the meticulous task of picking which Rico Blanco songs and which parts of these songs to stitch into the book to move the story forward. "Hinahanap-hanap Kita" and "Umaaraw, Umuulan" were recurrent themes. "Kisapmata" was a heartbreaking moment for a neglected lover. "Himala" was an answered prayer for a distressed mother. "Balisong" became a gothic incantation of lust by a creep. 

The cast acknowledges the live band above them.

Now 1-1/2 years after his theater debut in "Tick Tick Boom!" also with 9 Works, Khalil Ramos still stunned his audiences with his acting skills, as well as his singing range as he belted out his difficult songs. Elesi's name was obviously chosen because of the song with the same title. However, the part how the song was integrated in the story was very well-written. Ramos' rendition of "Elesi," "Ulan," "241" and especially "214" were memorably emotional, as his "Your Universe" and "You'll Be Safe Here" were romantic. (Anthony Rosaldo alternates as Elesi.)

Vien King struck a noble stance and strong tenor vocals as hot-headed heroic figure, Cris. He gets to lead the singing of patriotic songs, "Isang Bandila," Panahon Na Naman," "Yugto," "Posible," "Alab ng Puso," and the title song "Liwanag sa Dilim." Like her Julia in "Walang Aray," Alexa Ilacad's Clara, delightful in her fast pick up of Gen Z English slang, was hopelessly in love with her man, but she also aspired for agency for women like her.  (CJ Novato and Nicole Omillo alternate as Cris and Clara.)

Arnel Carrion, with his height and classic Hispanic visage, looked perfect to play the most reviled villain in Philippine literature. However, the only solo he got to sing was "Chismis," in a comedic number that felt forced in. On the other hand, Boo Gabunada and his huge curly pigtails, played the sleazy shadowy second villain to the hilt. For "Faithless," he was given a full production number bathed in eerie red light, with a chorus of evil nuns behind him. 

Neomi Gonzales played Nanay, a woman whose husband was a useless drunkard and gambler. She thought the safest place for her two young sons (Prince Espana and Elian Santos) was at the church as altar servers. However, she suffered overwhelming misfortune and abuse that drove her mad. Unlike her past roles, Gonzales had no comic relief at all in this tragic role. She cannot even afford to smile. (Rita Daniela alternates as Nanay. Clave Sun and Gian Sarita alternate as her sons.) 

The rest of the cast include Jon Abella, Raul Montesa, Rica Laguardia, Lani Ligot, and Jasper John Jimenez, Brianna Bunagan, Iya Villanueva, Lucylle Tan and Denzel Chang. The male swings are Paji Arceo and Mark Tayag. The female swings are Chez Cuenca and Fay Castro.

The scenography of Mio Infante was one of the most stunning aspects of this show. The time-travel theme required backdrop quick-changes which were executed well with the actors, as Elesi went from high-rise condominium to the balcony of Clara's house to the inner sanctum of a convent (even to a close encounter with a T-rex) with a mere click of a button. The live band played on an elevated platform above the main stage, obscured by a translucent screen.

This show was certainly an ambitious undertaking by 9 Works Theatricals. The running time of 2 hours and 45 minutes is formidable, in spite of the 15 minute intermission. Perhaps the script could use some streamlining for future stagings, especially for Act 1 since its events are already familiar to most viewers. Appreciation of the parody aspects of Act 2 may depend on the sensitivities of the viewers, since it subverts a supposedly virtuous martyr character. I did like the way that the ending set up for a possible sequel, perhaps with music of another band.

The Cast at the Curtain Call 

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"Liwanag sa Dilim: The Musical" was originally running from March 7 up to April 13, 2025 only,  at the Carlos P. Romulo Auditorium, RCBC Plaza, Makati. However, it has been announced that its run will be extended to resume after Holy Week for two more weekends, continuing up to May 3, 2025. 

