After George de Jesus III’s Kung Paano Maghihiwalay, we rushed to Huseng Batute to catch our first Labfest set: Katotohanan, Katarungan, Kapatiran. (SIDEBAR: Is it just me or are set titles this year a little more difficult to remember? What I recall is that they’re all in threes and with word themes except for Mga Premyadong Kwentong Pambata)
Rody Vera, Artistic Director of the Virgin Labfest 4, explains that when playwrights create their plays, often there is a value focused on. Thus, this set of plays rife with statements linked to integrity, values, and power was given a title composed of values.
Kapatiran
Pamantasang Hirang (Sa Dilim Man) was the first play of the set and used the experience of a fraternity in the University of the Philippines as a mirror of power and corruption in the country.
Dan is an established copywriter who decides to return to UP to study creative writing in his old age. Dan learns that his roommate’s fraternity initiation (the same one he backed out of years ago) is to be conducted in his dorm room. Surprised, Dan realizes that the frat alumnus presiding over the activity is his old college buddy, now congressman, Chok. Chok asks Dan to help him further his political career, but he refuses, along with the offer to be a “brod” once and for all. Ritual violence ensues with Dan’s refusal and we discover the extent of how far “brods” will go and how their connections eventually feed the power-hungry and corrupt.
This play by Tim Dacanay is obviously UP-centric, which is not bad at all. References to the highly-esteemed University are made left and right. There are only two schools according to Congressman Chok: UP and the Others. Chok believes, however, that the “UP Graduate” title means nothing in the “outside world” and, like their frat, everything is just a power struggle. His sense of kapatiran is a warped one and it is palakasan, connections, and corrupt machineries that help one get somewhere.
The satirization of the fraternity is obvious and generates most of the laughter for this play. The audience couldn’t keep from guffawing every time the fratmen uttered their borrowed motto, “Veni! Vidi! Vici! Alpha mu tau!”
Jonathan Tadiaoan plays the part of the menacing congressman effectively and just makes one feel repulsed by his presence. Ian Bautista plays the contrasting Dan with a sense of calm marking his character’s maturity. Unlike Nicco Manalo’s convincing performance as the neophyte roommate, though, the other characters (like the fratmen) lacked character and seemed too much like bit parts in the background.
I also felt that the relationship of Chok and Dan could have been explored more. Dan’s decisions could have also been made more clear: Why did he quit before? What distanced him from Chok? What made him go back to Diliman and leave again eventually?
Though some questions are left unanswered, it is clear that this play denounces a kapatiran that is blind and knows only the language of power. There is hope in those that break the corrupt connections and cycles, like Dan who knows change can happen, sa Dilim man.
Katarungan
There is no description for this play more apt for me than to say that I felt violated by it. And if making one uneasy, alienated, troubled, confused, and angry was its objective, then Masaganang Ekonomiya did its job tremendously. Now some good plays make full arcs and end with answers to the problems they present. Others leave you with more questions in the end, which is not necessarily bad. Masaganang Ekonomiya is definitely of the second kind.
Though framed by a game of chess, this is no Tim Rice Musical. Vera, played by Katherine Sabate, is a highly-decorated colonel. We see him ((Yes, Katherine is a woman playing a man. And with very visible strap-on prosthetic man-parts to boot.)) interrogating the young militant Gomez, played by Abner Delina, Jr. Kudos to these two for assaying greatly demanding roles! Sabate owns the role of Vera, and Delina brings life to Gomez’s misery and desperation— far from his role as Batang Rizal.
Now, to say that I was confused by this play is an understatement. Setting the plot and structure aside, the themes of justice and political conflict are clear in this insane play. The intense examinations are broken by projections of names of missing or murdered civilians who are known to be leftist. In the end is an emasculation of power, already made clear with a woman playing the colonel. A picture of GMA is juxtaposed with Hitler and is made to look just like him. As this is projected in the background, Vera castrates himself with a sickle, previously hanging in the background reminiscent of the communist symbol.
Scenes were disturbing, intense, and sometimes laughable at the same time. Take the part when Gomez is thirsty and Vera makes him drink his urine. ((Yes, Katherine’s strap-on can dispense liquids as well.)) It was a scene horrifying and ludicrous all at once such that one doesn’t know what to feel. Like what I said, this play violates you.
Still, with the violation and confusion I felt from this play, it was the most memorable in the evening’s set. Leave it to cruelty and shock value for people to remember a play. If what were seen were (hopefully) extremes in the age-old conflict between the machine and insurgents, the injustice shown only fuels one’s anger and makes one scream for change.
Katotohanan
The set ended with Rody Vera’s translation of F. Sionil Jose’s Dong-Ao.
