Theater musings on the things that make us human
At the start of September, we made a rundown of the many productions simultaneously running, each one designed to tug at our hearts. These three shows from some of the most active theater companies today definitely left us with a lot to think about, even long after the cast made their bows.
“Sayaw ng mga Ilaw”
Tanghalang Pilipino
Until Oct. 11
Tanghalang Ignacio Gimenez, CCP Black Box Theater, CCP Complex, Pasay City
Based on a children’s story by Cheeno Marlo Sayuno, “Sayaw ng mga Ilaw” revolves around sisters Kala and Laya and their love for dance, particularly the pandanggo sa ilaw. Through dance and the journey to learning and mastering it, the sisters also learn the depth of courage and what it means to ignite a light in yourself and in others.
For a play meant for young audiences, “Sayaw ng mga Ilaw” is packed with layers of meaning. It is foremost a story of a family, while also opening audiences to the often-buried part of our nation’s history. The folk dance is framed within the timeline of martial law, juxtaposing beauty with horror—a true reflection of the period.
It also tells the horrors of the time in a way that is more personal, making it easier to understand martial law’s direct effects on people. Textbooks can be cold and distanced, but watching a family’s simple and peaceful life get shaken by the lack of accountability of the regime makes learning of this dark period even more impactful.
Aside from a nuanced story, Tanghalang Pilipino’s adaptation of “Sayaw ng mga Ilaw” was also visually striking, especially with its production design. An edifice of a butterfly-sleeved terno serves as the stage’s focal point—a reminder of the setting and the period’s influence over the entire story, even as it remains unmoving, yet still looming over the far end of the stage.
As fabric flows out of the dress-shaped structure, it takes on various forms: most striking being the scene of the Manila Film Center’s collapse, where the Imeldific dress engulfs the ensemble, as one by one, simpler, everyday clothing drops from the ceiling—symbolizing how the regime’s grand (yet heartless) pursuit had come at the cost of swallowing these real, human lives whole.
“The Effect”
Company of Actors in Streamlined Theater (CAST PH)
Doreen Black Box Theater, Arete, Ateneo de Manila University, Quezon City
“The Effect,” written by British playwright Lucy Prebble, debuted in 2012 at the Royal National Theatre’s Cottesloe Theatre in London. More than a decade later, CAST has brought the play to Manila, first as part of their 2025 staged reading series themed “Theoria Omnium.”
And just this September, “The Effect” got its full dose of theatrical work as it was fully staged by the same cast.
The play revolves around Connie (Sue Ramirez) and Tristan (Brian Sy)—volunteers for a clinical drug trial to determine the effects of an antidepressant meant to stimulate dopamine. As the two develop a connection, it raises the question of whether what they feel is real attraction or just a by-product of the drug.
Alongside this investigation is also the conflict between the two psychologists leading the experiment: Dr. Lorna James (Cathy Azanza-Dy) and her supervisor and ex-lover Dr. Toby Sealy (Dean Daniel Rosen), who hold contrasting beliefs on the medication of depression.
The story itself already offers a lot to think about. It is all at once intriguing and thought-provoking, at times funny, and by its last legs, intense.
The most potent element of CAST’s “The Effect” is truly the people in it. With the play now acted in full, its scenes are given more space to breathe, and each conversation between the pairs of characters could draw out more emotion. The performances thus are more compelling than in the earlier staged reading version—especially that of Azanza-Dy, whose riveting monologue practically left the audience (or at least me) holding their breath.
Though I personally expected something more out of the visual aspect of the play, the choice to keep the stage more bare lets the focus fall squarely on the actors and their words.
“Bongga Ka ‘Day: The Annie Batungbakal Musical”
Full House Theater Company
Until Oct. 31
Newport Performing Arts Theater, Newport World Resorts, Pasay City
This long-anticipated ‘70s-themed musical is bright, colorful, and spectacular, which has become a signature of a Newport stage lately. “Bongga Ka ‘Day,” initially slated for a 2020 run, finally took the stage this September.
Based on the songs of the iconic Manila Sound band Hotdog, “Bongga Ka ‘Day” follows Annie Batungbakal, a sales clerk with a dream of becoming a fashion designer famous enough to be able to get into the esteemed disco Coco Banana.
The cast is led by several big industry names alongside veterans and new names in the theater scene. If you’re a regular on the theater and entertainment side of social media, you might have already come across the discussions and hot takes. The musical gained a lot of attention (for better or worse) with the casting of Atasha Muhlach as the titular Annie, and many were skeptical, understandably so, because of past celebrity-led productions that didn’t quite hit the mark.
Obviously, a more seasoned theater actress (and there are many of them) could’ve done better—no doubt because they’ve already been long trained for it.
But taking Muhlach’s performance at face value, all things considered, she’s not as terrible as the naysayers on social media make her out to be. It’s clear she’s working hard—her dancing’s good, she can hold her own dueting with her leading men, and she’s got charm. Although her chemistry with her partners may need a bit more work, it wasn’t cringe; it just wasn’t kilig enough. Nevertheless, she… wasn’t bad.
Story-wise, “Bongga Ka ‘Day” could’ve been more bongga, too—not in the flashiness, because it’s got more than enough—but in the tightening of scenes and plot points. There are elements, side stories, and characters that feel like fluff and don’t really add anything substantial to the main storyline.
Some plot devices also seem to come out of nowhere—convenient, yet illogical or unclear. There are conflicts that come across as shallow because of how quickly and easily they get resolved. There could have been some promising ideas to expound on, such as creativity and the originality of designs (a timely subject, too!), fleshing out more of Annie’s designer inclinations, or they could have shown graver, realer consequences of plagiarism.
But they didn’t, instead opting to brush them aside for the next dance number, wrapping it up with a short and cute reconciliation. Never mind totally keeping the sociopolitical weather of the period (the late ‘70s, apparently) vague and lukewarm at best.
A lot is going on for sure, which makes “Bongga Ka ‘Day” a dynamic show, but it does run a bit long without much emotional investment or pay-off. By the end, it made me wonder if I really rooted for Annie at all. If you just need a mindlessly fun night, though, this might be your spot.
