The Inseparable Elements of Theater in Ang Pitong Gunggong
Photo of Ang Pitong Gunggong by Geela Garcia of Ateneo ENTABLADO
Last February 27, 2018, the first showing of Ateneo ENTABLADO’s play Ang Pitong Gunggong was held, directed by Jethro Tenorio and written by Nina Christine Bellen and Tyron Casumpang with music by Maynard de Guzman. The play showcases seven ignoramuses undertaking various trials paralleling current events and issues in the Philippines. It can be summed up as a political parody due to the many references it has to political figures today, along with its commentary on the current state of the government, the country, and Philippine ethics.
Photo of Jethro Tenorio (leftmost) and Christine Bellen (middle) and photo of Tyron Casumpang (rightmost picture)
Photo of Maynard de Guzman
In this play, there were quite a few song and dance numbers. These performances varied from happy, sad, passionate, to comedic and more. It can be assumed that the actors in the play are not serious dancers as they do not seem to exhibit synchronized rhythm and flow in their movements that properly trained dancers would exhibit. This is understandable as the members of the cast are merely students and alumni of Ateneo, thus they may not have the capacity to be more rigorously trained in this respect. Despite this, what they lack in skill of movement is made up for in facial expression. The actors were superb in portraying the emotion of each song—whether it be passionate and smoldering looks during the sexy tango scene or pain and anguish during a number of sad scenes.
The choreography of the lyrical music of the play featured a lot of “text painting,” observed in how the characters would perform a literal action of the words being sung. These actions were as simple as making a heart shape with their hands or raising their arms to the ceiling; however, they caused the music to invoke a certain impact on the audience in order for them to further understand and perhaps even appreciate the song. Indeed, “actions speak louder than words,” but when the two elements are coupled together harmoniously, the meaning is communicated to the receiver even more clearly. As a result, the musical performances ended up pleasing the crowd immensely.
As a theatrical production, it is important to appreciate the show’s elements as inseparable, complementary parts of a cohesive whole. This complementary nature is evident in how music is never reduced to merely a background element in the characters’ performance. On the contrary, music is utilized in such a way that it complements the scenes it accompanies, serving as a tool that aids in telling the story. The use of a certain instrument can give a scene a certain feel; in the play’s case, a provincial, Filipino feel was achieved. Instrumentation can also tie into and emphasize the play’s events further. When Romyo, one of the seven gunggong, introduced himself with a song, the music exuded a similar feeling that complemented the character’s monologue. The staccato notes played on the guitar along with the samba-like clave played on the djembe was evocative of a desire to dance. This suited Romyo’s introduction since the movements he made were similar to a choreographed dance, in line with his “romantic” character.
Photo of Romyo (played by Don Miguel Mabalot) by Gabby Segovia of Ateneo ENTABLADO
Music is also inseparable from the setting of the story, capable of making the scene more authentic and convincing. There are scenes that call for the music to be soft so as to emphasize the lines being spoken. In these scenes, piano is usually the only instrument heard, being played in a way that is similar to how a harpsichord is played. This music is usually homophonic, sometimes played staccato, and composed of mostly individual notes as opposed to chords. Other scenes require more instruments (such as guitar, djembe, and piano) to invigorate them. Scenes where the characters are engaging in movement (such as when the seven gunggong take turns guarding the image of the Santa Iluminada) have background music played with more than one instrument. Despite the dynamics of the music varying with each scene, the style of music usually remains the same: with little to no embellishment. This simplicity of the background music complements the quiet, rural setting of a barrio in the province.
Despite the quiet of the setting, the events of the play vary in intensity. There are scenes showing people going about their way in the barrio, others showing the gunggong cautiously guarding the image of the Santa Iluminada from being stolen, still others showing the everlasting romance of an elderly couple, and even others showing the hopelessness imposed by manipulative people in power. Though the music must remain suited to the setting, it also has to complement each differing scene so as to evoke the appropriate mood. The scene where Nana Rosing and Tandang Nano suddenly break into dance, ecstatic at the thought of finally having children, is accompanied by music with Afro-Cuban influences, like the samba. Despite this foreign influence, the music is “localized” through the language of the lyrics and how the instruments are played. The melody has a folk characteristic to it similar to melodies played by indigenous Filipinos on traditional instruments. Likewise, in the confrontation between the seven gunggong and the seven tarantado depicted through a dance, the accompanying music was similar to a waltz, another foreign influence.
Considering that this showing was their first, there were some noteworthy blunders in the performance, such as when a certain character mistakenly performed their choreographed moves at the wrong time. Though there is room for improvement, the show was an entertaining one all the same, given the witty, funny, and thought-intriguing dialogue. The storytelling was made even more effective through the appropriate combination of the play’s elements to make a cohesive whole.
The shows of Ang Pitong Gunggong will be running until March 17, 2018.
Edited by Gabrielle Hamoy