Ticket prices range from P3900 (Orchestra Center Premium), P3,700 (Orchestra Center, Loge Center), P3,500 (Orchestra Center Front), P3,600 (Orchestra Side), P3,400 (Orchestra Side Zone 2, Loge Side, Loge Back), and P2,00 (Balcony) -- available via Ticket2Me via this LINK.

Dulaang UP: Review of MGA ANAK NG UNOS: Crucial Colloquies on the Climate Crisis

March 28, 2025

SA GITNA NG DIGMAAN NG MGA MAHIWAGANG NILALANG LABAN SA SANGKATAUHAN

Playwright: Joshua Lim So

Director: José Estrella

Angered by the destruction caused by miners, a powerful deity with ten heads Dadanhayan Ha Sugay (Jasper John) commanded the rain, lightning and thunder to punish them. The torrential rainfall from this strong storm caused a major landslide on a mountainside. A tamaraw named Tanya was trapped in the heavy mud. Another deity dressed in red Abunnawas (Tristan Bite) tried to pull the poor animal out, but he could not do it himself. 

The point of this hour-long play seemed simple enough. Mother Nature and its indigenous gods cannot save the creatures of the world from the destruction inflicted by greedy, uncaring humans. They need other responsible humans to step up and act, in order to get the healing process up and running. Unfortunately, I felt there were too many supernatural characters in the mix that made the play feel unnecessarily long and complex. Unfamiliarity with the multi-regional mythologies Lim So used made the story hard to follow at first. 

CLIMATE IN CRAZIES

Devised from the play "Scenes from the Climate Era" by David Finnigan

Directors: Issa Manalo Lopez, Tess Jamias

This play was a energetic series of vignettes about various aspects of climate change and how this phenomenon affected ordinary people all over the world. The directors and the cast devised the play "Scenes from the Climate Era" by Australian playwright David Finnigan and made its situations more relatable to a Filipino audience. Through its runtime of a little over one hour, the episodes ranged from comical slapstick to dead serious, and thought-provoking all throughout.

The four versatile main actors -- Delphine Buencamino, Bong Cabrera, Herbie Go and Ethan King -- played various characters, doing anything from roller-blading to speaking Mandarin. There were scenes about the impact of having children on the environment, the hidden dangers of using plastic vs. paper bags, and seeming futility of composting and recycling. They talked about losing a sense of the future because they felt that everything they did would hurt the planet, using terms like "eco-anxiety" or "climate distress."

They educate us about important events in the history of the climate change issue, from the first Earth Summit in Rio in 1992 to the fate of the Kyoto Protocol of 1997 under Clinton.  They discuss the bad consequences of eating takeout, online shopping or polyester fashion. They enumerate animals which had recently gone extinct. The most alarming scenes were those that describe how the rising heat can adversely affect air travel and current geography.

Adding a uniquely Filipino touch to the play was presence of the local mythical character of Mebuyan (MJ Briones). In Bagobo culture, she was a goddess with multiple breasts to provide milk to dead babies. In the context of this play, Mebuyan represented Mother Earth herself, whose body is already wrapped up in trash bags. She acted as conscience and Greek chorus in this play, singing about how Philippine politicians targeted environmental activists.

We are currently in a climate era, and it is only just beginning. There may be renewable sources of energy now, but with current attitudes, they may not be sustainable for long. The ending sequence was a powerful and disturbing montage of futuristic disasters around the world brought about by the critical global warming. Optimism and hope are among the stages of dealing with climate change, but definitive action is urgently needed now.  

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"Mga Anak ng Unos" runs at the IBG-KAL Theater, University of the Philippines Diliman, from March 28 to April 13, 2025. There are 7;30 pm shows every Friday and Saturday. 2:30 pm matinees on Saturdays and Sundays, and 10:30 am shows every Sunday. The show runs for a total of 2-1/2 hours, with a 15 minute intermission between to the two short plays. You can buy your tickets via this LINK. Tickets cost P1000 for regular, and P650 for UP students.  

