what to do in tarlac
The artists from Tanghalang Santa Ana
KAGITINGAN: Bataan has fallen

On January 23, 2019 a theater play entitled ‘KAGITINGAN, Bataan has fallen” took placed at Bulwagang Kanlahi ng Diwa ng Tarlac. The character of the play are from the Tanghalang Santa Ana led by famous Actor/Director Lou Veloso.

The play is all about the historical event during the World War II wherein Filipinos got sandwiched between the forces of the American and Japanese during that war.

What I love about the play is that they used modern-day humor to connect with the younger generation without totally modernizing it. Some plays really upgraded their story to suit the generation that we have now to the extent of using materials that are not even available in the past but this play really combine the present and the past without sacrificing the authenticity of the show.

It was a good idea to establish the play in a flashback and/or storytelling way as to not bore the audience that mainly compose of teens. The durations of the flashbacks are good enough length to maintain the concentration span of the viewers.

I’m in awe by the way the artists perform, they are really good and in character that makes you feel as if you were transported back in the past. I don’t know if they really know how to speak Japanese but the scene where a group of Japanese soldiers came and they started uttering words I can’t decipher is really believable.

The courting is way too funny and the characters are all well trained, Rosa and Pedring are so cute and has a very good singing vocals!

I really don’t have anything to say about the actors because they are just so good! They are in character and knows when and where to act. The artist performing Erlinda gave me goosebumps! Her cry for help brought me chills even though I’m on the farthest part of the event place. It reminded me of the stories, horrible stories, my Grandmother told us during the Japanese times.

Overall, my only concern is mostly about the technical part of the show. At some point the background sound overpowers the dialog of the performers and is sometimes unruly in terms of the volume and it really ticks me since I am at the farthest part of the venue so I can’t hear it if the mic gets faulty and background sound feels off. But what I love about the technical part of the show is the usage of yellow spotlight to highlight the gunfire. At first, I thought they have guns that lights up at the end but then I realize it was the spotlight! Nice trick!

I’m just really glad that the Local Government really pushes and support this kind of Arts. This has been one of the many plays and events that the Local Government of Tarlac, especially the Tourism Department and Gov. Susan Yap made possible and I can’t wait to see the next events!