Filipino adaptation of Edgar Allan Poe's The Fall of the House of Usher at the Power Mac Center this October

Search about American literature and it’s impossible that you would not encounter Edgar Allan Poe and his works. The prolific literary icon is known for his mind-boggling poets and short stories that includes “The Fall of the House of Usher  published in 1839.”  This year, a Filipino adaptation of it entitled #14 Leandro Road  is what  Theater House of Black will offer on October 7 and 8 at the Power Mac Center Spotlight in Circuit Makati.

Review based on sample run of 14^th Leandro Road’s… 

Sa Sikat Studio Inc., napanood ko ang kalahati ng show kung saan kasama sina Harry David (Ed), Migui Moreno (creepy Rudy), Gry Gimena (crazy Anton), Marife Necessito (Dra. Lita Dumas), Pewee O’Hara (Donya Victorina), at May Bayot (Consuelo). Doon maraming ideya ang tumatakbo sa aking isipan kaya maganda itong panoorin.

       Aaminin ko na mas kilala ko si Edgar Allan Poe bilang poet at noong high school ko pa s’ya napag-aralan kaya hindi ko na maalala ang tungkol sa “The Fall of the House of Usher.” Kaya itong #14 Leandro Road ay nagbigay sa akin ng glimpse of Poe’s type of stories.  Kung estudyante ka, watching this play will also help you to understand macabre (disturbing story) and Gothic literature/ plays.  Tandaan na naiiba ang atake sa film at TV, kumpara sa teatro kaya interesante itong show.

Aaminin ko rin na matagal na akong 'di nakakapanood ng theater play, ang last ko ay Zsa Zsa Zaturnah ni Eula Valdez at Joey Paras. Bakit ko binabanggit? Hindi ako familiar sa mga theater actors na napanood ko even  Madam Pewee O’ Hara na sa panood ko pa lang ay mukhang batikan na nga.  Maganda ito in a way kasi fresh at mahuhusgahan ko ang kanilang acting base sa kanilang pagganap at hindi dahil sa kanilang reputasyon.

The standout parts

1   Play Script – hindi ko natanong kung sino ang playwright ng #14 Leandro Road at kung gaano ito ka-faithful sa orihinal (pero baka sina K.H. Dizon at Direk Jay Crisostomo IV). Pero para sa akin panalo ang dialogues at scene/ stage instructions.   Ilan sa nagustuhan kong linya (hindi ako sure kung eksaksto ang natandaan ko) ay ang mga ito:

o   “Bakit ang hirap pag-usapan ng kamatayan, totoo naman ito.” Ito ang tsika ni Anton kay  Ed na asiwa na pag-usapan ang topic. 

o   “Isang kahangalan ang pagsambit sa  mga bagay na hindi mo pinaniniwalan.” Sinabi ni Rudy kay Ed tungkol sa mga bagay-bagay sa bahay nila.  I agree sa kanya dahil sa ibang banda ay nag-iiwan ka ng bahagi ng iyong sarili sa ginagamit mong bagay. Halimbawa ay ang librong ipinasa mo sa ibang tao, kuwaderno na iyong sinulatan, o upuan na matagal mong ginamit.

Samantala,  maayos din ang pagkaka-establish  sa character nina Dra. Dumas (remember kalahati pa lang ang napanood ko), Donya Victorina, at Anton.  At the back of my mind ay gusto kong sabihin “Kaya hindi gumagaling si Anton may sapak din itong tumitingin sa kanya.” Hehehe!

Sa stage instruction – gusto ko iyong malikhain pagpasok at paglabas ng mga Matatandang Laperal. Kung paanong ang kanilang presensya ay matindi ang epekto sa mga nakakababatang Laperal.  Dito mas makikita ang galing ng playwright kung paano instruction blocking, pangyayari sa scenes at ibabatong linya. Siempre may say din dito ang director. Nakalimutan ko iyong pinakagusto kong part, pero kasama roon si Donya Victorina, Rudy, at Ed.  Ang naalala ko na maganda ay iyong  may “pinasayaw at binabaston,” ang “Ed’s tonight private conversation with Anton,” at alin ang mas sipa “whisky o lapad” ;)

2.       Acting of theater actors- lahat naman ay nakapag-deliver and nag-contribute, but nevertheless noticeable talaga na batikan si Pewee O’ Hara. Nandoon yung impact na “I am Donya Victorina and this is me.” Malinis na hindi OA at UA, kundi klarong in character siya.

On the other hand, na-explain ni Direk Jay Crisostomo IV na magkakaiba iyong pinanggalingan ng mga actors so may dynamics.  Dito naklaro sa akin kung bakit may something kay Marife Necessito at Gry Gimena. I don’t feel na umaarte sila sa stage as theater actors parang casual na napapadaan lang sila as Dra. Dumas at Anton.  Yung Anton ni Gry, parang dati mo lang talagang kakilala na nawala sa katinuan o nasapian. Saka in fairness sa kanya parang physically demanding iyong role.  Ito naman kay Marife ay may comedic timing.

