HALUHALO: THEATER
‘Huling Liham’: The Last to Forget, the First to Remember
‘Huling Liham’ is a love letter to those who remember and to those who wish to be remembered. Like letters kept close to the heart, our stories remain long after the moment has passed. It reminds us that history is not merely something we look back on, but something we carry with us so we never forget the lives, loves, and memories that shaped us.
The Cruelty of the Articulate: Who Gets to Be Believed in ‘About Us But Not About Us’?
In the stage adaptation of Jun Robles Lana’s ‘About Us But Not About Us,’ an ordinary conversation gradually exposes the complicated relationship between three men. Personal revelations, ambitions, and betrayals challenge what each man claims to know.
Stage of resistance and memory: Four plays remembering Martial Law
Last September, many productions have transported us back to the past to let us take a look at the lives of the people living under a tyrannical rule. They all have different approaches to remembering, either through music or through heavy prose, that are truly worth watching.
Porvenir’s ‘El Fuego del Alma’ Triumphs in Localizing a Southern Gothic Classic
In the current Philippine theater scene plagued by Panasonic-sponsored projection-fests, Porvenir’s El Fuego del Alma opts for a more somber and practical approach, letting its nuanced translation and restrained staging speak for itself.
Ang Babae sa Septic Tank 4: Philippine Theater is the Shit!
Art continues to be a powerful struggle—both an act of expression and perseverance. Philippine theater is alive and thriving, and 'Ang Babae sa Septic Tank 4' reminds us why satire remains one of its sharpest tools.
In SLU-CCA's ‘The Hunchback of Notre Dame,’ the Top of the World and the Court of Miracles Meet in Baguio
Religious institutions don’t often embrace narratives that question power from within, yet Saint Louis University’s Center for Culture and the Arts (SLU-CCA) dares to do just that. Through Disney’s The Hunchback of Notre Dame—adapted from The Hunchback of Notre Dame by Victor Hugo, with music by Alan Menken and Stephen Schwartz—the production unfolds as both spectacle and social commentary.
‘Kislap at Algo’ REVIEW: Imagining a Revolution
The twinbill ‘Kislap at Algo’ is a testament to a need for a wake-up call for the Filipino youth to realize that living in a post-truth society has caused us to become passive consumers of dominant narratives. It captures specifically what these dominant Filipino narratives have continued to shape our mainstream consciousness. Challenging these narratives prevents the distortion of realities and myths from being made or dehumanized.
The Timelessness of ‘Les Misérables’
There is a timeless quality to Les Misérables, or Les Miz, from Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schönberg that even decades after its first staging in France, people are still eager to pay and watch this seminal classic in any shape or form.
The Pop Herstory of Gregoria Lakambini
The legacy of Gregoria de Jesus is finally out in the open with Tanghalang Pilipino’s entertaining and creative musical adaptation of the Katipunan icon’s life.
Thoughts on Ateneo Blue Repertory’s ‘The Guy Who Didn’t Like Musicals’, From a Gal Who Really Likes Starkid Musicals
Ateneo Blue Repertory’s production of The Guy Who Didn’t Like Musicals was promising and entertaining. I remember being extremely excited when this was first announced, and the production did not disappoint.
‘Bar Boys: The Musical’ REVIEW: New staging, same emotions
It’s a treat to see the four leads back again for ‘Bar Boys: The Musical.’ I remember seeing Benedix Ramos perform for the first time, and I immediately became a fan because of how gracefully he hit all of the notes. I remember being excited to see Alex Diaz as I was more familiar with him acting onscreen—I remember how natural his acting was. I remember laughing along with Omar Uddin’s Josh and being captivated by his laidback charm. I remember seeing myself in Jerom Canlas’ Torran and crying to ‘Ipaglalaban Kita’, a coming-out scene that, to this day, remains unmatched for me in any musical.
All About ‘Bar Boys: The Musical’ 2025 Rerun at Arete
Still deciding whether to catch its rerun at Arete? Here is everything you need to know about this production.
‘Walang Aray’: Musical Theater For Love, the Country, and the Filipino Seeking a Future Classic
Love stories are one of the country’s most iconic expressions of art. Whether it’s the love yearned for between Crisóstomo Ibarra and Maria Clara, or the love stories on the silver screen, to be Filipino is to talk about love. Walang Aray, a love story between two people on the surface that expands to look at the love everyone else around them fights for, is one of those works that announces itself as one of the definitive Philippine love stories staged in modern-day.
The spectacle of ‘The Bodyguard The Musical’
The performances are definitely highlights of The Bodyguard The Musical, but no amount of “I Wanna Dance With Somebody” encores can save this production.
‘Para Kay B’: All About Lucas
The play is ultimately the confrontation of the male writer and the power of literature. It can create worlds and transport you into them.
The Worth of Words in 'Pingkian: Isang Musikal’
'Pingkian: Isang Musikal' is a rousing spectacle that remains grounded in its revolutionary spirit.
On time and grief: Scene Change’s ‘3 Upuan’ and ‘Dagitab’
There are numerous works of art surrounded by the topic of grief in hopes we can come to terms with it. What we learn is grief and the passage of time while dealing with grief are different to everyone. In the two recent plays from Scene Change, 3 Upuan and Dagitab, these two forces are the primal focuses. Both plays, written by Guelan Varela-Luarca, handled the themes in different ways and were done with care and knowledge about the themes.
Come look at the Freaks: The relevance of ‘Side Show: The Musical’ today
The product of Sandbox Collective’s efforts is a more humanized look at each character in the show and every decision they made for this production is made with empathy and understanding.
Everything About The Sandbox Collective’s ‘Side Show’
The musical has been staged several times since then, including here in the Philippines. Now, it will make its return to the Philippine stage this July. While anticipating its comeback, here is everything you need to know about this production.
O ye of little faith, watch 'Grace'
‘Grace’ is a moving work that resonates with our history as a nation of devotees whose religion wasn’t endemic to our land but whose faith is like that of a mustard seed.