Egg Theater Company Stages Filipino Translation of The Pillowman

Egg Theater Company Stages Filipino Translation of The Pillowman

STORYTELLING AS A BASIC INSTINCT: EGG THEATER COMPANY PRESENTS
THE FILIPINO TRANSLATION OF MARTIN MCDONAGH’S THE PILLOWMAN

After the brief festival run of its productions, Maniacal (Fringe Manila 2015) and Schism (Fringe Manila 2016), Egg Theater Company presents its first full-run production with a Filipino Translation of Martin McDonagh’s The Pillowman.

About the Play

Winner of the 2004 Olivier Award for Best Play and Tony-Nominated in 2005 for Best Play, The Pillowman is about a writer in an unidentified totalitarian state being interrogated about his gruesome and macabre short stories that has inspired a series of child murders. The Pillowman is a dark comedy that boldly exhibits the riveting power of narrative and how storytelling and invention of fantastical tales is a basic human instinct. With the coming elections and the incessant specter of dictatorships and martial law, this production resonates with its exploration of the fine line between the freedom of an individual to tell a story and its impact on the security of society.

Palanca awardee and Egg Theater Company co-founder, George de Jesus III in translating and directing The Pillowman, remarks, “In examining the dark side of imagination and creativity, the play probes into how stories are created, the motivation that drives a writer to tell a story and the responsibility of a writer on the impact of what he has written. Put that against a totalitarian-state setting and we get a play that are by turns disturbingly funny and emotionally shocking. Given that the play is set in an unnamed totalitarian state, translating it into Filipino affords us not only in making it somehow familiar but it also further fuels the idea of it possibly becoming real.”

Egg Theater Company co-founder and producer adds, “But beyond being political, The Pillowman will make us take stock on the power of words and how it can affect other people. There’s a line by Katurian that says, “It’s not about being or not being dead, it’s about what you leave behind.” I think it’s something that will resonate to anyone in the creative field and it’s what we want to accomplish with Egg Theater Company, to create Filipino productions that will linger in the minds of our audience.”

CAST & CHARACTERS

KATURIAN, A writer of gruesome short stories often involving children. His disturbed imagination was the result of having heard his brother being abused when they were younger. Consequently he killed his parents and looked after his brother. He is shocked by his arrest.

The role will be portrayed by GABS SANTOS.

Gabs’ theater credits include I Love You Because, Mulan, Fiddler on the Roof, Love’s Labour’s Lost for Repertory Philippines; N.O.A.H. (No Ordinary Aquatic Habitat) and The Little Mermaid for Trumpets, Lulu and Orosman at Zafira for Dulaang UP, and Bona for PETA.

MICHAL, Katurian’s brother, who is “slow to get things” following his years of abuse at the hands of his parents. He is also taken into jail along with Katurian.

PAOLO O’HARA and PAUL JAKE PAULE will portray the role.

Paolo, a graduate of BS Mathematics, is a former member of Tanghalang Pilipino’s Actors’ Company. His theater credits include Ang Mga Huwad, Bakaretta, Godot: Wer Is U?, Magno Rubio, Merchant of Venice, Orfeo sa Impyerno, Rhythm Method, Crime and Punishment, Ang Sinungaling, Ang Ulo ni Pancho Villa, Insiang, Carmen, Makbet among others. Paolo also acts for movies and television and teaches in colleges, workshops and networks. Other productions include Dulaang UP’s Amphitryon and just recently, Tisoy Brown: Hari ng Wala, both directed by Jose Estrella.

Paul Jake is an actor, director and workshop facilitator. He was a former member and training director of PUP Sining-Lahi Polyrepertory.

For Film, He appeared in KAPATIRAN directed by Pepe Diokno, Mula Sa Kung Ano Ang Noon(From What is Before), HELE SA HIWAGANG HAPIS a film of Lav Diaz, THE GIFTED directed by Chris Martinez REquieme directed by Loy Arcenas and Ang Lagda entry to CINEBERDE 2015 wherein he won Best Actor.

He has also performed for Dulaang UP, Dulaang Laboratoryo, HeroesSquare Intramuros,Young Artists Production, Teatro Expedicion de Filipinas, Pro.Pro., Dulaang Kalay, Treehouse Theater Company, Theater Artists Organization, and UP Theater Council wherein he won “Best Actor” for the play Room 4 Rent during the 2007 Curtain Call Play Festival.

He recently earned his first Best Stage Director non musical nomination for Artist Playground’s The Riddle of the Sphinx in the 2015 ALIW AWARDS.

TUPOLSKI, The lead detective and the “good cop” in the interrogation. Cold and uncaring, he sees himself as detached from the people he aims to save, shocking his younger partner Ariel.

RENANTE BUSTAMANTE will portray the role.

Renante was among the select students of Stella Adler Studio of Acting in New York from 2006 to 2008. He played Omar in John Patrick Stanley’s The Big Funk at the Stella Adler Studio marking his New York stage debut. He also played Wes in Ryoji Kajiwara’s Home. He is the founding Artistic Director of Tanghalang Tatsulok, an active community theater in Bataan and has appeared in PETA’s production of Haring Lear and Noli/Fili Dekada 2000.

ARIEL, A brutal and violent detective who has a vendetta against anyone who commits crimes against children because of abuse in his own past. He ends up being more sympathetic towards Katurian and his stories than Tupolski.

ACEY AGUILAR will portray the role.

Acey is a Theater Arts graduate of the Philippine High School for the Arts. He has worked with Dulaang UP, Tanghalang Pilipino, Tanghalang Ateneo and Sipat Lawin Ensemble, and among his theater credits are lead and supporting roles in Orosman at Zafira, Sala Sa Pito, Batang Pro, Pragres, Shock Value, Lulu, Kafatiran, Waiting for Godot and Ang Goldfish ni Professor Dimaandal

Aside from television and theater, he has also appeared in several indie films including Rekrut, Colossal, Lugaw, Kawal, Melodrama Negra, Islands, among others and most recently, the CineFilipino entry Star na si Van Damme Stallone.

The production will also feature original music and animated graphics by Joee Mejias.

Show Details

The play will run from April 8-10 and 22-24, 2016, 8:00 PM at Pineapple Lab, 6071 R. Palma Street, Poblacion, Makati City.

For tickets and inquiries, visit Egg Theater Company’s FB Page or contact 0917-844-0520.
Click here for a summarized version of this show.

For more information about what’s happening in the Manila theater scene, please view our Theater Calendar.