Kisapmata

(Commenting on the play, not the movie) Seeing the play after I’ve watched the movie is confirmation that I understand a play better if I’ve already watched the movie. It rang true for tick, tick…BOOM!, The Sound of Music, and a slime tutorial of Chicago. I watched with my mom. We both really loved the movie tbh, she also remarked there weren’t any movies like Kisapmata being made anymore in the country. I was impressed by the artistry and talent and nuance on display.  The artistry, the talent, and the nuance translated to the stage. The movie resonated within the context of the martial law era, and the play resonated as well, seeing that we’re barely three years fresh from Duterte’s culture of violence. It helps that the source material is undeniably rich (a nuanced, politically-charged work that is also not overtly political allowing four characters to truly shine is rare), but the direction is exceptional and immensely Filipino. The director taps into Filipino identity, something that was not touched on by the movie. The talent, particularly from the mom (who gets fleshed out here), is spectacular. While the dad is no Vic Silayan, he comes very close. His hoarse voice allows you to feel sympathy for him, as compared to Silayan’s completely menacing and imposing aura, so his outbursts hit harder. Mila is more active in here, and the actress who played her gave a solid turn. Noel also comes across as more defiant, but obviously not quite when he’s up against Tatang. The sheer power of Noel’s actor sent chills to my body.  Sound mixing was also great. For a bare-bones production wherein the actors mime the opening of doors, using of telephones, and the like, the sound effects are timed well. Kudos to the technical team. And for that bare-bones production, it has great production design.  There are digital banners on the sides of the blackbox theatre that tell you what time of day it is. At the end, it says “The Filipino is worth dying for.” I agreed, but I did not get why until the talkback session at the end. Kisapmata is the first play I’ve seen with a talkback session, and it was a pleasant surprise.  The creative team answered questions about the translation of the work from screen to stage, its relevance, and its political context. Kisapmata talks about the culture of violence born in the Marcos era, which the director says is a chain (I forgot the specifics, but it trickles all the way down to the home, which this play is about) and this play also recognizes that the play ought to recognize the culture of silence born in the era of Duterte, and the subsequent era of Marcos Jr. Such a resonant work that is both timely and timeless. I have so much respect for Kisapmata.