Our first observation was that this play had a power cast: Tommy Abuel, Gigi Escalante, Fernando Josef, Bembol Roco, Didi dela Paz, Carme Sanchez, and Monica Llamas. With all the big names in it, including its prize-winning author, how could it go wrong? Alas, the play left me wanting something more.
Dong-Ao is a funeral ceremony where individuals converse with the deceased and in doing so, pay tribute to him. Before Pepe Samson is laid to rest, a varied mix of people testifies to his life and the values he lived by. As they do so, their views of this nation are weeded out. We wonder as the monologues go on: which testimonial is true? Or should we believe that each is acceptable and the truth about this country is more complicated than ever? In the end, their varied beliefs and values depict a fragmented nation: both corrupt and in collapse yet beaming with hope.
The play is most powerful in its beginning and end. In the exposition in the middle, we get lost in the words. I share the sentiments of a friend, who says that one of the reasons the middle testimonials were not effective was that they left nothing more to the imagination. They were just that: words piled on words, sometimes too heavy and uninspiring. The first two speeches were gripping, but I began to get restless soon afterwards. Don’t get me wrong and believe it was not good writing. It was, especially given the masters who penned it. Still, with the allusions to the nation and the messages to Pepe, the play lost me in the middle.
Though sometimes limited to interacting with the coffin and the small crowd, the acting was still tremendous. These people are, after all, luminaries in the field. Tommy Abuel, Bembol Roco, and Gigi Escalante’s performances were my favorites. These formed the strong bookends of the play for me.
Value of values
Rody Vera began with the statement that plays revolved around specific values. Interestingly, these three plays did not show the true values of Katotohanan, Katarungan, and Kapatiran. They showed the lack of it. In the stark darkness of the plays, their warped or missing values only emphasized the importance of these in society. It is these that keep us functioning as a nation or, at the very least, a hopeful one.
The Virgin Labfest runs until July 6. The set Katotohanan, Katarungan, Kapatiran shows again on July 2 (Wed, 3pm) and July 6 (Sun, 8pm). Tickets are at P200 for the entire set. Check out these entries (Virgin Labfest Na, Virgin Labfest 4 Lineup) or go to virginlabfest.com for more information about the entire festival.
Next review: The Labfest’s set that coincided with Pride Day- Pagbabago, Paghahanap, Pagkakataon.
Rody Vera, Artistic Director of the Virgin Labfest 4, explains that when playwrights create their plays, often there is a value focused on. Thus, this set of plays rife with statements linked to integrity, values, and power was given a title composed of values.
Kapatiran
Pamantasang Hirang (Sa Dilim Man) was the first play of the set and used the experience of a fraternity in the University of the Philippines as a mirror of power and corruption in the country.
Dan is an established copywriter who decides to return to UP to study creative writing in his old age. Dan learns that his roommate’s fraternity initiation (the same one he backed out of years ago) is to be conducted in his dorm room. Surprised, Dan realizes that the frat alumnus presiding over the activity is his old college buddy, now congressman, Chok. Chok asks Dan to help him further his political career, but he refuses, along with the offer to be a “brod” once and for all. Ritual violence ensues with Dan’s refusal and we discover the extent of how far “brods” will go and how their connections eventually feed the power-hungry and corrupt.
This play by Tim Dacanay is obviously UP-centric, which is not bad at all. References to the highly-esteemed University are made left and right. There are only two schools according to Congressman Chok: UP and the Others. Chok believes, however, that the “UP Graduate” title means nothing in the “outside world” and, like their frat, everything is just a power struggle. His sense of kapatiran is a warped one and it is palakasan, connections, and corrupt machineries that help one get somewhere.
The satirization of the fraternity is obvious and generates most of the laughter for this play. The audience couldn’t keep from guffawing every time the fratmen uttered their borrowed motto, “Veni! Vidi! Vici! Alpha mu tau!”
Jonathan Tadiaoan plays the part of the menacing congressman effectively and just makes one feel repulsed by his presence. Ian Bautista plays the contrasting Dan with a sense of calm marking his character’s maturity. Unlike Nicco Manalo’s convincing performance as the neophyte roommate, though, the other characters (like the fratmen) lacked character and seemed too much like bit parts in the background.
I also felt that the relationship of Chok and Dan could have been explored more. Dan’s decisions could have also been made more clear: Why did he quit before? What distanced him from Chok? What made him go back to Diliman and leave again eventually?
Though some questions are left unanswered, it is clear that this play denounces a kapatiran that is blind and knows only the language of power. There is hope in those that break the corrupt connections and cycles, like Dan who knows change can happen, sa Dilim man.
