Ibalong, the Review

Tanghalang Pilipino’s poster for Ibalong for this year.

“Ibalong” is an epic tale coming from the Bicol region. For its 2013-2014 theater season, Tanghalang Pilipino, the resident theater company of the Cultural Center of the Philippines, once more brings the Bicol epic onstage as a musical play.

“Ibalong” tells the tale of heroes in search of a new homeland for their people (see a retelling of the epic in the blog Instructional Minutes). The story is reminiscent of Virgil’s Aeneid where Aeneas finds a new homeland for his people after their city was destroyed in the Trojan War (as told in The Iliad by Homer). He founds a new home for them in Italy, which would later become Rome. In Ibalong, the heroes originate from the island of Samar and found a new homeland in the Bicol region, calling it Ibalong. The heroes of both stories pass through various troubles as they fight for a new home for their people.

Once more, I had the opportunity to watch a play at the CCP gratis, thanks to my former student (who had invited me to watch her in Jun Ispater and Sandosenang Sapatos, both reviewed in this blog). She now plays a chorus girl in the play. I watched the play during its gala on August 31, Saturday, at 8:00 pm. I arrived at the CCP on the dot, so I dispensed with the cocktail socials before the play.

BEWARE: Below be SPOILERS! If you wish to watch the play and witness the story as it unfolds, read the summary-free review in my other blog, Instructional Minutes. Or scroll down to my review of the set and my reflections. Otherwise, continue reading at your own risk. You have been forewarned.

The story

Gugurang, the young Oryol, and Aswang.

Tanghalang Pilipino’s Ibalong, the Musical is a reinterpretation of the epic tale. The play opens by a song by the beautiful but dangerous snake woman, Oryol (played by the beautiful Jenine Desiderio). Together with the halimaw’s (monsters) that inhabit the land of Ibalong, she explains the laws of nature by which they abide. Also introduced were Aswang, the father of the halimaw’s and Gugurang, a personification of heaven. They also herald the ominous arrival of a new creature called man.

The young Oryol with her friend Opon. (Photo by Erik Crisologo Liongren)

The first hero is Baltog, who arrives in Ibalong with his men and declares the place as the new homeland for his people. Spying on the humans are the young Oryol (portrayed by the young and talented Trixie Esteban) and Opon, a gruff giant wild boar. Opon gets enraged by the encroachment of the humans and attacks them. Baltog and his men defeat Opon and take his head as a trophy. The young Oryol, witnessing the brutal slaying of her friend, vows revenge.

Baltog takes the head of Opon as a trophy. (Photo by Erik Crisologo Liongren)

By the time Oryol grows up as a young (snake-) woman, Baltog has died and the city he built has been reclaimed by the forest. But a new invader arrives in the person of the young Handyong. He declares his intention to build a new kingdom in Ibalong.

ANAKIN: I have brought peace, freedom, justice, and security to my new empire!

OBI-WAN: Your new empire?

(Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith)

Led by Oryol, the halimaw’s attack Handyong and his men but were repulsed by the humans. Oryol and the halimaw’s go into hiding to wait for an opportune time to strike the humans.

In hiding, Aswang, the father of Oryol, explains that indeed, the time of the monsters had ended and that the age of man has come.

Oryol and her father Aswang.

He also reminds Gugurang that after man vanquishes them monsters, man will then attempt to conquer even heaven. Aswang tells Oryol to join forces with Rabot to fight the humans. Then Aswang dies in the arms of his daughter.

Handyong and his men continue in their subjugation of the halimaw’s. They kill the giant crocodiles and tame the wild carabaos in order to work in their fields. They slay or subdue all the halimaw’s that come their way. Handyong sends his best friend, Bantog, to hunt and kill the monster Rabot.

Handyong fights the monsters. (Photo by Jude T. Bautista)

Oryol confronts Handyong and orders him to stop killing her fellow monsters. They duel but Handyong gets the best of her.

Handyong fights Oryol. (Photo by Jude T. Bautista)

“I call it ‘aggressive negotiations’.”

(Padme Amidala, in Star Wars Episode II: Attack to the Clones)

In order to save the life of her kind, she capitulates to a treacherous agreement with Handyong. She would help Handyong find her friends. But in order for their life to be spared, she agrees to marry Handyong. She agrees to cut off her snake tail in order to be fully human. As she cuts of her tail, Bantog decapitates Rabot.

Oryol reluctantly relents to be the wife of Handyong. (Photo by Erik Crisologo Liongren)

After a ten-minute intermission, the play resumes with Oryol, now a proper human wife, giving birth to the now-mature Handyong’s first son, named Makusog. Handyong grooms his child to be his successor: as he has conquered the earth, his son shall conquer heaven. The sky rumbles ominously and as Makusog foolishly tries to fight heaven, he is struck down by thunder. Gugurang appears to Handyong and rebukes him for attempting to conquer heaven. Handyong, seeing the body of his dead son, realizes the error of his ways. Gugurang explains that Makusog will live only after he dies. Filled with remorse with all the evil he has done, Handyong takes his life.

