TO SAY that it’s exceptional is an understatement.
Bienvenido Lumbera’s Hibik at Himagsik nina Victoria Lactaw has all the elements of a classic – universal theme, historical plot and intense characters.
Lumbera, a critic, poet, playwright and teacher, is an alumnus of the old UST Faculty of Philosophy and Letters. In 1993, he received the Ramon Magsaysay Award for Journalism, Literature and Creative Communication. In 1996, he was named Outstanding Alumnus in Literature of the UST Faculty of Arts and letters.
The zarzuela, which won the 1998 Centennial Literary Award, is based on a poem-manifesto “Hibik Namin” by nine women carrying allegorical names (led by Victoria Lactaw) who protested the rape and exploitation of women by American soldiers during the Philippine-American War. The poem appeared in 1899 in the revolutionary newspaper “Heraldo Filipino.”
Juxtaposed with the revolutionary plot is the fictive story of two pairs of lovers: Chayong (Michelle Montero) and Bindoy (Arnold Reyes), and Conching (Jeannelle Bihag) and Tino (Raymond Roldan), who are involve in the Filipino revolutionary underground.
The three act play portrays the repercussions of the Philippine-American war to women, to relationships and to the very fabric of the society. Somehow, the more the Filipinos are pushed to the limits, the intense is their desire for freedom.
The hero of the play is the Filipino woman who is gravely victimized in the war. Issues of women’s assertion of rights and identity are presented, even in the small business of decision-making between the lovers.
A poignant scene highlights the exploitation of women where Sabel (Lyra Dominguez) narrates how American soldiers raped her and her sister. Out of this, the fight of Filipino women was ignited and inscribed in a poem-manifesto burning with fury and desire for freedom.
Dulaang UP brilliantly restaged the zarzuela. Their sopranos and tenors struck a cord in the audience’s heart arousing feelings of hope and nationalism. Their highly emotional acting complemented the beauty of the story.
The use of the two revolving translucent walls decorated on the edges with dried branches, was maximized to become a backdrop, a house and a war setting.
Flashbacks were projected onscreen and were very effective.
One little disappointment though is the use of the American flag-styled masks for the rapist American soldiers. It is not consistent with the story, since there are no other symbolisms used. Obviously, they are recognizable as Americans just by their combat uniforms and the background of the story.
Perhaps, what makes the play so appealing is its ability to fill the hunger of Filipino audiences for plays that tackle the past, and also the experience of hearing the beautiful music of the Filipino language in its uncorrupted form.
