Cover A scene from ‘El Fuego del Alma’, Eljay Castro Deldoc’s Filipino translation of Tennessee Williams’s ‘Summer and Smoke’ (Photo: Irvin Arenas)
A scene from ‘El Fuego del Alma’, Eljay Castro Deldoc’s Filipino translation of Tennessee Williams’s ‘Summer and Smoke’ (Photo: Irvin Arenas)
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Porvenir debuts with its first full-length production, ‘El Fuego del Alma’, a visceral, spellbinding tragedy of love, restraint and the Filipino condition
Adapted by Eljay Castro Deldoc and directed by Mark Mirando, El Fuego del Alma relocates Tennessee Williams’s iconic Southern Gothic narrative into a distinctly Filipino world. “What happens when this story is allowed to live in our own language, our own landscapes and our own cultural memory?” asks Mirando in his director’s notes.
Having watched the Saturday matinee, the result of this reimagining felt profoundly organic. Although set in a rural provincial town—and, though not didactically mentioned, seemingly at the turn of the century—the environment evokes a society deeply shaped by religion, family obligations and the suffocating pressure of respectability. The play zeroes in on a story of love that was found and lost, but the challenges of restraint in such a judicious society resonate far beyond the central romance. It tackles desire, identity, trauma and societal expectations.
Above Opaline Santos as Alma in the afternoon show (Photo: Irvin Arenas)
Opaline Santos as Alma in the afternoon show (Photo: Irvin Arenas)
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The staging at the ancestral house-turned-cultural venue, Sine Pop in Cubao, Quezon City, plays a monumental role in the production’s haunting allure. Evoking the nostalgic atmosphere of the material, the location complements the heavily laden text with its inherent surreal and naturalistic elements.
Watching the matinee show is a particular treat; the natural light pouring through the glass walls reveals every gesture and silence. It allows you to appreciate the rustling of bamboo leaves in the wind, a gentle caress on the flowing dresses of the female actors and the palpable warmth and heat in the piercing eyes of Juanito and Rosa, as well as the yearning looks of Alma. Furthermore, the strategic use of windows not only allows experimental staging of the text but also guides the audience on where to look, allowing space to insert personal interpretations of this simultaneous blocking of actors, thus leaping off the page. Not to mention, the enveloping musical scoring done at the rear of the audience gives a haunting theatrical experience in this intimate setting
Above Sandino Martin as Juanito in the afternoon show (Photo: Irvin Arenas)
Sandino Martin as Juanito in the afternoon show (Photo: Irvin Arenas)
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The spectrality in the source material is masterfully achieved through the venue’s architecture, the naturalistic lighting and the sustained intention of seasoned actors like Sheryll Ceasico and Rolando Inocencio.
Being a story told through the elements, no two performances of El Fuego del Alma are the same. Natural light creates a documentary-like intimacy in the daytime, while evening performances utilise deep shadows to create a more contemplative atmosphere. The changing seasons become another storyteller. The dry season carries the stillness and tension of oppressive heat, while the wet season introduces rain, uncertainty and a quieter longing.
Above Opaline Santos as Rosa in the evening show (Photo: Irvin Arenas)
Opaline Santos as Rosa in the evening show (Photo: Irvin Arenas)
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What truly sets El Fuego del Alma apart is its rotating cast, where actors perform opposing characters across different dates. This directorial choice challenges the idea of fixed casting and reveals new emotional discoveries with every performance.
Opaline Santos as Alma is just perfection. The duality of her character breaks whatever prejudice an audience may have before coming into the show. Her portrayal embodies how the creative team described her character in the souvenir programme: “Her struggle is not weakness, but the exhausting work of holding herself together.”
Opposite her, Sandino Martin as Juanito exorcises the complexities of human emotions and minds. He is entirely visceral in his approach to translating a man who, as the text describes, “trusts the body more than the soul, instinct more than restraint.” But it is his emotional arc that is really something to look forward to as the play unfolds.
Above Vincent Pajara and Janna Cortes as Nellia in the evening show (Photo: Irvin Arenas)
Vincent Pajara and Janna Cortes as Nellia in the evening show (Photo: Irvin Arenas)
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Meanwhile, Hariette Mozelle is alluring and seductive as Rosa. Initially presented as a contrast, she captivates you until you seep into the depths of her memories, understand her motivations and realise why her character complements Alma more than we initially perceive.
Audiences are invited to catch Mozelle in her take on the character of Alma, Martin on Archie and Santos on Rosa. The other cast members include Vincent Pajara as Juanito/Archie, Madeleine Nicolas as Mrs Ortega and JP Lopez as Dok Yago/Ministro Ortega. Janna Cortes and Ingrid Joyce alternate as Nelia, Johnny Maglinao as Archie, and together with Tristan Bite, as unnamed members of the Koro.
At its core, El Fuego del Alma revolves around the complementary and contrasting hues of chastity and carnal pleasure. But more than that, it courageously challenges the institutional authority of the Church, the Family and what makes a person ‘professional’ in today’s economy. The quiet intrigues that hamper a person from achieving their fullest potential in society are still keenly felt today.
Read more: ‘On Your Feet!’ musical brings Emilio and Gloria Estefan’s triumphant story to Manila
Above Hariette Mozelle as Alma in the evening show (Photo: Irvin Arenas)
Above Vincent Pajara as Juanito and Opaline Santos as Rosa in the evening show (Photo: Irvin Arenas)
Hariette Mozelle as Alma in the evening show (Photo: Irvin Arenas)
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The production explores an illness that extends far beyond the physical. It forces the audience to confront how “Many Filipinos grow up negotiating the space between personal desire and communal expectations,” as Mirando states. We are reminded of the quiet forms of loneliness that exist within our communities, where “we continue performing versions of ourselves long after they no longer fit,” he adds.
Ultimately, the emotional wreckage of the play is beautifully summarised by the dramaturgy. “Their tragedy is not simply that they fail to love one another. It is that they fail to become the people they needed to be while they still had the chance,” Mirando says. El Fuego del Alma asks us to deeply examine our own lives, inviting us to reflect on the tragedy of dedicating so much of our lives to meeting societal expectations that we completely forget our authentic selves.
El Fuego del Alma runs until August 23
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About
Before assuming the Art and Culture Editor position, Franz has always had a penchant for visual and performing arts. He is passionate about exploring and writing about the local cultural scene and rediscovering the country’s storied past and rich heritage. Besides working on this luxury lifestyle magazine, Franz is an avid book reader, local traveller, museum-goer, chorister, and community theatre playwright.
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Franz earned a degree in Journalism from the University of Santo Tomas. He writes about local visual and performing artists and their craft; drinks wines, liquors, and spirits and talks about the creativity of their respective winemakers and master blenders; tries to learn more about business and investments; respects the tradition and artistry that go behind the making of watches and jewellery; and appreciates the genius of architecture and creative design.
As head of Tatler Philippines’ pool of writers, he helps them bring impactful and socially relevant stories to light.
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