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Walang Aray: A comedic but intelligent poke to our history

Walang Aray: A comedic but intelligent poke to our history

With their comeback to the physical stage, Philippine Educational Theatre Association (PETA) would bring an old but not so old-themed musical play to the stage. Featuring one of the hottest love teams of this time, KD Estrada and Alexa Ilacad also known as KDLex, as Tenyong and Julia. PETA would make a memorable comeback with Walang Aray!, an original musical play written by Rody Vera. Walang Aray is based on the 1890 Zarzuela entitled, ‘Walang Sugat’ by Severino Reyes. 

Walang Aray! is a musical play that would surely make you laugh and clap nonstop with their unnerving yet effective punch to our ancient struggles. A musical play that would leave you with an aching stomach with a good reason. A beating heart for the things that we fight for; Love, identity, rights and country. 

So here are the things that makes “Walang Aray” a must-watch musical play

Walang Aray’s Behind the Scenes

As the director Ian Segarra said in the official playbill, Walang Aray! doesn’t hide the people behind the performance. How the set-up changes every scene. The stage hands that move the set every blackout, the people who seamlessly bring the backdrops up and down. Those backstage happenings that are usually only visible to the stage people are adding to the uniqueness of the play. 

Photo: PETA

There are these two scenes where Tenyong had to set up the river and when he needed to put a ring light to their rendezvous. These immediately bring laughter to the audience. Why? Because although it may seem unusual for the actors to do that, it does happen behind the scenes. 

Photo: PETA

Director Segarra wanted these to be seen as a tribute to the people who are usually treated as “non-essential” to a stage play like Walang Aray!. Backstage staffs are important and essential. And this stage play proved it all on point.

Tumindig 

Walang Aray! is set in the 1890s, and it perfectly showcased the everyday life of the ancient Filipinos. It also pokes fun at the revolutionary era of Philippine History under the colonization of the Spaniards. PETA’s Walang Aray! showed how the Filipinos fight for their rights and justice. Along with this, it features how the Spanish friars abused their powers as well as their status as the head of the church. 

Photo: Jericka Daz

Although the play brought laughter to the audience all throughout the performance, it also proved that standing up to the things that you believe is essential in acquiring freedom. What I think is the most notable in the notion of standing up for yourself, is when Julia finally stood up for what she wants including her love for Tenyong.

Umibig 

What makes Walang Aray! even more attractive to the audience is the essence of Romeo and Juliet formula to the love story of Tenyong and Julia. How it mirrors the love story of a star-crossed lovers that are constantly being separated by different kinds of situations. How their love for each other is tested by the unfortunate things that are happening.

It is even more wonderful how one can catch a glimpse of the love story of Crisostomo Ibarra and Maria Clara. Of how Julia could sacrifice everything for the sake of her love for Tenyong just like how Maria Clara would. And how Tenyong could do anything for his beloved Julia just like how Ibarra would do for Maria Clara. 

Photo: Jericka Daz

Although it may seem a little bit expected in the case of the second male lead, Miguel, I love how they present his character to the crowd. An image of a masculine bachelor who hides his truth from all the people around him. And how despite everything, he would try countless times for the sake of his father.

Photo: PETA

And at the end of their performance, what makes it heartwarming is how they showed different forms of love. That love has no gender, age, and status and that everyone is truly equal when it comes to love. 

Kumanta 

Everything about the soundtrack of this magnificent musical fits just right. The lyrics of the songs and how they incorporated the sounds that one might hear in their everyday lives. All combined, adds to how magnificent the performance of the stage play was like. 

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Photo: PETA

Originally, ‘Walang Aray!’ was supposed to feature a few covers of OPM songs. But, after a thorough discussion and contemplation, it was decided original songs and soundtrack is just right for this unique but spectacular piece of art. What makes it even more pleasing to the ears is how they include the slang we Filipinos often use when talking or speaking. Understanding the norms presented and the messages the songs intended to rely on is just a piece of cake. 

And there’s no doubt, KDLex surely can perform and sing. Walang Aray! features, present and proved that KDLex is the best choice for Julia and Tenyong in their first physical run of the stage play. Their chemistry, their vocals and how they present their characters to the audience really deserved the loud cheers and deafening clap of the crowd. But not only that, PETA actors and actresses served and left with no crumbs. Because they surely amazed the audience with their performance, their unrivaled vocals and perfect adlibs and more. 

Tumawa 

‘Walang Aray!’ pokes fun at the history of our country. And that makes the play even more fascinating to watch. How they make the crowd laugh from the beginning of the play until the last minute of it says a lot. And there’s no moment of silence all through out the performance. The jokes and punchlines are all on point. Adlibs are perfect. The merge of ancient and modern situations is just genius and indeed, the fun of physical play is present in ‘Walang Aray!’.

Language wise? It is perfect. In a Filipino term, ‘walang tapon’ would be the best suited description for the play. Every scene is worth watching, every line surely left an impact on the audience and would surely leave the crowd with an aching stomach but for a good reason. 

On the other hand, it also proved that comedy, combined with a perfect performance like PETA did with Walang Aray!, is a serious strike to the unforeseen or ignored truths of our society, religiously and patriotically. How they perfectly parodized the antics of the church in the revolutionary days and how Filipino resiliency would always be the answer to the injustices and unfair treatments of the ruling class. Walang Aray! also showed the importance of history, especially amidst disinformation and propagandas.

Comedy is indeed the best way to call out the irregularities of our society. It may appear to be fun and all, but it would surely serve and would leave no crumbs at all.

‘Walang Aray!’ is set to run until May 14, 2023 at the PETA Theatre, located at Quezon City. So what are you waiting for? Tumindig, umibig, kumanta, at tumawa with PETA’s Walang Aray magnificent performance. 

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