‘Saglit Lang’ celebrates the legacy of Ricardo Abad through a full-circle-moment rerun

The narrative structure of Saglit Lang operates as an active, intellectual duel between the Maestro, portrayed by Ron Capinding (himself a student of Abad and now an educator and director himself), and the Aktor [the actor/student]. Over the course of the show, the two characters navigate a survey of world classics through a series of engrossing and physically demanding vignettes. Rather than serving as academic lectures, these scenes become sites of tension where they argue, recall the fundamentals, and breathe new life into the beloved characters to exorcise the artist’s soul.

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This theatrical showcase traverses, in an anachronistic sequence, a vast historical landscape. Theatre’s defiant roots, tracing back to Greek drama, are unearthed through Crisostomo’s Filipino translation of Jean Anouilh’s Antigone. Classical structures are subverted in a visceral reimagining of William Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, which strips away its traditional iambic pentameter and marries the text to the erratic, physical choreography of Japanese Butoh. Comedia is referenced through an exploration of determinism and free will in Pedro Calderón de la Barca’s baroque masterpiece, La Vida es Sueño.

Leaping forward to the mid-20th century, the collection plunges into the existential void by merging the military tension of Alfonso Sastre’s Condemned Squad with the absurd, passive waiting of Samuel Beckett’s Waiting for Godot, capturing the profound desperation of modern historical trauma. Meanwhile, contemporary Japanese theatre, with Suzue Toshiro’s Shingeki play My Friend Has Come, offers a quiet exploration of the fleeting nature of human connection. Theatre’s ritualistic roots are also touched upon in this play by Crisostomo’s original work, Saglit ng Kislap. By weaving together Javanese shadow puppetry (Wayang Kulit) and object theatre, the contemporary piece masterfully demonstrates how seemingly separate human narratives ultimately entangle.

When the student asks the teacher about the vastness of the craft, saying, “Marami bang uri ng teatro? [Are there many kinds of theatre?]” The Maestro replies with a gentle, poetic truth: “‘Sing dami ng panaginip [As many as there are dreams].”

One of the strengths of Saglit Lang lies in the dual casting of the young actor, which shaped the on-stage dynamic. Two distinct actors alternate as the Aktor, each bringing a unique energy to the character’s psychological development.

Rico del Rosario brings immense viscerality to the student character. His physical presence is highly charged, and his vocal development is recognisable as he transitions and ages his voice and manner of speaking from the play’s opening scenes to its conclusion. Crisostomo, who also steps onto the stage to portray the character on select show dates, delivered a remarkably sincere portrayal. Given how deeply personal this production is to him, his ability to control his emotional release—keeping the character from breaking down prematurely as he navigates multiple dramatic breakthroughs—is incredibly impressive.

Opposite them, Ron Capinding’s Maestro is a commanding force. The student’s frequent emotional outbursts and creative frustrations never feel uncalled for; instead, they arise organically from naivety, curiosity, and the desperate desire of a young artist to improve while struggling with his own limitations. The relationship was not one of cold instruction, but of passionate, mutual friction. Because of this, when the Aktor asks toward the end to tackle one final play—it feels deservedly cathartic, serving as a powerful passing of the torch.

If the satirical blockbuster play Ang Babae sa Septic Tank 4 raised sharp questions about the contemporary Philippine musical theatre scene, Saglit Lang—which came out a few months earlier—challenges the industry from the Maestro’s poignantly nostalgic perspective. It dares to question the medium’s core values: artistry, authenticity, and truth in storytelling.

Amid scenes marked by academic rigour, the production effectively challenges the audience to step back and recalibrate their understanding of the stage’s sacred purpose. It does not offer manicured answers, but instead serves as a raw reminder of actual theatre. While this rapid-fire traversal of world classics and acting methods might initially sound daunting or intimidating, the true triumph of Saglit Lang lies in its generous accessibility; it serves as a luminous gateway for even those completely uneducated in theatre arts to feel the burning passion behind the craft and, ultimately, fall deeply in love with it.

This thematic defiance was captured in the Aktor’s central, explosive battle cry during their rendition of Alfonso Sastre’s Condemned Squad: “Katapat ko ang dambuhalang gabi at tinatawanan ko ito. Sa dilim nagtatago ang ‘di mabilang na kalaban. Tinatawanan ko sila. Halos imposible akong manalo. Tinatawanan ko ang imposible! Ako ang hukbong lalaban sa dilim! KONTRA MUNDUM! [I face the gargantuan night, and I laugh at it. In the darkness hide enemies beyond count. I laugh at them. It is almost impossible for me to win. I laugh at the impossible! I am the army that will wage war against the dark! CONTRA MUNDUM!]”

In his directorial notes, Juan shared a beautiful philosophy of the craft, writing that the ultimate essence of theatre is resurrection. It is about breathing life back into memory, bringing the absent back into the room, and finding light in the darkness.

This rerun of Saglit Lang is not an act of passive mourning, but a fierce celebration of Abad’s enduring impact. It carries forward his final, blazing charge to his students: to burn bright, take risks, and trust that they were once a blinding spark in the dark night. As the Maestro eloquently observes during his lectures: “Ang tunay na teatro ay nakaangkla sa katotohanang sumasaklaw sa sangkatauhan, lahat ng kuwento ay sumasalabat, iba-iba subalit parehong isinasalaysay ang mga sugat ng mundo. [True theatre is anchored in a truth that encompasses all of humanity; all stories intersect—diverse, yet narrating the very same wounds of the world.]”

For the artists, creatives, thespians, and theatregoers gathering to watch this elegiac play, the play leaves a lasting, urgent reminder: to set the fire within themselves and light the world. It is a beautiful homage to a master who once looked at his students and urged them, “Manalig sa katotohanang minsan naging kislap kayo [“Trust in the truth that you were once a spark.]”

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