HALUHALO: THEATER
‘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.
‘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 Worth of Words in 'Pingkian: Isang Musikal’
'Pingkian: Isang Musikal' is a rousing spectacle that remains grounded in its revolutionary spirit.
The Playbook Club’s Twinbill ‘First Love, Last Love’: A Bleak Take on Love and Relationships
Rafael Jimenez’s twinbill ‘First Love, Last Love’ tackles the immaturity that accompanies inexperienced love. That love, like everything else, is shaped by forces outside one’s control: future events, societal laws, and government policies.
Omigod! Ateneo Blue Repertory’s ‘Legally Blonde: The Musical’ Was Perfect!
Ateneo Blue Repertory has consistently been putting out spectacular musical productions and their production of ‘Legally Blonde: The Musical’ was beyond perfect.
Recognizing and Conquering the Real Enemy in ‘In the Eyes of the People’
As we enter the midterm elections, CAST PH & Mad Child Productions’ recently concluded collaborative production 'In the Eyes of the People' reminds us of who the real enemy is—and how to overcome them.
Stage is the Perfect Medium for 'Anino sa Likod ng Buwan'
Watching the film with the knowledge of the play finally being staged this year, I kept agreeing with that decision: maybe theater is the perfect place for ‘Anino sa Likod ng Buwan.’
‘3 Upuan’ REVIEW: Spare Staging Gives Way to Unsparing Expression of Grief
Guelan Varela-Luarca’s play of three elder millennial siblings preparing for, and experiencing, grief with confident simplicity. 3 Upuan trusts its actors to express its wise musings and the weight of time’s passage to profound effect.
‘Nagkatuwaan Sa Tahanang Ito’ REVIEW: A Wonderfully Staged Exercise in Exerting and Releasing Control - Like Any Great Family
Mad Child Productions’ ‘Nagkatuwaan Sa Tahanang Ito’ raises thorny questions and feelings about family. Three people orbit Kendra’s preferred definition of family, even if Kendra is forced to examine what it really means to keep a family close.
‘Sandosenang Sapatos’ REVIEW: For the dreamers despite of it all
The ending of Sandosenang Sapatos ultimately seals the show’s overall thesis: unconditional love can never be broken, no matter how many storms test its strength.
‘Nanay Bangis’ and the Grim Realities of War
Ultimately, Nanay Bangis is a timely and thought-provoking adaptation that breathes new life into a Brechtian classic.
‘Request sa Radyo’: An enthralling exercise in empathy
Request sa Radyo is exactly that—a wordless play whose appeal comes from the breathtaking and eye-catching performances of Lea Salonga and Dolly de Leon.
‘Bar Boys: A New Musical’ and what it means to fight for justice
Barefoot Theater Collaborative’s rerun of ‘Bar Boys: A New Musical’ is the hottest show currently running right now, if you're intrigued by the cast's tremendous performance and the compelling tale of justice and friendship it tells.
‘Once on This Island’ and why Ti Moune’s tragic story needs to be told
9 Works Theatrical embarks on a tropical journey to tell the story of a peasant girl’s unrequited, unparalleled, and unconditional love with Once on This Island: A Musical.
‘Betrayal’: The kabit story told from a Filipino-British perspective
Repertory Philippines presents a refreshing take on the usual 'kabitan-serye' with Victor Lirio's version of the acclaimed play "Betrayal”, exploring relationships from a Filipino-British gaze.
'Kumprontasyon': An abridged journal entry pseudo-essay
The year has just begun and the Philippine Educational Theater Association (PETA) is already bringing the goods to the table. From January 18 to 21, PETA staged a revival of Kumprontasyon, directed by Melvin Lee for his thesis.