What a coincidence that Tanghalang Pilipino's staging of the play Kudeta (The Coup) would take place less than two months since the last coup d'etat attempt in the Philippines. But the analogy stops there. The coup plot that was foiled in November 2007 at the now-infamous Manila Peninsula Hotel was no laughing matter but the theater group's Tagalog play is a riotous comedy from start to finish.
Directed by Floy Quintos, Kudeta is based on a play written by
Trinidad-born Mustapha Matura and translated into Filipino by George de Jesus
III. Written by Matura in 1991, Kudeta has proven to
be a universal look into the mindset of the powers-that-be and the groups that
dare oppose them.
The play opens with a dark and somber scene, with a coffin as the centerpiece,
while the sounds of war, military information, and political gossip are passed around, partly in fear, partly in mockery of a dead, deposed president-for-life named Edward Francis Jones (portrayed by director Mario
O'Hara).
The next scenes shift to the days preceding his death: days filled with political bargaining, imprisonment and torture, power struggle, and distorted truth.
The set of Kudeta is a cutaway view of Pres. Jones's prison cell, which has a long bench and a latrine. It is surrounded by tall trees that are often scaled by the cast members dressed as military soldiers. Tanghalang Pilipino even employed a military consultant to ensure that their movements and the way the cast members carry their weapons are as realistic as possible.
Edward Francis Jones, or simply Eddie, represents both the powers and weaknesses of a democratic government—open-minded yet easily beguiled. Guarding Eddie's military cell is Mikey, a corporal who blindly follows orders yet teeters between his loyalty towards the former president and a healthy fear of his military superiors who are staging the coup.
Three other main characters include Lieutenants Chan and Le Grange, and the sadistic Major Ferret who tortures the ex-president. They are military officers who seem to be fighting for their ideals at first but eventually become no more than cheap looters for their own selfish desires.
Despite the seriousness of the play, director Floy Quintos and the cast members were very effective in injecting Pinoy humor into almost every scene. Who would have known that you could find humor while watching the ex-president being tortured? It's truly amazing how Pinoys can translate any dead-serious event into a lighthearted moment.
Be prepared for sexually charged scenes that feature strippers who were part of the colorful past of ex-president Eddie. Cuss and swear words exchanged by the military personnel also abound.
Mario O' Hara shows off his comical side in Kudeta as the lustful president who recounts his past exploits, both political and sexual, for the benefit of his ally Mikey. The director who is best known for helming Tatlong Taong Walang Diyos (1976) and Babae sa Bubungang Lata (1998) shows that he is as comfortable behind the camera as he is acting on stage.
There are times, though, that the discussions seem to be far removed from the experience of Filipinos, especially since Pres. Jones and Mikey are discussing the political atmosphere of Trinidad—an archipelago that most Filipinos have only probably heard of in beauty pageants.
While watching Tanghalang Pilipino's Kudeta,
one can clearly see that during times of desperation, a deposed leader will
grasp at straws and promise the world to those who can ensure that he remains in power. Now, that is definitely no laughing matter.
Performances: January 25, 26 February 1, 2 (8 p.m.)
January 26, 27, February 2, 3 (3 p.m.)
Venue: Tanghalang Huseng Batute, Cultural Center of the Philippines, Pasay City