July 10, 2010
The first show of this year's season of the PETA is a show dedicated to the use of theater as a medium of education. "Rated PG" is a play written by Liza Magtoto, with music by Vincent de Jesus (same award-winning composer who put "Juan Tamad" into music). It is directed by Mae Quesada-Medina. This musical play is about the Filipino family, specifically the tenuous relationship of parents and children. It focused on problems of communication, on discipline and imparting lessons.
The play introduces us to the lower middle class family of enterprising Joselle (May Bayot) who has a "conveniens" (sic) store in the form of a big biyahera's bag, a store she opens at her convenience, selling bras and slippers. She has two kids: a feisty teenager Rosalie (Joan Bugcat) and a hyperactive little boy Tonton (a very cute Arthur Castro). Her hard-working husband Romy (Jack Yabut) is a deliveryman (I think). We also get to meet Joselle's mother as well her colorful neighbors. Also playing a big part is the teen gang of Rosalie (or Ozie), the Jejesters.
One day, Joselle gets an offer to work in Barcelona, Spain, and this situation sets the whole play into motion. As time constraints with her visa and working papers set in, she vents off her frustrations against her kids and husband either in straight dramatic scenes, or in seriously dramatic songs. We effectively see realistic family conflicts portrayed onstage as the script tries to touch on every major issue about family dynamics in our local setting. We see everyone doing their own things, yet these activities can result in much tension when it comes to the homefront.
Throughout the play, parents receive tips on how to deal with our kids. Listen to each other. Set and agree on a daily schedule. Discuss and explain plans and problems. Show your love. Set and obey house rules. No spanking. No cursing. No scare tactics. Be ready to say you are sorry. Set a good example. We learn these lessons in nice little song production numbers which the cast does with gusto. In its last song, this play tells us that children are already whole human beings when they were born. While we should give them the freedom to fly on their own, they also need us, our guidance and our love.
The actors who play the central family of Joselle were all pretty solid in their acting. I have heard of May Bayot before, and this is the first time I have seen her in action. She plays a very strong Joselle. I am glad that the dad Romy was not written as a useless bum, like most Filipino shows tended to portray the father character. The teenager Ozie was very realistically written and portrayed, in all her teen angst. The young kid who played Tonton was very cute and malikot. The way Ms. Bayot and company lived the roles onstage, it was like looking into a mirror at certain home situations we are all too familiar with.
The script is very sharp, yet it has the requisite humor and pop references to appeal to the younger audience. The use of a projection screen as backdrop with colorful animated images was also very imaginative. The moving set pieces which was composed of two big wooden boxes and stairs were very well used and re-arranged to represent different venues. The props were very imaginative too, like using rubber bands to represent pansit.
I do have some comment about the songs. The tunes were not really too memorable for me, but they were appropriate to the mood and story. The singing was quite uneven also. The acting was better than the singing. But more importantly, some singers were chewing the lyrics. I felt a lot of vital messages are lost to the audience if the lyrics were not enunciated very clearly, and the cast should take more care in this aspect in future stagings.
Meann Espinosa of PETA's Marketing Office is right, it is encouraged that parents watch this play with their kids. But for me, especially if the kids are already in or nearing their teens. This could effectively serve a springboard for a good family discussion about the issues brought up in the play.
I thought a lot of the play's messages may have been lost to the very young members of the audience that afternoon. The little ones were only reacting when they see the funny antics of the naughty Tonton and his playmate Macmac, as well as various displays of affection seen on stage. But the rest of the play had them quite antsy in my observation. Some were even going around, in and out of the room. The play may be quite long for very young kids (almost two hours), and it had a ten minute intermission! Not generalizing though, depends on the kid, of course.
And so, for yet another timely, educational and socially-relevant stage production, a hearty Congratulations again to PETA!
P.S.: I learned that the kids in the audience this afternoon were from neighboring Barangay Kalusugan and Kristong Hari, as well as from M.H. del Pilar Public School. I wouldn't be surprised if this was all shouldered by PETA and its sponsors, in the spirit of community service and fostering the art of theater in the young. Kudos PETA!
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The show opens on July 9, 6 p.m., at the PETA Theater Center, 5 Eymard Drive New Manila, Quezon City (behind QC Sports Club). Other performance dates are as follows: July 10, 11, 17 and 18 (10 a.m. and 3 p.m.).
For inquiries, contact PETA’s Marketing and Public Relations Office at 7256244, 4100821 to 22 or SMS 0917-8044428, e-mail petampro@yahoo.com.
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