The devil hides among men: a review on Tanghalang Pilipino's 'Ang Pag-uusig'

Words written in your mother tongue certainly carry more weight, but Respeto took a leap further in his translation. In Ang Pag-uusig, every line thrown was a pierce to the heart.

A conversation between the Proctors goes: “Huwag kang manangis sa mga mata nila, pinagpipistahan nila ang luha mo,” [Do not let them see you cry, they will feast on your tears].

More from Tatler: Tanghalang Pilipino Mounts 'Anak Datu' 

In Respeto’s version, the audiences become the townsfolk of Salem themselves—blinded by ignorance and unsure of who to root for. A spate of questions may even greet first-time watchers: “Was there a devil in Salem? Were Abigail and her peers lying? Was John telling the truth? Was Mary an ally to the Proctors or Abigail?” all of which add to the experience of watching the story unfold. 

It is also important to note that every act managed to bring out the audience’s deep-seated fears. This, I reckon, is the magic of the director with TJ Ramos and Ohm David who painstakingly curated an excellent combination of flickering lights, rumbling sounds, and ingenious stage design.

The last few bits of the play left everyone dumbfounded. For those in need of imagery—the large wooden backdrop slams the floor, leaving the stoic Elizabeth Proctor (Lhorvie Nuevo) standing alone. The prop fall reveals three bodies hanging from the neck, but before one could even figure out they’re fake, the light slowly dims and darkness consumes the theatre entirely. Nuevo’s accuracy and stage presence are truly commendable. The actress would have had serious concussions had she miscalculated her stance.

Marasigan, who has directed Ang Pag-uusig for the third time now, reveals that two-thirds of the cast is new. “Most of them are doing this production for the first time,” he shares. “The idea was to try to get everybody working at the same level so [the audience] won’t notice any of them are new.” 

Sure enough, the cast delivered all their lines in a manner that does not take each others’ spotlight. This give-and-take in the ensemble resonated well with the audience, especially those who are seeing the production for the first time.

“In its earlier screenings, Ang Pag-uusig was shown in Tanghalang Huseng Batute which was relatively smaller than the new CCP Blackbox (Tanghalang Ignacio Gimenez). There were no audience seats at the side, only facing the stage. So evidently we had to change the blocking,” explains Marasigan. 

“The seniors of the company, they have not played the same roles together in one performance before,” he reveals. 

See also: Actor-Director Marco Viaña on Philippine Theatre's Transformational Power

It is difficult to compare especially when every member of the cast executed a close-to-perfect portrayal. The four senior members of the company—Marco Viaña who gave life to John Proctor, Jonathan Tadioan who played Judge Danforth, Lhorvie Nuevo who stepped into the shoes of Elizabeth Proctor, and Antonette Go who embodied Abigail Williams—delivered an unforgettable take on their respective roles. 

Judie Dimayuga who portrayed Tituba is also worth mentioning as her role reeled the audiences closer to the storyline at the end of act one. Earle Figuracion who has been consistent with his good delivery of Reverend Samuel Parris also deserves praise.

Related: Tatler Review: Anton Juan's Musical Adaptation of 'Bayan-Bayanan' by Bienvenido Noriega

At the talk-back session, the cast ponders on what it truly means to give life to their characters:

“When we staged Ang Pag-uusig for the first time in 2017, who was the leader? What were the problems?” asks Nuevo. “We didn’t put all sorts of meaning into the play, it was the audience who saw its resemblance to modern-day problems.” 

“One thing we discovered is the importance of truth-saying, especially in these times. That was what John Proctor fought for, [and in the long run] that turned into my reason to translate this character’s feelings well,” says Nieva.

“A lot of people are afraid to become selfless because they want to serve their interests. We know who these people are, the audiences know who they are,” Tadioan discloses.

Read more: Tatler Review: Repertory’s 'Carousel' Should Be Your Current FOMO

Sarah Monay (Betty Parris) and Aggy Mago (Mary Warren) are fairly new to the company but they are names to watch out for.

“Giving life to an Arthur Miller character is a double-edged sword,” says Monay. “The piece itself already has a good reputation around the world and when it was done by Tanghalang Pilipino for the first time, it was greeted with praise. For us who are relatively new, we want to keep up with the quality; it is in this way that we can relay the message perfectly—to show the sense of truth.” 

There are real-life terrors that this narrative explores in a way no other medium can; and while we are free to take it any way we please, Ang Pag-uusig cannot be any more than a heart-wrenching reminder of the atrocities we committed against ourselves and each other. 

This is the type of play that takes your hope and breaks it into smaller fragments, a masterpiece that pulls you in with its utter honesty. As the whole town persecutes one poor soul after another in search of the devil, we begin to ask if the entity really exists or if it is already among men.

NOW READ

Tatler Review: Lino Brocka's 'Insiang'

'On the Job: The Missing 8' Review—The Many Faces of Corruption

Inside Tanghalang Ignacio Gimenez, CCP's Newly-Built Blackbox Theatre