TANGHALANG ATENEO closes its 34th season with the first Philippine staging of “The King of the Birds,” from the classic Persian poem by Farid ud-Din Attar, as scripted by Jean Claude Carriere and Peter Brook. It tells the story of a nation of birds embarking on a difficult journey to meet their one true King.
Ano, Ateng, gusto mong umarte?” Normally, a question to be pondered carefully. But then again, it was Floy Quintos asking me to join the cast of his new play, “Collection,” and I am an avowed “Quintoshian” (albeit part-time) actor.
What happens to a society that is overrun by greed and materialism? By shifting moral values and by acquisitive desires?
REPERTORY Philippines’ “No Way To Treat A Lady,” a musical comedy thriller with book, music and lyrics by author/composer Douglas J. Cohen, opens March 1 and runs until March 24, at Onstage Greenbelt 1. Audie Gemora directs.
The poignantly silent or subdued moments in Dulaang UP’s “Collection” are what hit you like a fist to the stomach, or make that sense of disquiet creep under your skin. Probably because they are few and far between, amidst endless scenes of bragging auctioneers, swaggering fashionistas, the raving show-biz crowd and half-a-dozen big players who just want to outshout everyone else.
“Adarna,” the well-known and much-loved Filipino folk tale, opens another year of exciting plays from Dulaang UP, which is now on its 38th theater season.
VIVA ATLANTIS Theatricals’ production of “Disney’s Tarzan” opened yesterday and runs until July 7 at Meralco Theater.
“Adarna,” the recent Dulaang UP production of the well-known Filipino folk tale that was adapted for the stage by playwright Vlad Gonzales and directed by José Estrella, turned out to be more of a coming-of-age story of its young princely hero Don Juan (Fitz Bitaña). Perhaps it would have been more accurate to retitle it to something akin to the seemingly impossible labors of Hercules, or the wondrous journey of Odysseus.
This September, Dulaang UP continues its tradition of bringing world classics to the Filipino audience through the first major Philippine production of John Webster’s “The Duchess of Malfi.”
Growing up in a family of scientists, Ohm David was nicknamed the measurement unit of electrical resistance. “I was already in kindergarten when I realized I had another name, a ‘real’ name,” he says, laughing.
