Tuesday, July 21, 2009

It’s a great time to watch porn: A Review of Noli at Fili Dekada 2000 (Dos Mil)



Theater plays usually catch my attention for one reason: its authenticity in big gestures. And when realism strikes a chord, sure it’s painful but oh so relieving.

Noli at Fili Dekada 2000 (Dos Mil) is a modern-day social porn. It’s hard core but not too graphic, disturbing but enlightening. When reality bites you, it makes sure it seals it with a slap on your face. And my cheeks went red.




The play echoes its original counterpart’s shoutout. More than a century after, it still resounds the face of a sick society; the same symptoms, only a little face lift. You will still encounter Ibarra, Maria Clara, Elias, Padre Damaso and other iconic characters, only with contemporary personalities.

Set in Maypajo, a small town somewhere in Southern Tagalog, nature took its toll to humanity’s abuse through flash floods and landslide; a toll very large enough to claim the souls of hundreds. Young blood Ibarra Marasigan, newly-elected mayor of the town, witnessed his constituents’ misery and pushed for the total log ban in Sierra Madre mountain ranges. He sought help from Governor Santiago Santos, his future father-in-law and godfather. But instead of a helping hand, Ibarra stumbled upon the rotting government system that compromised his future marriage to Clarissa. She was forced to marry Col. Salvi, the notorious architect of some of illegal government transactions. Meddling of the Church to state affairs was apparent with Bishop Damaso’s filthy involvement in illegal trades and shadow of dark past. Affected parties engineered Ibarra’s way out of public office. Ibarra brought his battle to the mountains and joined a rebel armed group. He eventually went down and took a vengeance for his ill-fate.



At present time, Nic Tiongson has written what every social goons would avoid: a reflection of their ill deed, a mirror of their own self. They may be narcissistic, but dirt on their faces—and worse on their inner self, is another thing.



I think Soxie Topacio is well-endowed to direct the play. A master of his field, Mr Topacio was able to connect the grim line between reality and the lack of it.



The play didn’t lack great actors. In fact, they’ve got an overwhelming number. Respected names in theater, TV and music like Lex Ramos, Bembol Rocco, Robert Seña among others, flocked together to bring a must-see play this season.

I was particularly impressed with the underlying cause of their engagement in the play. Some of them were able to see the gloomy picture of Quezon back in 2004, the province hardly-hit by a super typhoon, a natural calamity worsened by the abuse of humankind. The disaster claimed hundreds of lives. The play is a by-product of their desire to “strike a message” to the concerned, a badge of every PETA play for forty years now. Crying for no reason is nonsense. Acting for nothing is equivalent to shit.

Roughly six years back, I took up Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo at third and fourth year high school, respectively. I could boast of my outstanding marks in Filipino subject then, that’s where I only excelled on anyway. (Well, History was another I guess.)

My interest in Noli Me Tangere led me to direct a play, partially to fulfil the final requirement for the subject and mostly to kindle my lust for social awakening; this was sort of juvenile ejaculation, I suppose. Pardon my language.

And I guess that had awaken my sixth sense: a keen eye for social imbalance. We all have a story to tell about Noli at Fili, some might got dead bored while taking the subject, some shared my admiration for both novels. But in the process, sure we learned that something's wrong a century ago. Presently, please care to ask ourselves, how far did we improve as a nation, or how sick did we turn out.



You wouldn’t allow your child to watch porn, and worse a hardcore one, but I dare you to try this, sure your child would reach social foreplay in no time. I bet politicians and people on highest social layer would never herd up their kids on PETA theater, but I challenge my generation to give this a shot and, for once, think over our future roles in a society predominantly ruled by the powerhouse elite.

PS. All photos courtesy of PETA Facebook account.

Showing at the PETA Theater Center from July 17 to August 9, 2009 (Friday, Saturday and Sunday: 10AM and 3PM)

Tickets are P300 each.

For inquiries or reservations, call PETA Marketing at 410 0821 or 0917-8044428 or email petampro@yahoo.com.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Ay ngayon pa lang pala ang showing nyan. Kung hindi ako nagkakamali, nakita ko na yung production stills nyan sa multiply site ni Jojit Lorenzo.

Ang ganda ng shots nila with the water, just like the one you posted above.

Akala ko mahal ang tickets, halos same price range lang pala. Kaso ang layo ata ng venue. Hahahaha.