Review of PARA KAY B: A Writer's Way with Words

March 22, 2025

When author Lucas was writing his anthology of short stories about women, he believed that love had a quota, not all love stories will succeed. Irene was averse to boys whose names began with a J. Sandra regularly spent time going to Room 23 of a motel. Erica was an online endorser from a place where the residents have forgotten how to love. Ester was a widow whose only memento of her greatest love was a photocopied photograph. 

His fifth story was about Bessie, who was an aspiring actress. Even if she was a loud, talkative extrovert in contrast to Lucas's quiet, withdrawn introvert, she was Lucas's inspiration in writing this set of stories. She was the B in the title of the book, as Lucas was dedicating his stories to her. However, she still cavorted with a politician's son Brigs and the two played a very cruel prank on Lucas. Lucas was very hurt, such that her story was left unresolved.

Ever-reliable Nicco Manalo underplays Lucas to give the five women protagonists of his stories their respective spotlight. Ava Santos's Bessie was loud, bold and brazen. Martha Comia shared her Irene's astounding photographic memory to her impressive line delivery.  Matel Patayon's Sandra (alternate Sarah Garcia) told the most unsettling taboo story. Via Antonio's Erica (alternate Yesh Burce) was outrageously humorous as expected. The arc of Olive Nieto's Ester (alternate Liza Dino) played more smoothly these days than 20 years ago. 

Esteban Mara (alternate Vincent Pajara) was the old friend Jordan Irene was looking for. Gino Ramirez played Lupe, Sandra's playmate in the warehouse. Gold Aceron (alternate AJ Benoza) played Ester's gay son AJ, while Kath Castillo played Ester's former maid Sarah. Jay Gonzaga played both Erica's chiseled beau Jake, as well as Bessie's violent hot-head Brigs. Divine Aucina played Jake's mother Mrs. Baylon and the wife of San Ildefonso's mayor. Aldo Vencilao played Lucas's writing mentor Pio, as well as Sandra's and Sarah's husbands.

This play was adapted by playwright Eljay Castro Deldoc from a 2008 best-selling book by National Artist Ricky Lee. Deldoc's process of stage adaptation started in 2011 and he would continue to evolve it every time it was restaged, including this present updated one. Deldoc was able to distill all the six chapters of the book to essentials, with some difficult topics and hints of politics. Director Yong Tapang, Jr. weaved it into a most entertaining whole, even if this current iteration of the play runs for a hefty 2-1/2 hours, with a 10 minute intermission.

The active interaction between a male author and his female characters (including his muse) is a very interesting premise. The women want agency over their own stories. They did not want an open ending that made their fates uncertain. They can even interrupt the writer during the time that he was still telling their stories. This meta approach gives us a hint on how Ricky Lee worked as a writer, metaphorically allowing his characters to critique how he wrote about them. Deldoc's script and Tapang's vision truly made this stage version very engaging to watch.  

The whole cast at the curtain call

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"Para Kay B" is a production by the LA Production House and Fire & Ice Live. It runs from March 14 to 30, 2025 at the Doreen Black Box Theater of the Arete in the Ateneo de Manila University. Tickets run from P2,500, P2,000 and P1,800, via Ticket2Me. 

Idea First: Review of ANINO SA LIKOD NG BUWAN (Regular Run): Steeped in Sensual Strategy

March 15, 2025

It was the year 1993. Peasant Nardo and his wife Emma were driven out of their village when it was attacked by the rebels. They became close friends with Joel, a soldier who helped them settle in this new community. One year after they met, on one night with an eclipse, Joel visited their shack to bring them some food, and also to play cards with them. However, when Nardo had to go fetch water at the well, Joel and Emma had other plans in mind. 

