I am a teacher by trade, preserver of tradition. Conservative by nature, the purist in me had initial misgivings when I first heard about PETA’s comeback to live theater.
Is it still “Walang Sugat” if it doesn’t have “Bayan Ko” in the original melody?
That’s the question that I’ve been pondering ever since I watched PETA’s gloriously upbeat WALANG ARAY, Rody Vera’s transformation of the classic Severino Reyes zarzuela into a “modern-day musical.” And it most certainly lived up to its advertising.
Modern? Yes it was. It’s so modern, this audience member in her mid-thirties is ashamed to admit that perhaps she wasn’t the target age group, as quite a few Tiktok references and current slang words flew past her head (and if the comparative silence of the older audience members in certain beats are any indicator). The show risked alienating those in the audience who do not live on Facebook or Twitter, and don’t know Sheesh! from shucks.
Then again, judging by the loud appreciative hoots and screams of laughter elicited from the student and yuppie crowd, perhaps this is only to be expected from the artistic decision to make something wholly new.
Taking nothing from the original zarzuela except the plot and reworded versions of lyrics from the original songs, Vince Lim wrote all new songs that one could easily imagine blaring out from Kuya Grab’s speakers or that newly opened stall in a mall. Hip and fresh, it was an unforgettable experience hearing them sung live by the incredibly talented cast, harmonizing effortlessly on top of jaw-dropping dance choreography by no less than our leading man for the night (talk about multi-tasking!), Gio Gahol. His leading lady, Marynor Madamesila, was pitch perfect as well, making this audience member very happy. How can one critique perfection, when one encounters it very rarely in a live performance?
The effect on this viewer was to stun her into appreciative silence, marveling at the sheer effort, the hundreds of rehearsal hours it must have taken to get the ensemble to such a high level of artistic excellence. Think High School Musical but with the added edge of live performance, with no cuts, no re-shoots. Now let us set Troy and Gabriela… I mean, Tenyong and Julia… in Intramuros, spouting witticisms that seem to be fresh from social media influencers in every phrase.
There’s simply no letting up all throughout the 2.5 hours of running time, and to be frank, it got exhausting at the end! It became a case of “too much of a good thing.” There were no allowances for the slightest dip in energy onstage, the speed of the lines’ delivery made sure of that. This audience member would have appreciated even a few moments of “thinking time,” to fully absorb and digest the glories of Ian Segarra’s skillful directing (more famously known for being the acting coach of GMA's hit teleserye "Maria Clara at Ibarra").
This audience member felt that there were a few songs that could have been removed totally from the final output, as they seemed to serve no purpose other than to highlight the talented ensemble’s triple threat powers. While some Gen Z folks might say “dasurv,” one can argue that a shorter, more taut show - shaved off these songs that do not propel the narrative - might make even more of an impact than the current show already did.
While purists might inwardly quake at the thought of touching a classic like "Walang Sugat," I can assure them that Rody Vera’s WALANG ARAY is an entirely different animal.
Sinful sacrilege, or respectful homage? I am reminded of a quote from Michael Dobson, the Director of the Shakespeare Institute. While he was speaking about Shakespeare adaptations, the same thing applies to Severino Reyes’ immortal beloved: “Tradition is not the worship of ashes; it is the cherishing of the flame.”
Thank you, PETA, for keeping this flame fiercely burning! And thank you to the generous soul who gave me a ticket to a night at the theatre not to be forgotten!
Get your tickets to this must-see show now! There are 3 different pairs for the lead roles, and this audience member has heard that when one watches it with a different cast, it’s practically a different show! But of course, I’m partial to Gio and Mnor!
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