Makusog is brought back to life. Gugurang explains to Oryol that her son Makusog will eventually be the father of Daragang Magayon. Her grave will eventually give rise to Mayon Volcano, whose destructive power would be a reminder to humans of the awesome powers of nature. The play ends with the young Daragang Magayon (also portrayed by Trixie Esteban) singing a song on Ibalong, as Mount Mayon rises in the background.

Set, sounds, music, and costumes

The set is built on three levels: the stage floor; a middle level with inclined ramps (the one on the right has a trap door) representing high ground; and a topmost level, representing heaven. The curtain appears to have been made of plastic straw strings, which appear represent tall grass. It is used for dramatic effect as Oryol mysteriously slithers across the stage.

The music of the play is supplied by three live musicians: an acoustic guitarist and two percussionists. (I’m not sure if recorded music was also used.) The music used in the play has a strong ethnic vibe. Rock was also used in the play, and there are times when the groaning of an electric guitar can be heard. (I could have sworn that there were at least two scenes that are introduced by the first three notes of the “Imperial March”, which explains why all the Star Wars references in this review!)

Perhaps the only down side of the play was the sound system! I appreciated the music of Sandosenang Sapatos because the instruments can be heard live without amplification (but then, that was in the tiny Tanghalang Huseng Batute studio theater). At the beginning of the play (at least for this night), I could hardly understand the words in the song of Oryol. There were also times when the sounds from the wireless microphones on the cast would be spotty. The problem appears to have been fixed during the final act.

The greatest upside of the play are the costumes, especially of the monsters. One would be dazzled at the ingenuity and creativity that went into the construction of the costumes. Winning best costume hands-down is that of Oryol, whose shiny scaly tail was operated by two puppeteers in black manipulating the tail (like those dancing dragons during Chinese New Year). Hats off to the play’s costume designer, Leeroy New!

Plus points also to the choreography: In their vibrantly-color costumes, the chorus would fill the stage, making it a sight to behold.

Jenine Desiderio was excellent in her portrayal of the beautiful and seductive snake-woman Oryol. She also plays the dramatic parts very well. Once more, Trixie Esteban garnered my admiration as the young and innocent Oryol. Her voice, which was like a young Lea Salonga, rang as clear as a bell.

Reflections

Tanghalang Pilipino’s re-creation turns the epic into a modern-day parable on man’s relentless destruction of nature. As Baltog and Handyong pronounce their intentions to clear the forests and flush out all the monsters to make space for their kingdoms, I can see in my mind’s eye developments like seaside hotels and condominiums. Their destruction of nature is accidentally coincidentally relevant, for our country reeled from the destruction wrought by Typhoon Maring and habagat, the southwest monsoon, just the week before.

The Bible speaks of man’s destruction of nature in a way that is eerily modern:

And the nations were wroth; and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they be judged, and to give a reward to thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and to them that fear thy name, small and great, and to destroy them that destroyed the earth. (Revelation 11:18, emphasis added)

The destruction left behind by the recent typhoon revealed how damaged nature is because of the work of man. Entire towns were flooded because waterways were clogged by garbage. Also, there is the alleged theft of public funds that would have been otherwise used for flood-control projects and relief operations. Could it be that the apocalyptic signs in the Bible like pestilences and famines be—in part—caused by us human beings?

After the destruction of Earth, is rebellion against heaven itself. Greek mythology tells of the Gigantomachia, the Clash of the Giants, where the giants piled one mount on top of another in order to reach Mount Olympus and fight the gods. The Bible tells (in Genesis 11:1-9) of a story of people building the city of Babel (yes, it’s actually the city that is called Babel) with a tower in rebellion to God. Both stories tell of the futility of this: the gods strike down the Giants with thunder and lightning and God scatters humans all over the earth by confusing their language.

Personal notes

The play ends with a preview of the Legend of Mount Mayon. As Miss Esteban sings on the stage’s topmost level, Mayon rises majestically in the background. Will there be a sequel to Ibalong, one that tells the tale of the beautiful Daragang Magayon? I wish there will be.

The cast taking their bow during the curtain call. Mount Mayon can be seen in the background. (Photo courtesy of Carlo de Castro on Facebook)

The rise of Mount Mayon kind of reminds me of this scene. Will there be a sequel to the epic musical?

(Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith)

After the play, the cast (except for Miss Desiderio—wasn’t able to spot her) gathered at the CCP lobby for a meet-and-greet and photo-op with the audience. Once more I had the opportunity to have pictures taken with my student Lhorvie and with Trixie.

 

My former student Lhorvie Ann Nuevo and I.

Trixie Esteban and I. (Thanks to Lhorvie for calling her and for snapping this picture.)

* * *

“Ibalong” is running at the Tanghalang Aurelio Tolentino (Little Theater) on the following times and dates:

August 30, September 6 & 13 (Friday) - 8:00 pm

August 31 (Saturday) - 8:00 pm

September 1 (Sunday) – 10:00 am and 3:00 pm

September 7 & 14 (Saturdays) – 3:00 pm and 8:00 pm

September 8 & 15 (Sundays) – 3:00 pm

Tickets available at the CCP and at all TicketWorld outlets at Php 800 each and at Php 400 for students.

All images used in this blog entry are property of their respective owners.