I first knew of this Jun Robles Lana work as a film that he both wrote and directed. The film was noted for its remarkable camera work as it followed the three main characters in one long continuous take in and around a small hut furnished only with a dining table and a bed, which notoriously included a 15-minute long sex scene. It starred Luis Alandy as Joel, Anthony Falcon as Nardo, and LJ Reyes, who won the Urian for Best Actress, as Emma. (MY REVIEW)

It turned out that this material was actually first written as a one-act play in 1993, when Lana was only 20 years old. It won first place in the Bulwagang Gantimpala playwrighting contest back then. When Idea First decided to venture into producing theater plays, it seemed natural that "Anino sa Likod ng Buwan" was their first choice. However, Lana decided to have someone else direct the project, a job which went to seasoned director Tuxqs Rutaquio. 

The first time I watched this play was a "stripped-down" press preview show held last February 9 at the Arete in Ateneo. That show starred the main cast of this run, namely Martin del Rosario as Joel, Ross Pesigan as Nardo and Elora Espano as Emma. The second time I watched was today during the regular run at the PETA Theater, starring the understudies, namely Edward Benosa as Joel, Vincent Pajara as Nardo and Denise Esteban as Emma. 

Del Rosario, Espano, Pesigan

at their curtain call

At the Arete, director Rutaquio's set design consisted of a hut with a small dining table and a bed, a small closet, and a doorway. There were three columns at the back where shadowy trees were projected to represent the forest outside the house. The lighting design of John Batalla and the sound design of TJ Ramos complete the atmosphere of tension and dread. The show felt long, running for about 2 hours without an intermission.

Elora Espano and Ross Pesigan are veteran theater actors whose stage experience started in their student days in UP Diliman. Also very daring in her indie films, Espano captured the passionate fervor and mental alertness of Emma as she engaged in dangerous games. Pesigan imbued Nardo with an obfuscating air of blankness that may be interpreted as folly on one side, or cold-bloodedness on the other extreme.   

Movie and TV star Martin del Rosario is making his first foray on the legitimate stage with this play, and what an auspicious debut this was! Unlike other neophytes, del Rosario delivered Joel's kilometric lines with confidence and energy, giving them a 100% emotional wallop. He was very comfortable with his body even during sensual scenes in various stages of undress. He was never self-conscious, as if he had been doing stage work for years.  

Benosa, Esteban, Pajara

at their curtain call

At the PETA, the set was basically the same house and its furnishings we saw at the Arete, enhanced by more red lighting and more eerie sound effects. However, this time the three trees at the back of the house were huge three-dimensional tree replicas with thick roots. There was an area on stage where Emma would use real water to take a bath. This time around, the play felt brisker and more streamlined as expected, lasting only 1 hour 45 minutes without a break.

I had seen Vincent Pajara act on stage several times before, from "Ang Nawalang Kapatid" (2014) to "Sakuntala" (2017), to "Dekada 70" (2020). His Nardo felt more mature and confident, not a wimpy cuckold at all. Edward Benosa's voice sounded a bit hoarse, but he was still able to deliver convincingly as Joel, with his hefty build exuding swagger and sensuality. He just tended to have unnatural hand gestures which can be distracting. 

The biggest revelation here was VMX star Denise Esteban, who was also on her debut as a stage actress -- and what a difficult role she got right off the bat. During this regular run, there was actual back side nudity from Emma right from her very first scene bathing, then she got more daring during the sex scenes. Esteban's Emma really got the audience reacting during her scenes as we heard audible gasps and whispers with many of her explosive lines. 

The sex scenes during the regular run looked more graphic, but carefully blocked. However, more than these steamy moments, it was really still the complex, convoluted plotting of the story, and those lengthy, well-written arguments and counter-arguments about marital morality, or military-rebel conflicts, that held us rapt in attention throughout the play, until that intense final act. Watching it a second time around was even better. 

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Idea First Live's production of Jun Lana's "Anino sa Likod ng Buwan" runs from March 1 to 23, 2025 at the PETA Theater Center in Quezon City. Ticket prices range from P2464 (Orchestra VIP Cushioned), P2240 (Orchestra Center, Balcony Center), P2016 (Orchestra Side) and P1120 (Balcony Side). The playbill is for sale at the lobby at the price of P500. This contains the whole script for you to savor at your own time.  

