Eunice Mae R.

Bernabe August 23, 2010

MC0836 Professor Joey Ting

Orosman and Zafira

Looking back in the past, I think I have watched quite a number of plays already.
Some of them were stories that are familiar to me since high school; some of them are
totally new to me. This is the first time I have heard about Orosman and Zafira. I was
even shocked that it was made by Francisco Balagtas. I remember watching Florante at
Laura back in high school, and we even acted it ourselves in one of those high school
Buwan ng Wika events. Before watching the play, I had thoughts on what could
probably be the outcome. I like musical plays more than theatrical plays because I am a
big fan of music and I find them more amusing than just raw drama. “Musical” might not
be the best word to describe Dulaang UP’s production of Orosman at Zafira, but it is
amazing. It was on the borderline of a musical and theatrical play. Orosman at
Zafira tells the story of a struggle that disturbs three kingdoms in the Philippine south.
Like other successful adaptations of classic material, this version of the story feels
ancient yet a bit modern in a way.

Now this is the part where I detail what I think about the elements of theatre in
this production. First, its wondrous neo-ethnic music is one of the things that easily
caught my attention. I was mesmerized on how genius the musical director is, and the
way he made the music, blend with the narrative in the play. The music seems like
another character in the play, perhaps the most important. The combination of ethnic
and modern music with the use of native percussive instruments complemented by
drums and electric guitars drives the music and made it phenomenal.

As for the main cast, all of them range from good to super good. Aside from the
obvious fact that the actors are good looking and fit, they prove to be true actors.
Honestly speaking, I think theatre actors are way better than the actors we see on TV
today. Although there are some of them who actually started as theatre actors first,
which is probably the reason why they are great. I specifically loved the part of Zelima
the narrator with a wounded sorrow; the daughter of Zelim who recounts the story as if it
were a terrible memory she can’t shake, she gives the play an epic richness. The actors
and dancers are equally amazing, I like how the musical instruments somewhat convert
to weapons of war. The dances of war that takes the place of the real fighting are very
graceful yet fierce, which makes the scene very interesting. Of all the genres, I prefer
comedy because it makes me stay awake. I easily doze off when I watch pure drama
and others.

Before the play I learned that Orosman and Zafira is a Komedya and that’s one
of the reasons why I got excited for it. I would like to believe that the written text is
similar, if not the exactly the same with the original text written by Francisco Balagtas.
The subjects are very modern and basically like what we see on TV nowadays like
ambition, love, violence, vengeance, honor and war – its consequences. The language
seems formal and old Filipino. The performers sing and speak it the way it should: with
utmost conviction. It is not easy on the ear. But the words become part of the play’s
strange and beautiful music, as if it were some ancient language that is in turns opaque,
mysterious, and breathtaking.

As for the set and the costumes, they are equally amzing. The set is beautifully
and creatively made as well as the costumes. I can its good because I can see myself in
the characters and in the set. I feel like I tavelled back in time and saw these wonderful
ancient people and that I was able to live with them for a couple of hours. In general,
Dulaan UP’s Orosman and Zafira is definitely worth watching.