DIGITAL THEATER REVIEW - M.45 Makbetamaximus

Tanghalang Ateneo's season finale M.45 or Makbetamaximus is something that is very new to me. Reinterpreting Shakespeare's The Tragedy of Macbeth in a modern setting that is very familiar to Filipino audience produced in pure indie and innovative.

At first I was unsure about what I'm seeing, but if you have read Macbeth or saw an adaptation of it, you will gradually get the grasp of the story. Beginning with an inviting buffet of Filipino street foods, to the witches, the characters and all that will open your senses. It's a violent play and contains explicit language so only mature audiences are allowed to see it. Great editing as well, disturbing themes with creative visuals catches your attention throughout the 45-minute digital play.

I would like to congratulate Tanghalang Ateneo and the whole production team for coming up with this as a relevant theater for today and this is something I've never seen. I encourage everyone to buy a ticket via Ticket2Me.net and support this amazing campus theater production.

* Images via Tanghalang Ateneo

Tanghalan Ateneo ends season with Shakespeare's Macbeth

On its 42nd Theater Season, Adaptation | Pagbabanyuhay: Bagong Anyo ng Buhay, Tanghalang Ateneo, the longest-running theater company of the Loyola Schools, is proud to present M.45, the forty-five minute climax of “Makbetamaximus: Theatre of Destruction”, a 30-day deconstruction of William Shakespeare’s “The Tragedy of Macbeth” as translated by National Artist Rolando S. Tinio.

M.45 boils, bubbles, & burns a bitches’ brew that pushes the boundaries of theatre both live & online.The ingredients are the “29 Days of Sodomo Robotbot” performances featuring more than 200 artists from April 12 to May 10, served with the main course, "Pakbet Da Muzikal", a new rap musical written by Layeta Bucoy, conceptualized & directed by Khavn.

M.45 opens in a post-pandemic carinderia somewhere between Mondomanila & Ilocandia, where the streets of purgatory run red with pig’s blood & chicken feet. The animal mascots that once lusted for power have now been roasted & desecrated. The fountainhead of the performance is Ferdz Pakbet who mistakes fake news for a prophecy & starts rolling heads down the chopping board while getting high on the latest pesticide. Vengeance abounds as threats of drug lords and the dead infiltrate the feast. 

Pakbet becomes a headless horse running around the stage, copulating with ghosts as the DJ crashes cymbals to signal cannibal time. Castration is the suicidal wife of back-stabbing, front-stabbing, &side-stabbing. Abandon ambition. Time for graves to spit out spears. Be our VIP & fine dine with us at M.45: All You Need To Make A Play Is Macbeth & A Gun!

M.45 features a cast composed of the Tanghalang Ateneo ensemble—namely Deivid Encarcion, Jam Binay, Nicole Chua, Francesca Dela Cruz, Robert Bradly Hao, Carlos Hombrebueno, Mikaela Regis, Austin Gonzales, Coco Pineda, and Kyle Tan—and alumni, alongside guest actors Bryan Bacalso, Soc Delos Reyes, Lester Abuel, Juan Julian Barrion, Bea Racoma. It also features beats by Caliph8 & Lowkey.

The show dates of M.45 shall be June 12, 14, 17, and 19, 2021. Tickets are worth Php 200 for general viewing and Php 300 for general viewing coupled with the souvenir program, which is inclusive of the additional service charge. Tickets can be purchased through Tanghalang Ateneo’s ticketing partner, Ticket2Me, through this link: https://ticket2me.net/e/33251/tickets

For questions and additional details about the show, kindly contact Sandra Torrefranca at 0939-903-8291. You may also connect with Tanghalang Ateneo through the following social media networks:

Facebook: www.facebook.com/TanghalangAteneo

Twitter: www.twitter.com/TAOfficial_

Instagram: www.instagram.com/tanghalangateneo

This production’s media and general partners include ClickTheCity, Astig.ph, and TechKuya. Its partner beneficiary is Pathways to Higher Education.

REVIEW: Tanghalang Ateneo's password: 03d1pu5_R3x

Marian Rivera-Dantes' first theater production with Tanghalang Ateneo is a modern Filipino adaptation of one of Sophocle's greatest plays, Oedipus Rex. With the challenges we're facing in the new normal due to the COVID 19 pandemic, the production does not disappoint in portraying the current political set up which we are facing today.

The setting gives obvious similarities from Sophocle's times to our current status. The ensemble, played by Ateneo students who are in the Zoom setting, tells us that they are living in a quarantine set up which tells us that there's a great danger outside. Like them, we are praying for something to stop the danger so that we can be able to live normally again. 

Then here's Gabe Mercado, playing Lysanias, who pacifies the wails of the people for us to hope for the best. Edipo, or the local version of Oedipus, played by Yan Yuzon, portrays a strong man and cannot be fazed by his opponents and well followed by his supporters. Marian Rivera, as the VP, and Katski Flores as the modern-day oracle gave their in-dept dramatic impressions of their roles strongly based on Sophocle's characters.

The adaptation in Filipino contains a lot of very deep Filipino words, which Marian Rivera  admits that she had some difficulty into. But with the direction of Ronan Capinding and translation from Jopie Sanchez, it gave good context on the story and we should be thankful that the preservation of the Filipino language is rich on this production.

The Zoom setting gives editor a creative liberty to play on the frames of each character depending on the situation but it still makes us look forward as a live theater audience like we've used to. Tanghalang Ateneo's adaptation to technology has allowed us to continue to enjoy theater even at home.