TP: Review of KISAPMATA: Horrific House

March 8, 2025

Ex-policeman Dadong (Jonathan Tadioan) ran his household located in Zapote Street like a tight ship. He led with an iron hand to enforce his own set of strict unconventional rules that he came up with. His wife Dely (Lhorvie Nuevo) was already numbed to all the years of physical, sexual and psychological abuse under him. She was content to just followed him blindly, whatever he asked her to do, no matter how irrational it was.  

Their only daughter Mila (Toni Go) was preparing to take the medical board exam, when she suddenly started having morning sickness. It was only then that she told her parents that she already had a boyfriend, a doctor named Noel (Marco Viana), and they wanted to get married.  Dadong agreed, but on the condition that Noel paid a prohibitive dowry, and, using Dely's delicate condition as an excuse, that they won't move out. 

The original "Kisapmata" was a 1981 film directed by Mike de Leon. De Leon also co-wrote it along with Clodualdo del Mundo Jr. and Raquel Villavicencio, based on a true-to-life crime story entitled "The House on Zapote Street" written by Nick Joaquin. Starring Vic Silayan, Charo Santos, Jay Ilagan, and Charito Solis, it swept the awards at the 7th MMFF where it premiered, and is now recognized as one of the best Filipino films ever made. 

People who had watched this original film before would be very well aware of the twisted nature of the story. Luarca's adaptation made things more eerie by making mother Dely as the narrator, as well as some sort of color commentator inserting her own ominous remarks while the other characters were talking. We barely had a chance to breathe as this intensely gripping play ran straight for a squeamish hour and half without an intermission. 

The quartet playing the four main characters were none other than the senior members of Tanghalang Pilipino's Actors' Studio -- Tadioan, Nuevo, Go and Viana. As expected, each of them gave memorable performances which will surely be recognized for awards by year's end, thereby adding for the other awards they've won before. As early as now, the award for Ensemble Acting in a Play seems to be in the bag already, if only for their mental stress of playing these damaged characters live on stage multiple times 

Tadioan's imposing bodily heft looked intimidating even if he was just silently standing around with his sinister scowl. He affected this wheezy voice that made his Dadong more creepy, truly a devil incarnate. Nuevo's physical demonstrations of abuse and haunting whispery voice were disturbing to watch and listen to.  Go's Mila was the poster-girl of Stockholm Syndrome, caught between filial loyalty and self-happiness. Viana's Noel was like an animal desperate to free himself from the trap he unwittingly got caught in. 

The raised green stage was generally empty with only two boxes up there, surrounded by a box of soil with stalks of grass, where Dadong grew his earthworms. There was an open doorway at the back showing a field of tall grass. Aside from Dadong's gun and machete, the ensemble only pantomimed the doors, the shower or the rotary phone. Overhead there were screens where the times of day was flashed so we can get a sense of the time.

I had seen the movie before, and I would admit that I never saw it more than a crime story. However, in this play version, the screens above also reveal the real-life local political situation in the early 80s that this story of tyranny and oppression represented. Dadong represented the all-powerful dictator. Dely and Mila represented the country and her citizens, victims of his perverse concept of "love". Noel represented the martyrs who wanted to rescue the hostages, but lost their lives in the process. 

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Tanghalang Pilipino's "Kisapmata" runs from March 7 - 30, 2025 at the Tanghalang Ignacio Gimenez, CCP Complex. Tickets sell at P2000 for VIP and P1500 for Regular, which you can still buy from this LINK. 

