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Tanghalang Ateneo returns to Shakespeare with a novel rendition of
Measure for Measure, a tragicomedy on desire, morality, and justice.
Translated into Filipino as Hakbang sa Hakbang, the production marks
the first time the play will be staged in Filipino. It will also
showcase student talents who displayed their performance mettle in
such previous productions like Middle Finger Po and Litisang Bilog
ng Caucasus. Ronan Capinding leads the artistic team as director and
translator.
Tanghalang Ateneo’s Hakbang sa Hakbang brings
alive the disco-dancing era. Choreographer Ina Luna, Sound Designer
Reamur David and Capinding fuse disco dancing moves and hip hop
beats with Shakespearean language. The fusion not only modernizes
Shakespeare; it also creatively reveals the persona of the
characters and the tone of each scene. The play is staged in the
round thus giving audiences the experience of intimately witnessing
the story unfold in their midst. One of Shakespeare’s lesser-known
works, Hakbang sa Hakbang is a true must-see as it has all the
elements of a great untold story, as only Shakespeare can tell.
In the play, the laidback Duke Vincentio
(alternately played by Dan Chua and Exzell Macomb) has appointed the
austere Angelo (alternately played by Paolo Apagalang and Gelo
Brilliantes) to temporarily take his place as ruler while he is on a
diplomatic mission. The new ruler suddenly forces the freewheeling
and disco-dancing citizenry into strict adherence to the law. To
serve as a warning, Claudio (alternately played by Kenn Cayunda and
Brian Sy), a young nobleman, is arrested and sentenced to an
immediate death for impregnating his fiancée. Isabel (alternately
played by Rizzy Alejandro and Reg de Vera), Claudio’s sister and a
virtuous nun, hesitantly pleads on her brother’s behalf, only to
be given a shocking proposition by the duplicitous Angelo: her
brother’s life for her virginity.
Unknown to all, the Duke, disguised as a friar,
has secretly been watching the events unfold. He conspires with
Isabel and Mariana (alternately played by Nayie Caga-anan and Ysabel
Yuzon), Angelo’s long lost lover. They trick Angelo into sleeping
with Mariana instead of Isabel, but Angelo still orders Claudio
beheaded the next day. The Duke must find another way to save
Claudio’s life. He secretly weaves the final plot leading to a
dramatic revelation scene. With the entire city as the audience the
Duke is unmasked to the shock of all. Will the justice the Duke
bestows give everyone a happy ending?
Hakbang sa Hakbang opens on January 31 at the
Fine Arts Exhibit Hall of the Ateneo de Manila University in Loyola
Heights. For inquiries, please call 0918-4733137 or 0918-8151218 or
log on to www.tanghalangatene o.multiply. com
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