REVIEW: ‘Walang Aray’ is still a joy to witness

REVIEW: ‘Walang Aray’ is still a joy to witness

It’s been two years since PETA first premiered Walang Aray, Rody Vera’s adaptation of Severino Reyes’ classic sarswela Walang Sugat, and this rerun affirms the show’s place as clever, entertaining, and culturally progressive in both form and casting. If you’ve seen the show during its initial 2023 run, you already know what pleasures to expect–but this year’s staging manages to be tighter, highlight new voices, and take its place as one of PETA’s best musicals.

Walang Aray is a romantic comedy set against the backdrop of the Philippine Revolution. Julia (Lance Reblando), a young star of the sarswela stage, is in love with Tenyong (Gio Gahol), who eventually joins the resistance after the deaths of his parents at the hands of friars. Their romance plays out amidst satire, slapstick, and sly commentary on both history and current politics.

Director Ian Segarra retains the festive, bright, and playful spirit of the original run while sharpening some edges for this second outing.

Topical Tweaks

Still playing to its strengths as a romantic comedy, this Walang Aray does possess some minor tweaks such as scenes and dialogue to tighten the script. This run feels more like an ensemble piece than before. While Julia and Tenyong remain at the center, the other characters now enrich the story more robustly.

The ‘metatheater’ quality of the show also lands more clearly and intentionally now, with the show cleverly using product placements and in-show brand mentions not only to land jokes that become crowd favorites, but also to keep its satire fresh.

While the show mostly aces the delicate balance of humor and commentary, not all its topical asides land smoothly. For instance, Don Tadeo (Gie Onida) makes a joke about being a government contractor–a timely jab that grounds the production in the present. Yet when his character is later rewarded with a happy ending, the aside inadvertently complicates the show’s final takeaway for its audiences. 

New Additions

Lance Reblando makes a striking Julia—mesmerizingly beautiful, self-possessed, yet endearingly kalog. She delivers the broad strokes of comedy and romance with clarity, though subtler, in-between emotions sometimes feel less legible in her acting. Gio Gahol, meanwhile, gives audiences a capable and self-assured Tenyong. As strapping as he may be on stage, Tenyong’s transformation from happy-go-lucky lover boy to Katipunan captain doesn’t feel too distinct. 

As a pair, Reblando and Gahol’s chemistry is affectionate and a joy to watch, though perhaps not played with the same star-crossed, gut-wrenching Romeo & Juliet mold that might raise the stakes of the choices they both make in the story.

Jolina Magdangal, making her stage debut as Juana, is sensational—hilarious, charming, campy, and utterly at home on PETA’s stage. She fully commits to the role, not just shining in her scenes and songs but blending into the ensemble whenever called upon. 

Ice Seguerra gives us a highly entertaining Lucas, delivering one of the show’s most memorable Act II numbers with comic bravura and effortless musicality. His casting alongside Reblando in historically cisgender roles is handled matter-of-factly, neither emphasized nor erased. PETA makes no overt commentary on the casting, which in itself feels progressive.

Returning featured performers Kiki Baento (Monica), Gie Onida (Don Tadeo), Johnnie Moran (Padre Alfaro), and Bene Manaois (Miguel) continue to excel, each nailing their roles, making their characters memorable, and giving the show much texture.

Still Strong

The music (Rody Vera as librettist and Vince Lim as composer) remains a highlight, full of songs that are catchy, romantic, beautiful, and replayable. It may well be Lim’s seminal work to date, and in this run it still shines. Gahol also choreographs with verve, matching the music’s energy whether in comedic slapstick or highlighting the show’s patriotic beats.

The set design (Julio Garcia is set designer, Patrick Jusay is props designer, David Esguerra is lighting designer) is as busy and vibrant as one expects from a PETA musical: a stage within a stage for Julia’s sarswela, a pulpit / balcony for friars, and the other side a wall, a trap door, and some elements that are often used for sight gags. Every detail feels carefully considered, adding depth to this farcical satire.

Walang Aray remains that unique show that is well able to be irreverent yet earnest, farcical yet topical, and romantic yet nation-oriented. Never just mere laughs, the show will leave audiences delighted and perhaps optimistic that there might still be something in the Philippines worth risking pain and hurt for–a sentiment that feels increasingly rare today.

 

Tickets: P1200 to P2500
Show Dates: August 29 to October 12, 2025
Venue: PETA Theater Center, 5 Sunnyside Dr, Quezon City
Running Time: approx. 2 hours and 30 mins (w/ 15-min intermission)
Company: Philippine Educational Theater Association
Creatives: Rody Vera (playwright and librettist), Vince Lim (composer, additional libretto, musical director, and sound designer), Ian Segarra (director), Norbs Portales (associate director), Gio Gahol (choreographer), Julio Garcia (set designer), Patrick Jusay (props designer), David Esguerra (lighting designer), Bonsai Cielo (costume designer), and Happy Constantino (sound designer)
Cast: Gio Gahol, Jon Abella, Shaira Opsimar, Marynor Madamesila, Lance Reblando, Jolina Magdangal, Ice Seguerra, Gold Villar-Lim, Rendell Sanchez, Divine Aucina, Roi Calilong, Bene Manaois, Kiki Baento, Carlon Matobato, Neomi Gonzales, Gie Onida, Csairus Habla, Johnnie Moran, Jarred Jaicten, Gerard Dy, Yeyin de la Cruz, Ayla Garcia, Ada Tayao, James Lanante, MC Dela Cruz, Bomba Ding, Otep Madriaga, Miah Canton, Matel Patayon, Zoe Damag