“Tanghalang Pilipino brings back this American classic to serve as a warning and with Dennis Marasigan’s clear-eyed direction and Jerry Respeto’s lucid and potent translation, the message is quite clear.”

This production conflates nostalgia and the material’s core politics to create a fresh and arresting take on an old favorite.

Tony Mabesa directs both “Fathers & Sons” and the Jose F. Lacaba and Virgilio Almario translation, “Mga Ama, Mga Anak”, with a directness that allows Joaquin’s resonant words to bear new relevance decades after its writing.

David Ezra’s performance keeps the show from going completely off course. He is well-cast as our serious, straight-shooting hero. His magnetism, impressive singing, and sheer stamina was the sobering presence that anchors the audience back to why this musical exists in the first place: Aurelio.

Joey Mendoza’s office break room set was appropriately grubby. It’s not sterile or glossy, but lived-in almost, complete with flickering lights (lighting designer John Batalla)—the sort of place you would find a man like Ray.

The show makes use of Jerome Robbins’s original choreography, and primarily excelled at what it was being billed as: a dance musical.

“Joel Trinidad and Nicky Trivino co-direct this production with a clear understanding of the specificity, and has assembled a strong cast who are their own kind of triple threat: they act, they sing, and they’re hilarious.”

“Globe Live and 9 Works Theatrical has put together a crowd-pleaser that has undoubtedly set a precedent for locally-produced dance musicals.”