On the occasion of National Artist for Literature Nick Joaquin’s (1917-2004) birth centennial, the UP Playwrights’ Theater (UPPT) is staging Joaquin’s Fathers and Sons. A searing family drama that was written in English in 1976, it shows just how attuned Joaquin was to the pulse of the Filipino, as so many of the elements of the play are replicated in today’s teleseryes.
The overbearing self-made patriarch, now reduced to a shadow of his former glory days (he was known as the Karitela King), the son who enters the corporate world, hoping to escape his father’s influence, the spinster sister who stays to care for her father but for her own selfish reasons, the socialite wife of the son, the prostitute with a heart of gold, and the grandson seeking his moral compass — these are just some of the myriad of characters we are introduced to in this showcase of fractured relationships, of a dysfunctional family that survives and manages, and how history can repeat itself against our best intentions.
As is often the case with UPPT stagings, on top of performances in English, there are performances in Filipino; Virgilio Almario and Jose Lacaba credited for the translation, Mga Ama, Mga Anak. In fact, given the time and place of the play (mid-1970s, and in the grand mansion built by the patriarch), this is one of those instances where the translation works just as effectively as the original, giving an immediacy and more naturalistic feel to the situations and dialogue. Directed by the venerable Tony Mabesa, and with Ohm David handling the set design, we are transported to the sala of Zacharias Monzon, a businessman who owned a fleet of karitelas during his heyday, and is now living his twilight days, wheelchair-bound, in a run-down mansion with a dining table he proudly says seats 36 people — with him presiding at the head of the table when presidents and politicians would visit and “break bread” with him. As it was written in 1976, I would even venture to surmise that this could be Joaquin’s own Autumn of the Patriarch, with very subtle political overtones of equating patriarch and dictator.
Required to perform both in English and Filipino is a wonderful handpicked cast, among whom we find Leo Rialp, Menggie Cobarrubias, Rody Vera, George de Jesus, Issa Litton, Adriana Agcaoili, Banaue Miclat-Janssen and Candy Pangilinan. The melodramatic scenarios are played to the hilt, and gauging from the reaction of the audience on the days I watched, it works like a charm. The run expires today (Sept. 24), and is very well worth the trip to Diliman.
The game(rs) are on!
It’s far too easy to think of government corporations and agencies as faceless, monolithic structures; whether they’re doing a great job, or frustrating us with their inflexibility, and leaving us griping. But the facts are often very different, as these corporations are populated by flesh and blood people — many of them heading families — with dreams, aspirations and hopes just like all of us. So it’s wonderful to see a corporation seeking out and recognizing the talent of its rank and file, encouraging them to explore their artistic side — and doing this all in the name of a scholarship fund that earmarks the education of selected dependents of these employees.
Such was the case when the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (PAGCOR) took over the Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo at the Cultural Center of the Philippines for its musical revue Pili-Pinas (Piliin Ang Pilipinas), which featured 11 groups of PAGCOR employees highlighting Philippine festivals, folklore, dances and mythical creatures in each of their carefully staged numbers. As chairperson and CEO Andrea Domingo proudly said, “Through this musical, we will relive the rich culture and heritage of our country.” In this age of rabid social media and easy, frequent access to foreign entertainment, that is an especially potent message, given how easy it is to ignore, downplay, or forget our rich cultural tradition.
Judging the in-house competition were no less than Pilita Corrales, Audie Gemora, Geleen Eugenio, Robert Seña and Tanya Manalang. Copping the top prize that night was the Satellite Operations Group 1-4, followed by Casino Filipino Davao and Casino Filipino Manila Bay, respectively. Me, I was floored by the production values, stage design, choreography, and obvious dedication of the 11 groups in making each number as professional and outstanding as possible. That top prize was a presentation in song and dance of the folklore legend Biag ni Lam-Ang, while the second prize was an interpretation of the Kadayawan Festival, and third prize was a comic book heroine Darna revue.
A night of camaraderie, friendly but keen competition, and all-around goodwill, which everyone at the Abelardo CCP Theater enjoyed!