Okay din naman sina Migui, Harry, at May.  Physically demanding din ang Rudy ni Migui. Lumalabas ang challenge sa kanya kapag may moment sila ni Pewee O’Hara o nag-aagawan ang realidad at kabaliwan sa kanyang pagtao.  Consistency naman ang maipapakita ni Harry, bahala ka kung magugustuhan mo o hindi ang kanyang pagganap. Subalit, siya iyong tipong pinangangatawanan ang kanyang ginagampanang karakter. Wala pa akong masabi masyado kay May Bayot, bukod sa maganda ang kanyang tinig. Kung tama ako baka may connect s’ya kay Asia’s Nightingale Lani Misalucha.

Harry David as Ed

Samantala, ang alternate cast ay kinabibilangan ni Mosang (creepy Pilar), Alex Leyva (crazy Anna), at Particia Ismael (weird Dra. Lita Dumas). 

3The theme/ genre of the play - Ilan na nga ba ang napanood ko na play na may Gothic o macabre na tema?  Wala akong maalala. At ang challenge sa ganitong genre ay pagpapakita ng fantasy/ imaginary creatures. Hindi naman ito TV at film na malalapatan ng visual effects sa post production dahil on the spot kailangan maipakita sa anumang paraan sa audience ang nakaka-disturb na mga scenes. Kaya ang basic edge ng the #14 Leandro Road ay genre nga nito.

Why I Recommend it?

Direk Jay Crisostomo IV and JC Salud of Theater House of Black 

•            An adaption of the art work of a well-known unconventional literary artist Edgar Allan Poe. Thus, good for students and literature enthusiasts

•         The venue is at the heart of an accessible business district

•        The dates are perfect weekend treats and art appreciation time

•      It's time to watch an all Filipino Production with veteran and fresh Theater Artists. 

1Note: Star Powerhouse is one of the media partners of Theater House of Black for #14 Leandro Road 

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Direk Brillante Mendoza at Metropolitan Museum of Manila

To date, people can’t just call Brillante Mendoza as an ordinary movie director, but a world-class and award-winning Filipino filmmaker.  It’s about time that we, as his proud kababayan, should discover first-hand his talents and products. Fortunately for the 40th anniversary of Metropolitan Museum of Manila, we’ll have the chance to know more the 2015 Cannes Film Festival’s best director (Chevalier dansl’Ordre des Arts et Lettres) from September 5 to October 1.

Direk Brillante Mendoza for me

Though we’re all too young or not yet born when movie geniuses like Lino Brocka and Ismael Bernal left this world, their artistic legacies remind us that filmmaking in the Philippines is not only for commercial and beyond entertainment purposes. For me, the proliferation of independent filmmakers nowadays continue the advocacy of Bernal and Brocka. I don’t know the struggles during their time, but we all know that it takes guts for modern indie directors to emerge in the film industry. Mendoza and his fellows don’t only compete with commercialism and piracy, but also pressured with ever-changing tastes of young moviegoers.

I believe Mendoza is distinct in the sense that he doesn’t bother with the label or bashers. He’s just  there all out to make his art and stories known. He dares to tackle in-depth social issues that perhaps even local news agencies don’t discover yet or fear to feature. Thus, it’s not surprising that most his films are critically-acclaimed such  as Foster Child (2007), Kinatay (2009), Thy Womb (2012), Taklub (2015) and Ma’Rosa (2016).  These movies are considered passion projects for mixing the aim to advocate relevant messages and the art of movie-making.

I am honored to meet and greet him in person when he received his Ani ng Dangal award at the Resorts World Manila in 2014.

Why we shouldn’t miss CineMet series: Brillante Mendoza?

CineMET series presents The Brillante Mendoza: A Contemporary Filipino Filmmaker is for limited time only. We don’t know when it will happen again so it’s a must to explore this one. On the other hand, it’s also cool because…

• It’s free! – Since it’s MET’s anniversary, they make their all galleries admission free every Tuesday starting on September 6, 2016.  By the way, they operating hours is from 10:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

• It’s the first time! - the exhibition of Mendoza’s body of work is  “comprehensively explored within a museum exhibition context”

•  It’s packed with a variety of programs! -  It has off-site screenings of his films (SM Mall of Asia and the Conrad Hotel), lectures, and workshops too.

(photo: Twitter/NCCA Official)

·         "The Brillante Mendoza: A Contemporary Filipino Filmmaker exhibition is curated by Prof. Leo Abaya, and supported by National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), SM, Center Stage Productions, Manny O Wines, Epson Philippines, PowerMac Station, and Max's Restaurant.

The Metropolitan Museum of Manila

Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Complex, Roxas Blvd,

Open from Monday to Saturday,

T: (02) 708-7828

E: email info@metmuseum.ph.