The title of the play says it all: “Umaaraw, umuulan: Kinakasal ang Tikbalang,” referring to a folk belief about sun showers—raining even as the sun shines—being a sign that a tikbalang wedding is going on (the tikbalang being a mythological horse-like creature, similar to the Greek centaur and the Indian kinnara). I was skeptical about [...]
The art of the theater is symbolized by two masks—one smiling, standing for comedy, and the other crying, standing for tragedy. Of late, Filipino performers may be seeing more of the tragedy mask, as foreign productions flourish on these shores and local productions languish.
“May your work be compelling and original. May it be profound, touching, contemplative and unique. May it help us to reflect on the question of what it means to be human, and may that reflection be blessed with heart, sincerity, candor, and grace. May you overcome adversity, censorship, poverty and nihilism, as many of you will most certainly be obliged to do. May you be blessed with the talent and rigor to teach us about the beating of the human heart in all its complexity, and the humility and curiosity to make it your life’s work. And may the best of you—for it will only be the best of you, and even then only in the rarest and briefest moments—succeed in framing that most basic of questions, ‘How do we live?’ Godspeed.”
William Shakespeare is the English world’s greatest poet and playwright. Though he lived in the 16th century, his works have shaped the way students everywhere use the English language in declamation and think of drama as a literary form. His plays and sonnets are taught in high school and, whether or not they are correctly understood, every other line of English verse students get to memorize usually comes from Shakespeare. Yet, in many Filipino classroom settings, Shakespeare remains as distant as literature itself, and as intimidating as mathematics. Who is Shakespeare and why study him?
I READ in the Inquirer’s Entertainment section about Wilfrido Ma. Guerrero who is the director of the UP Mobile Theater. (“When Freddie met Tetchie,” Inquirer, 3/5/11) <br /> I remember Mr. Guerrero from a play, titled “Basketball Fans and Wanted: A Chaperon,” that was performed at the grandstand of Oriental Mindoro High School. I enjoyed [...]
