A bunch of my mom's friends wanted to give me a gift for the chemboard results. When they asked what I wanted at the moment, I said that Tanghalang Pilipino seemed to have an interesting line-up of shows this season and that I was interested in seeing them. I've always been a Tanghalang Pilipino fan, ever since seeing their first stage adaptation of Himala, which I still hold as the best original Filipino musical I've seen. (Too bad there's no cast recording... Bring it back and record it, TP!)
I finally learned these friends of ma's were willing to get me a season pass and soon enough, I was off with a friend to see Mulan. Unfortunately, I missed Pilipinas Circa 1907, but knowing I can see the other shows hassle-free is exciting.
Their 21st season is billed as "Powerplays: Tagisan ng Lakas". The following excerpt and the season image are from their official site: www. tanghalangpilipino.com:
"Tanghalang Pilipino’s 21st Theater Season comprises plays that delve into issues of power and power relations. PILIPINAS CIRCA 1907 examines political conflict and family relations through a pair-of star-crossed lovers amidst the period prior to the 1907 national elections, a time when America was more than just in the hear. MULAN is a musical retelling of the Chinese tale where wars are fought not just by men but between Gods, fit for children of all ages. EJ attempts to delve into what makes heroes and the sacrifices they make as it re-imagines the lives of two contemporary martyrs – Edgar Jopson and Evelio Javier. KUDETA is a wickedly funny play about a coup that topples a country’s President and how he manages to thwart his enemies with all the weapons in his disposal."
Not mentioned in the quote is their revival of Mario O'Hara's Insiang which won the 2003 Aliw Awards for Best Play, Best Director, Best Actor, and Best Actress.
Not Quite Disney = Very Good
As there was already a Disney version, I knew Mulan would be something very familiar and accessible. Martin and I went to the theater knowing the prod would be in Filipino, but joking there would be a moment when the Mulan would suddenly break into song with the lyrics, "Look at me. I can never pass for a perfect bride or a perfect daughter..."- ala Lea Salonga or Christina Aguilera. Of course, we would be shocked (and laughing inside) if this ever happened.
For TP's Mulan production, we expected a whimsical adaptation that would, at the very least, be a feast for the eyes. As it had Gino Gonzales as production designer, the show, we knew, would not let us down in this aspect.
Fortunately, there was no Disney "Reflections" moment (but there was another song depicting the exact same scene of Mulan's major decision) and the show, over-all, was a delight to watch. The music was reminiscent of traditional Chinese operas and instrumentals that set the mood of the show. Although some songs were not exactly catchy and were hard to understand or follow at times, the show did not suffer much from these difficulties.
Visually, Mulan was wonderful. It was advertised as a children's play, and had I seen it as a young kid, I would have been amazed at how the characters looked like. Watching the musical was like seeing a live-action anime, with the characters in colorful padded costumes and their hair arranged in uncanny, sometimes almost comedic, ways.
Most amazing are Marjorie Lorico and Jonathan Tadioan who played Empress Wang Mu and the Jade Emperor, respectively. Donning gigantic body-pieces (ala-Higantes Festival), these actors played the kingdom's monarchs. Literally, the emperor and empress were portrayed as gods-- larger than life, with control over all aspects of their citizens' life. Kudos to these two who brought life to the characters very well despite being in those gigantic costumes.
The movement of the characters added to the charm of the show, as almost every character's line had a corresponding action. More engaging are the martial-arts inspired choreography. The exaggerated movements, as a whole, turned out like a well-planned dance that makes one feel like watching a traditional Chinese opera or a Japanese Noh.
The production was short (perhaps so as not to bore the children watching it) and we would have wanted to see more. Still, it was satisfying and I look forward to seeing the rest of the shows this season. Can't wait for Insiang.
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