You can watch password: 03d1pu5_R3x online, now streaming. You may get your digital tickets via Ticket2me at ticket2me.net/e/33027 starting at P100. 

 

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Marian Rivera's first theater role in a Greek literary classic

Fans of GMA royalty Marian Rivera-Dantes should watch out for her first role in a theater piece that deals on a political climate in Tanghalang Ateneo's second production this season entitled - password: 03d1pu5_R3x. This is based on a Greek literary classic written by Sophocles more than 2500 years ago which is still relevant in today's times.

password: 03d1pu5_R3x is a Filipino adaptation in the modern times from Oedipus Rex (King Oedipus / Oedipus Tyrranus) and Marian plays a political figure, the Vice President that is, named Kreon in this play. As a beginner in theater productions, she narrates how she was persuaded by her husband, Dingdong Dantes, to do the role. She was able to accept realizing the relevance of the plot in today's climate and how it would help students and viewers in the education process as her contribution despite the pandemic. 

She was lauded by her co-actor Yan Yuzon stating he had learned a lot from Marian with her experience in show business and acting in front of the camera. Director Ron Capinding also commended Marian in her dedication to deliver the role, from understanding the piece and even the deep Filipino terms to give the necessary character for Kreon.

Right now, we're congratulating Marian Rivera and looking forward for more roles and to even experience live theater as an actress.

password: 03d1pu5_R3x streams online on February 22, 25 and 27. You may buy tickets at Ticket2Me here https://ticket2me.net/e/33027 starting at P100.

 

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Tanghalang Ateneo's DOLOROSA - how a religious image solves mysteries encompassed multiple generations

As Tanghalang Ateneo opens its 41st season with theme Ecriture Feminine that revolves around women, its first production focused on the wonders of a prominent Catholic figure, the Mater Dolorosa in Peter Zaragoza-Mayshle's "Dolorosa." This is directed by Jenny Jamora.

The 3-act play narrative showed generations with a complex history starting from the Spanish colonial period until the current time when the family is already dysfunctional and broken. You won't recognize the length of this 3-hour production as the playwright gave a very interesting development of the characters and also the mystery of the main figure, the Dolorosa.

The first act, starting with the creation of the image puts the imagination to be inspired on how the image would look like. Similar with the stories of history of what our ancestors have endured under the friars and we are greatly influenced of indulgences and spiritual factors.

While on the 2nd act, when the Filipinos still has a young perceptive of the modern world, we are still impacted with the supernatural. The 2nd act is very interesting though, a certain scene wherein the young Pilar (Zoe de Ocampo) has traveled to an unknown dimension where she meets the various titles of the Virgin. Parts of the Litany depicted in a mind-opening scene that was indeed memorable. Whether it's a fictional world or not, this ignites you to think of your belief. A thing that I would have not expected to come from a Catholic-run institution.

The 3rd act presents the drama and the humor of the whole play. It was a roller-coaster machine brought by the collective of the three generations of the family including the grown Pilar (Bibeth Orteza). Here we face some realities and confronts our own judgments and even our own evils. The characters turn into a redeeming stage which leaves you your own judgment and conclusion.

Cast of Tanghalang Ateneo's Dolorosa

Tanghalang Ateneo's Dolorosa runs until August 31, with shows at 2:30PM and 7:30PM at the Doreen Black Box Theater, 3F, Arete, Ateneo De Manila University.

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Tanghalang Ateneo's JANUS SILANG 2 gives old-school theater magic

Janus Silang is an award-winning novel by Edgar Calabia-Samar adapted to theater by Tanghalang Ateneo, with direction of Guelan Varela-Luarca for the book 2 - Ang Labanang Manananggal at Mambabarang. This production is in-line with their season theme Performing Change. Janus Silang 2 plays at the Black Box Theater in the Fine Arts Annex Bldg in Ateneo De Manila University.

I like how they connected Ang Labanan... with a recap of the first book for the benefit of those who were not able to see it last year. And in this performance, experience old-school theater magic and immerse yourself in the magical world of elementals without much of the technology. The set will take you to different worlds and well utilized the small venue. It is a very different experience when you let yourself be in the story as the actors well portray relatable characters starting from Janus to the creatures.

Got myself very curious how they will they project certain manananggal things like putting its tongue out that turned out very amazing on how they did it. In this piece, the manananggal is different from what we knew as scary beast-like creature that feeds on children when the moon is full. Instead, it is in reverse with white, flawless creature as portrayed by Jenny Jamora. By the way, TA is exploring on inviting more professional theater actors in next productions that you should watch out.

Delphine Buencamino choreos and I remember Orosman at Zafira from DUP during the war scene and it never fails to draw passion and strength. It is always bloody great to see that kind of dance.

As the story involves technology, don't expect projections. It makes your imagination fly without computerized imagery that can only destroy the creativity of the team. But it has worked nicely for the team and the audience.

Si Janus Silang at ang Labanang Manananggal-Mambabarang playdates are September 20-23, 26-30, October 3-7, 10-14, and 17-21. Performances start at 7:30PM while Saturday matinee shows start at 2:30PM. For questions and additional details about the show, please contact Nichole Valdes at 09175906451.

Connect with Tanghalang Ateneo online through the following social media networks:
Facebook: www.facebook.com/TanghalangAteneo
Twitter: www.twitter.com/TAOfficial_
Instagram: www.instagram.com/tanghalangateneo

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