Nang Dalawin ng Pag-ibig si Juan Tamad

Will someone ever be lazy or feel tired to fall in love? If there is one, I hope it's not me.

In this love month and season full of ocean deep level of stories for play productions or films, there goes Tanghalang Pilipino Actors Company's Nang Dalawin ng Pag-ibig si Juan Tamad by Nick Joaquin. A simple love-is-blind-I'll-give-you-the-world-just-be-mine love story that concludes their 31st Theater Season.

Tanghalang Pilipino is the resident theater group at Cultural Center of the Philippines. For years, they have proven themselves with excellent performances and they are respected as a whole. It's a little rare for a TP production to present a comedy love story that's also for young audiences.

Love gives us all the possible feelings in the world. Happy, sad, angry, worried or fright. It can make us selfish, selfless, carefree, careless. It can make us, it can also break us. But all of us just have one common thing about it -- we believe in it. We fall in love, we fail in love then we fall in love again and again...

Monte Banahaw is moonstruck by the goddess of love, Mariang Makiling. Banahaw had his revenge to Makiling after he was rejected. By the help of his brother Ba'I, the alchemist of Laguna Lake, they punished Maria with a love potion that will make her fall in love with the ugliest and the lazy -- Juan Tamad.

“Wala na yatang mas nakakapagod pa sa pag-ibig. Biruin mo, bawat sandali, iniisip mo siya, iniisip ka niya. Hindi mapakali, hindi makatulog, hindi makakain, laging aligaga. Laging tulala, parang laging sinisilaban ang puwit ng mangingibig.” - Juan Tamad

"Hindi mo kailangang meron kang mahalin para patunayan mong ikaw ay nagmamahal" - Jonathan Tadioan (Director) in an interview with Anvil Publishing.

The narrative is of course classic but the adaptation and translation are contemporary. I didn't expect how Jonathan Tadioan (director) and Rody Vera (stage adaptation) would give such execution to the story. It was impressive. The acting style and narration were natural. It didn't have to look so subtle and had a level of pa-deep. Their take on this piece was light and radiant and plain sailing. I liked it.

What had stunned me were the stage design and costumes. Marco Viana and Paw Castillo obviously did a great job. The words and music sounded great and the choreography was simple but beautiful. Kudos to TJ Ramos and Ronelson Yadao! Though the finale song was superb, I wished most of the actors are skillful in singing so the song parts would be music to my ears. The lights were outstanding, specially the scenes of Ba'I, I love the water reflection effect and the cold temperature of the mood and the scene where Maria Makiling was looking for Juan. I loved it dearly. Thumbs up to John Batalla!

The performances of the actors are impeccable. Aldo Vencilao is the perfect Monte Banahaw. Manok Nellas did surprise me with the alluring image she showed. Lhorvie Nuevo was cute as the Kerubing Ulap. I've always loved to hear her speak -- I guess it was the overall modulation of her voice, that also made her narrating parts flawless. Ybes Bagadiong was the best fit for Juan Tamad but, I hope, he won't be stereotyped with the roles he plays just because of how he looks. Antonette Go for the lawyer-Kris-Aquino-alike role was refreshing! Eunice Pacia and the gang had me at the EXB part laptrip eh!!!

I guess my deeper take on this play is that, we cannot teach someone to love us back. Most of the times, we spend a lot of our efforts, attention, time and money to someone who even if we know won't choose to love us, we still continue to do the same. When Juan became rich from the things Maria gave him, that's it. He goes on with his life. On the other side, there goes Maria, left longing, crazy and looking for her love. We do a lot of crazy things out of love and for it. But more than all the craziness, I just hope we all find our own love.

"Nang Dalawin ng Pag-ibig si Juan Tamad" runs until March 11 at the Tanghalang Aurelio Tolentino, CCP Little Theater. Showtimes are at 8 p.m. Fridays, 3 p.m. and 8 p.m. on Saturdays and 3 p.m. on Sundays

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