FILMMAKER Carlitos Siguion-Reyna tries his hand in theater in staging Thomasian National Artist for Theater and Literature Rolando Tinio’s Tagalog translation of Shakespeare’s classic, “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” last Sept. 30 at the Tanghalang Huseng Batute (CCP Studio Theater) of the Cultural Center of the Philippines.
The film director of 1991’s Hihintayin Kita sa Langit (an adaptation of Emily Bronte’s Wuthering Heights) and more recently of the indie movie Hari ng Tondo, Siguion-Reyna was able to apply the humor and whimsy of Shakespeare’s comedy even when staged in Filipino.
Staged by Tanghalang Pilipino, Pangarap sa Isang Gabi ng Gitnang tag-Araw is a comic play that centers on the love interplaying around four young Athenians: Lysander, Hermia, Demetrius and Helena. Lysander and Demetrius, formerly battling for the love of Hermia, suddenly fall in love with the unrequited lover of Demetrius, who is Helena. Chaos is caused by the love potion given by Puck (Aldo Vencilao), the jester of the fairy king Oberon (Audie Gemora), who confuses the lovers from determining who their beloved is. Vencilao engaged in an act both alluring and questionable at the same time—which gave off the idea that he was the person behind the comedy that surrounded the story. Gemora evinced royalty and highness in his performance as a king of a magical land which highlighted Liesl Batucan’s elegance, who played Titania, the queen of fairies. Teroy Guzman’s doughty portrayal of Teseo (Theseus), the king of Athens, channeled the slapstick into the classic comedy piece.
Also very entertaining were Toni Go and Marco Viaña as Hermia and Lisandro (Lysander), who portrayed the role of lovers.
Designed by sculptor Toym Imao, the production set depicted ancient Greece with its classical stage design and two staircases meeting at a space that acted as a foyer.
With John Batalla on the lights, the set transformed into an Agora, a forest and prairie whenever needed.
The actors melded themselves into the story and the stage along with the extravagant use of language. Not a single element of play was eased; all were presented in high dosages of drama, slapstick comedy, romance and action—which neatly puts it in a simple yet suave category.