Tanghalang Pilipino in ‘Revolt’

For its 38th season, Tanghalang Pilipino, the resident drama company of the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP), is presenting three major productions: the social realist “Balete,” based on a novel by National Artist F. Sionil José; a rerun of the successful musical “Sandosenang Sapatos”; and the tragic drama “Kisapmata,” inspired by a true story (“The House on Zapote Street”) by National Artist Nick Joaquin.

This was announced in a recent press conference at the Black Box Theater (Tanghalang Ignacio Gimenez), CCP Complex, during which scenes from the three productions were performed before a giant screen showing the expressive faces of lead actors Nonie Buencamino, Jonathan Tadioan and Marco Viaña. A lively Q&A was then held with the media.

The theme of the 38th season 2024-2025 is “Revolt.”

“This is not just political and traditional violent revolution,” said Fernando “Nanding” Josef, artistic director of Tanghalang Pilipino, in an interview. “If you reverse the spelling of ‘revolt,’ you will see the word ‘love’ as in t-love-r. What we are trying to say is that any revolution or the act of revolution should be based on love.”

He added, “So you do a revolution, whether it is a revolution or social change formation, because you love somebody, your family, the community, you love your country or you love God. So the 38th season is founded on love, loving others or loving the Philippines, loving the country,”

Elucidating on the theme, Josef said: “You have to be more selfless, you have to be more concerned with other people, the kapwa is very important for TP. So in the 38th season, we are underscoring through revolt pakikipagkapwa (empathy), nagmamahal ka (you love), especially those who have been victims of oppression or poverty.”

Symbol of resilience

In “Balete” (until Oct. 6 at Black Box Theater), the protagonist (Buencamino) returns to his rural community in Rosales, Pangasinan, to find that the peasants are still maltreated by the owners of the land. He remembers his bittersweet youth as the son of an inquilino (tenant) who nevertheless acted as a foreman of the peasant farmers and therefore had some kind of power. So he and his father were treated well by the landlord who, however, exploited the peasants. And the landlord still does. The balete tree is still there, symbol of Filipino resilience.

The revised script was finalized by director Chris Millado based on three sources: the original novel “Tree” in English by José, the Peta (Philippine Educational Theater Association) script in Tagalog by Rody Vera, and “Puno,” the just-translated Tagalog version of the novel. Delphine Buencamino is associate-movement director.

“Sandosenang Sapatos” (Nov. 15-Dec. 8) by Dr. Luis Gatmaitan is a touching children’s tale filled with songs and dances, magic and fairies, about a physically impaired girl who dreams of being a ballerina. Tadioan directs, and also plays the father of the girl.

Doomed family

Once read and never to be forgotten is “The House on Zapote Street.” It was published decades ago in the Philippines Free Press, later included in a book of crime reportage by Joaquin, and became a film, “Kisapmata” by Mike de Leon, starring Vic Silayan, Charo Santos, Jay Ilagan and Charito Solis.

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It is written in the style of a short story, and from the beginning the reader feels a sense of dread. It is the story of a tyrannical father (Tadioan in the forthcoming TP play) who feels an incestuous love for his daughter (Toni Go-Yadao), and hatred for his son-in-law (Viaña). Lhorvie Nuevo-Tadioan is the mother who looks on in horror at the events unfolding.

The final script for TP’s “Kisapmata” will be written by director Guelan Luarca based on the screenplay by Doy del Mundo, Raquel Villavicencio and Mike de Leon, and inputs from the four lead actors and Luarca himself.

“Kisapmata” will be staged March 7–30, 2025. “The play will showcase the dramatic talents of the four lead actors,” promises Josef. —CONTRIBUTED INQ