REVIEW: ‘Anino sa Likod ng Buwan’ bares it all in excess

REVIEW: ‘Anino sa Likod ng Buwan’ bares it all in excess

Set against the backdrop of 1990s Philippines amid military-rebel conflicts, Jun Robles Lana’s Anino sa Likod ng Buwan, follows Emma (Elora Españo) and Nardo (Ross Pesigan), a couple living under constant surveillance in a remote village. Their only connection to the outside world is Joel (Martin del Rosario), a soldier who has developed a complex relationship with them. During one fateful evening, what begins as casual drinking and games evolves into a dangerous power play, where sex becomes both weapon and currency, leading to devastating revelations and violent consequences.

Raw Ambition

Director Tuxqs Rutaquio’s vision for the piece is undeniably daring, tackling themes of power dynamics and survival with unflinching directness. The production doesn’t shy away from depicting the crude extremes of human behavior through explicit scenes of sex and violence. While this approach certainly leaves an impact, the excessive nature of these elements often overshadows the nuanced political commentary at the heart of the narrative.

The staging was also impeded by the set’s ambiguity, with the set design lacking clear delineation of crucial elements like walls and windows, going for more of a focus on themes of exposure. 

Performance and Power

The cast demonstrates remarkable courage in their commitment to the material’s demands, particularly Martin del Rosario and Elora Españo in their numerous intimate scenes. However, their performances, along with Ross Pesigan’s, occasionally veer into melodrama, with line deliveries that feel overwrought and tonally inconsistent. These choices diminish the impact of the broader conflict between military forces and townspeople that frames the narrative. The audience’s unintended laughter during significant portions of the show’s middle section reveals the production’s struggle with tonal consistency.

Pesigan’s character arc includes moments of gratuitous exposure that, while potentially justified within the context of realism, ultimately feel unnecessary. The production’s liberal use of nudity, while thematically linked to the power dynamics at play, crosses into excess, particularly in scenes involving both male and female full exposure.

Despite these issues, the production does achieve moments of genuine impact, particularly in its climactic revelations. Españo delivers her strongest work during these crucial scenes, bringing authenticity to the shocking twists that punctuate the story. 

Shadows of Excess

What could have been a taut political thriller instead becomes dominated by its more sensational elements, particularly as Joel’s character descends into malicious, violent crudity toward the conclusion. The excessive focus on the physical and violent aspects of the love triangle overshadows the more nuanced exploration of survival under political oppression that the text seems designed to examine.

While “Anino sa Likod ng Buwan” succeeds in creating an unforgettable theatrical experience, it ultimately sacrifices subtlety for shock value, leaving audiences with vivid but potentially superficial impressions of a story that deserved more measured handling of its complex themes.

 

Tickets: PHP 1120 – 2464
Show Dates: March 1-23, 2024
Venue: PETA Theater Center
Running Time: approx. 1 hour and 45 mins (w/ no intermission)
Company: The IdeaFirst Company
Creatives: Jun Robles Lana (playwright), Tuxqs Rutaquio (director & set designer), John Batalla (lighting design), TJ Ramos (sound design)
Cast: Martin del Rosario, Elora Españo, Ross Pesigan, Edward Benosa, Denise Esteban, Vincent Pajara