Feature: Blurring the Lines between the Living and the Dead
“I am a seagull… No, that’s not right
I am an actress”
Perhaps, these are the most prominent lines in Chekhov’s play, The Seagull. We came to know them during the second offering of Dulaang UP’s 43rd season, The Dressing Room: That Which Flows Away Ultimately Becomes Nostalgia when a character uttered these words while she was rehearsing for her own play.
The Dressing Room, written by Japanese playwright Shimizu Kunio with an original adaptation by Chiori Miyagawa, is a play within a play that retells four different stories of four different actress while they are preparing before their cue to go onstage. An ‘eternal rehearsal’ is what we can call their scenes during the whole play and we prefer not to expound on the nickname to save you from any unwanted spoilers.
If you are a first timer just like us, you would initially think that what you are about to watch is something heavy and dark. And you’d definitely be surprised.
As the show begins, the audience is immediately engulfed in a feeling of melancholy due to the music and the opening routine of the ensemble. Even the first few lines make it seem like a somber play focusing about memories. And then the ghosts start to talk…
Yes, ghosts. Before the play even starts, literally half the cast is dead, sticking around to heckle the living like Statler and Waldorf from the Muppets. Suddenly, the mood of the entire play would relentlessly bounce between somber and hilarious, able to bring along the audience in quite the emotional rollercoaster.
Topnotch direction from UP’s very own, Dr. Alexander C. Cortez paved this play’s way to artistic genius. His vision of creating a cross between Filipino and Japanese culture came to life through his characters, ensemble, choreography, costumes and set design. Truly, this play is inspired greatly by the Japanese culture however the audience can still get a glimpse of our very own identity through the lines delivered and the importance given to the emotions portrayed on stage.
‘Play within a play’
Literary references are made throughout which make classic theater hearts beat wildly, with the main reference in point being The Seagull by Anton Chekhov, a play that partially sets off the flow of the play. Works by Shakespeare (Macbeth) and Miyoshi Juro (Slashed Senta) also get thrown in when the characters reminisce of bygone days, reenacting them at points when need be. This shows how much effort was put into the script and how much the production is willing to give for the sake of art and theatre.
‘Five-star acting’
Actress A (played by Frances Makil-Ignacio) and Actress B (played by Ces Quesada) are the characters that make this play balanced and light. With their snide yet hilarious remarks, you’ll leave the theatre with your hands on your stomachs and a smile on your lips. Not to mention their facial expressions that just made the comic relief even more amusing and their acting even more convincing. This tag-team of Ignacio and Quesada showcased happiness and fun despite being tortured with an ‘eternal rehearsal’.
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| SPOTLIGHT. Ces Quesada and Frances Makil-Ignacio shine bright as they perform on stage. Photo credit: Roan Ticman |
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| ADEPT. With rapture, Missy Maramara beautifully plays the life of her character. Photo credit: Roan Ticman |
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| PRECIOUS. Maxine Ignacio delightfully hugs her pillow. Photo credit: Roan Ticman |
‘Serious yet playful’
What made this production even more compelling was its way of masking its heavy yet central message behind a comical façade. On the darker side, an important but rarely talked about issue regarding the hardships of being a performer reveals itself throughout the whole production without the audience even noticing, including but not limited to the various tolls it has on a person’s physical and mental health, as well as being extremely devoted to perfecting the art, no matter the cost.
Additionally, this production leaves its audience with a perpetual message, that there is no obstacle too great (even death) to get out of stagnation, especially with the help of a few friends and loved ones.
‘Music to die for’
Another noteworthy aspect of the whole production was the fact that no silence was left dull. There was no dead air (yes, pun intended) for each scene was filled with either amazing numbers by the ensemble or haunting Japanese-inspired melodies. The great blending of both visual and audio cues was unique as well, further highlighting the various moods and emotions strewn throughout the play. The music really sets the mood and guides the audience on what kind of scene they are currently watching.
We can go on and on about how this production deserves the praise it’s getting but we have to stop here for we don’t want to reveal the whole story. We’ll just let you discover its wonders for yourself.
The Dressing Room is currently running until November 25 only so don’t let this opportunity pass by unnoticed. This Saturday and Sunday will serve as their closing shows at 10 am and 3 pm Tickets are 500 pesos each however for UPIS students, we are offered a discounted price of 200 pesos (what a small price for a play of this quality). Tickets are available online at https://ticket2me.net/e/832. For ticket inquiries, contact Joshua Chan (09176775141) or Gio Dexter Santos (09165552782). You may also contact the Dulaang UP Office (Tel: 926-1349 / 981-8500 local 2449 / dulaangupmarketing@gmail.com).//by Gabriel Aparato, Philip Jocano and Roan Ticman