Katarungan
There is no description for this play more apt for me than to say that I felt violated by it. And if making one uneasy, alienated, troubled, confused, and angry was its objective, then Masaganang Ekonomiya did its job tremendously. Now some good plays make full arcs and end with answers to the problems they present. Others leave you with more questions in the end, which is not necessarily bad. Masaganang Ekonomiya is definitely of the second kind.
Though framed by a game of chess, this is no Tim Rice Musical. Vera, played by Katherine Sabate, is a highly-decorated colonel. We see him ((Yes, Katherine is a woman playing a man. And with very visible strap-on prosthetic man-parts to boot.)) interrogating the young militant Gomez, played by Abner Delina, Jr. Kudos to these two for assaying greatly demanding roles! Sabate owns the role of Vera, and Delina brings life to Gomez’s misery and desperation— far from his role as Batang Rizal.
Now, to say that I was confused by this play is an understatement. Setting the plot and structure aside, the themes of justice and political conflict are clear in this insane play. The intense examinations are broken by projections of names of missing or murdered civilians who are known to be leftist. In the end is an emasculation of power, already made clear with a woman playing the colonel. A picture of GMA is juxtaposed with Hitler and is made to look just like him. As this is projected in the background, Vera castrates himself with a sickle, previously hanging in the background reminiscent of the communist symbol.
Scenes were disturbing, intense, and sometimes laughable at the same time. Take the part when Gomez is thirsty and Vera makes him drink his urine. ((Yes, Katherine’s strap-on can dispense liquids as well.)) It was a scene horrifying and ludicrous all at once such that one doesn’t know what to feel. Like what I said, this play violates you.
Still, with the violation and confusion I felt from this play, it was the most memorable in the evening’s set. Leave it to cruelty and shock value for people to remember a play. If what were seen were (hopefully) extremes in the age-old conflict between the machine and insurgents, the injustice shown only fuels one’s anger and makes one scream for change.
Katotohanan
The set ended with Rody Vera’s translation of F. Sionil Jose’s Dong-Ao.
Our first observation was that this play had a power cast: Tommy Abuel, Gigi Escalante, Fernando Josef, Bembol Roco, Didi dela Paz, Carme Sanchez, and Monica Llamas. With all the big names in it, including its prize-winning author, how could it go wrong? Alas, the play left me wanting something more.
Dong-Ao is a funeral ceremony where individuals converse with the deceased and in doing so, pay tribute to him. Before Pepe Samson is laid to rest, a varied mix of people testifies to his life and the values he lived by. As they do so, their views of this nation are weeded out. We wonder as the monologues go on: which testimonial is true? Or should we believe that each is acceptable and the truth about this country is more complicated than ever? In the end, their varied beliefs and values depict a fragmented nation: both corrupt and in collapse yet beaming with hope.
The play is most powerful in its beginning and end. In the exposition in the middle, we get lost in the words. I share the sentiments of a friend, who says that one of the reasons the middle testimonials were not effective was that they left nothing more to the imagination. They were just that: words piled on words, sometimes too heavy and uninspiring. The first two speeches were gripping, but I began to get restless soon afterwards. Don’t get me wrong and believe it was not good writing. It was, especially given the masters who penned it. Still, with the allusions to the nation and the messages to Pepe, the play lost me in the middle.
Though sometimes limited to interacting with the coffin and the small crowd, the acting was still tremendous. These people are, after all, luminaries in the field. Tommy Abuel, Bembol Roco, and Gigi Escalante’s performances were my favorites. These formed the strong bookends of the play for me.
Value of values
Rody Vera began with the statement that plays revolved around specific values. Interestingly, these three plays did not show the true values of Katotohanan, Katarungan, and Kapatiran. They showed the lack of it. In the stark darkness of the plays, their warped or missing values only emphasized the importance of these in society. It is these that keep us functioning as a nation or, at the very least, a hopeful one.
The Virgin Labfest runs until July 6. The set Katotohanan, Katarungan, Kapatiran shows again on July 2 (Wed, 3pm) and July 6 (Sun, 8pm). Tickets are at P200 for the entire set. Check out these entries (Virgin Labfest Na, Virgin Labfest 4 Lineup) or go to virginlabfest.com for more information about the entire festival.
Next review: The Labfest’s set that coincided with Pride Day- Pagbabago, Paghahanap, Pagkakataon.
2 comments:
thanks for your review of "Pamantasang Hirang," dp. i really appreciate it. i wish i could give the other fratmen their time to shine but it's a one-act play with a tightly designed plot. to show the fraternity convincingly we had to utilize a large cast. i agonized over not giving good dramatic parts to everyone (i was trained as an actor) but the fratmen actors were game enough and appreciative of the material. like you! thanks! :)
tim
You're very welcome. Congrats on the prod again! Will look forward to more of your work in the future.
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