Cover CJ Navato and Kyle Napuli in ‘Kislap at Fuego’, which was born out of PETA Control + Shift 2024 and 2025 editions (Photo: Sace Natividad)
CJ Navato and Kyle Napuli in ‘Kislap at Fuego’, which was born out of PETA Control + Shift 2024 and 2025 editions (Photo: Sace Natividad)
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More than just entertaining the young crowd, PETA’s ‘Kislap at Fuego’ and ‘Children of the Algo’ held up a mirror to a generation navigating the space between historical myth and digital reality
The Philippine Educational Theatre Association (PETA) once again proved its mastery in engaging young minds with its returning twin-bill production featuring Kislap at Fuego and Children of the Algo. Running from January 27 to February 7 at the PETA Theater Center, this double feature successfully bridged historical mystique with the realities of the contemporary digital age.
Originally born as experimental lab works in 2024 and having evolved into firm favourites during the 2025 Control + Shift festival, these works headlined PETA’s main season. This third instalment was specifically aimed at welcoming broader audiences, making it a highly effective invitation for students, Gen Zs and Gen Alphas to step into the theatre.
Above Otep Madriaga in ‘Children of the Algo’, which was born out of PETA Control + Shift 2024 and 2025 editions (Photo: Sace Natividad)
Otep Madriaga in ‘Children of the Algo’, which was born out of PETA Control + Shift 2024 and 2025 editions (Photo: Sace Natividad)
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By placing folklore beside feeds and myth beside memes, PETA embodied a narrative change approach that directly asked how tradition and technology collided, conversed and co-existed. This thematic contrast was the production’s greatest strength in attracting younger demographics.
‘Kislap at Fuego’: storytelling that sparked imagination
Written by Dominique La Victoria, with Filipino adaptation and dramaturgy by Gentle Mapagu, and directed by Maribel Legarda and J-mee Katanyag, Kislap at Fuego transported audiences to the 1896 Philippine revolution against Spain. The narrative centred on a clash between a kapre and a mysterious country girl within an enchanted forest, where sparks and santelmos ignited an unexpected fairytale.
Above A scene from ‘Kislap at Fuego’ (Photo: Sace Natividad)
A scene from ‘Kislap at Fuego’ (Photo: Sace Natividad)
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This rich, folklore-laden storytelling captivated young pupils by intertwining magical elements with deeply rooted Filipino concepts of kalikasan, bayanihan and pakikibaka. Distinctively appealing to younger audiences because of the romance element, Kislap at Fuego proved that its power lies in its exploration of women’s roles in the revolution. The production reshaped how society talked about love, rebirth and revolution, offering a visually and narratively enchanting experience led by CJ Navato as Ezequiel and Kyle Napuli as Gabriela.
Read more: PETA’s award-winning musical ‘Walang Aray’ returns, featuring new cast members
‘Children of the Algo’: the language of the digital age
Children of the Algo, penned by playwright Mixkaela Villalon and directed by Johnnie Moran, thrusts the audience into the fast-paced world of Gen Z content creators. This play masterfully utilised the language and experiences of the youth, exploring a mediated world where identity was curated, and justice was hashtagged.
The production revealed how these creators navigated the digital age with wit and vulnerability, hiding their deeper realities behind joyful TikTok videos. Young audiences instantly recognised their own contemporary quests for relevance and truth, which played out in bite-sized feeds and viral narratives.
Above A scene from ‘Children of the Algo’ (Photo: Sace Natividad)
A scene from ‘Children of the Algo’ (Photo: Sace Natividad)
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Despite providing audiences with a jarring shift from the historical and folkloric Kislap at Fuego to its modern digital setting, it still caters to the same demographic but for a different purpose. In challenging audiences to question their use of technology, its references to memes and use of Gen Z slang served as an entry point into the discourse on low wages, corruption, depression and digital addiction.
Through characters like Mark (Otep Madriaga), Yani (Nyla Festejo), Owen (James Pe Lim) and Jen (Frances Marie Akol), the play challenged its viewers to see beyond the algorithm, making the theatre deeply relevant to digital natives. Mark serves as the play’s emotional core, guiding the narrative toward a vision of a more humanistic world amid modernity.
Echoes across eras: a masterclass in contrast
Above A scene from ‘Children of the Algo’ (Photo: Sace Natividad)
A scene from ‘Children of the Algo’ (Photo: Sace Natividad)
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The twin-bill revealed how revolutions unfolded across time, from the folklore-laden struggles of 1896 to modern online battles over visibility, virality and truth. Presented together, these works invited reflection on how Filipino values persisted, adapted or were contested across different generations. Both plays were developed to challenge dominant narratives and explore how past and present stories shaped power, identity and action.
PETA’s strategic combination of enchanting historical storytelling and highly relatable digital-age language made this twin-bill a compelling theatrical experience. It proved that the theatre remained a vital space for Filipinos to continue imagining revolution in a rapidly shifting world.
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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.
For any leads, you may reach him through @franzsorillaiv on Instagram or franz@tatlerphilippines.com via email.