TA: Review of SINTANG DALISAY: A Teenage Tragedy with a Twist

February 15, 2025

In the Muslim community of Semporna, there was a bitter feud brewing between two rich families -- the Mustaphas and the Kalimuddins.  During a masquerade dance, Rashiddin (Karl Borromeo) of the Mustapha family fell in love at first sight with Jamila (Maliana Beran) of the Kalimuddin family. Their forbidden love affair led to a series of violence that unfortunately led to deaths from both families, which led to Rashiddin getting exiled to Dapitan. 

Surely that synopsis sounds familiar -- it is William Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet" transposed to a Mindanao setting by Ricardo Abad and first staged in July of 2011 at the Ateneo under Abad's direction. It was the final set designed by National Artist Salvador Bernal before he passed away in October, 2011. When Abad passed away last December 26, 2023, Abad's protege Guelan Varela-Luarca took over as director for a 2024 restaging in his honor. 

Stage Design of National Artist Salvador Bernal, revived by Tata Tuviera

The show opened with an overture played by a live band called Anima Tierra, playing their traditional, contemporary and experimental instruments right there on centerstage. They created a wall of sound with their percussions and vocalizations that set the propulsive and ethereal atmosphere of this play. Led by Jayson Gildore and Rhea Dagnalan, they take over the band of their mentor Edru Abraham and Kontra Gapi who played during the 2011 run. 

The first character to enter the stage was the Imam, who also served as the narrator of the story. James Reyes delivered his lengthy introductory monologue with his graceful movements and strong singing voice. Color was added when Reyes was joined by the other cast members dressed in their family colors -- orange for Mustaphas and green for Kalimuddins -- dancing the native igal (choreography by Matthew Santamaria) to the infectious beats of Anima Tierra. 

Anima Tierra plays the vibrant musical score

To be completely honest, I did not really understand every word being said onstage. Not only were they delivered in poetic old-fashioned Filipino, the sound system was insufficient to support the vocal projection of the actors. You can hear their voices going hoarse in their effort to make their lines understood. Those familiar with "Romeo and Juliet" can the drift of the story by context. Those unfamiliar with the original story may find it challenging to follow. 

Notable in this adaptation were the recurrent references to the afterlife. After Mercutio-equivalent Badawi (Roldine Ebrada) and Tybalt-equivalent Taupan (Jerome Dawis) were killed, they were shown to get up, wore a veil and salakot, and climbed up the stairs to the life beyond. At the end, they came back onstage to fetch the souls of Rashiddin and Jamila to lead them towards the hereafter, an aspect not in Shakespeare original. 

Maliana Beran and Karl Borromeo in the lead roles

The classic multi-level set design by Salvador Bernal had been beautifully recreated by Tata Tuviera. A most remarkable scene was that when Rashiddin bought poison from witches with giant anahaw leaves -- breathtaking.  The important role of Sabrina Basilio's dramaturgy for a cultural topic like this cannot be underestimated. Likewise important was Missy Maramara's role as intimacy coordinator, particularly in that honeymoon night pas de deux. 

Majority of the audience of the matinee I watched were excitable English-speaking elementary school boys. They vigorously cheered every kick and clash of knives during the fights (exciting fight choreography care of Brian Sy). They gasped loudly when Ginoong Kalimuddin (Fred Layno) slapped Jamila's face, and likewise during the climactic modified suicide scenes.  You can just imagine how loud their rowdy hooting reactions were during the love scene!

"Romeo and Juliet" -- with sensitive themes of teenage violence, marriage and suicide -- does not seem to be a play apt for young kids, but hey, it is a "classic." I do hope their teachers debrief them adequately about these adult topics, and orient them about theater etiquette as well. The old ladies seated beside me were clearly not amused with the juvenile antics. But for me, the noisy response around me actually added to the entertainment value of my viewing experience.

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This rerun of "Sintang Dalisay" runs only for 9 shows only this February 14-23 at Hyundai Hall, Areté, Ateneo de Manila University. Buy your tickets from Ticket2Me via this LINK. Tickets cost P1200 for Orchestra and P800 for Balcony. The show runs for 2 hours with no intermission.