REVIEW: Laugh till you cry. 'Walang Aray' is a comedic tour de force
In an international theater landscape crowded with Broadway reboots, movie adaptations, and jukebox musicals, the Philippine Educational Theater Association stands out by doing what it does best with original musical Walang Aray.
Stemming from the pen of Rody Vera (most recently seen starring in Into the Woods) and first staged in 2023, Walang Aray is a riotous re-imagining of the Severino Reyes sarasuwela, Walang Sugat, that will likely go down as the most fun you have in a theater this year.
Set in the 1880s at the dawn of the Philippine revolution, Walang Aray tells the story of Julia (Lance Reblando), the top performer at a local theater. Unbeknownst to Julia’s mother, Momsy (Jolina Magdangal), the former is in a secret relationship with local boy Tenyong (Gio Gahol).
Despite the couple pledging their undying love to one another, Momsy is determined to marry Julia off to Miguel (Bene Manaois), the son of the richest man in town, Don Tadeo (Gie Onida). When Tenyong takes up arms with the Katipunan to fight for Philippine independence, Julia finds herself at a crossroads. Will true love prevail, or will Momsy have her way in the strict Spanish society under which they live?
While the synopsis could (and does) apply to many a weepy, Walang Aray smartly riffs on the structure of its source material, taking everything you know about theater storytelling tropes to deliver a masterclass of farce. Loaded with more one-liners, winks, pop culture references, and gags to put any number of more established shows to shame, Walang Aray is a showcase of Philippine comedy.
Over two hours, the Fourth Wall isn’t broken so much as it’s shattered, stomped on, and obliterated, with the interplay between actors and audience serving as part of the experience – the gags work precisely because these types of stories are so well played out, making it all the more hilarious (and satisfying) when convention is hurled out the window.
Under the direction of stage veteran Ian Segarra, the cast is nothing less than perfection, with Reblando in particular winning us over from the moment she stepped on stage, combining a stirring performance with split-second comedic timing and showstopping vocals to make her Julia a joy to follow.
Faring equally well at the gala night was the returning Gio Gahol, who pretty much owns his role as the lovelorn, idealistic freedom fighter. Together, the couple’s chemistry was the stuff loveteam dreams are made of, while their characters’ complete lack of self-awareness helped sell the ridiculousness of the material to the point that even anachronistic moments of product placement(!) drew laughs.
The supporting cast was no less impressive, with Jolina Magdangal’s take on Momsy leaving the entire PETA Theater Center rolling in the aisles, every inch the domineering, social-climbing matriarch to Julia’s wide-eyed ingenue. While less outwardly showy, Onida’s turn as the stuffy, equally pretentious Don Tadeo never failed to raise a chuckle, gamely matching Magdangal’s Momsy beat for beat in their quest to see their children married. Of course, Miguel has his own issues that are almost immediately obvious from the outset, but it’s endlessly fun to see his side story play out, especially considering how easily thankless it could have been.
Among the headliners, Ice Seguerra’s resourceful houseboy, Lucas, brought the house down multiple times through a finely-honed blend of song and inspired physical comedy. As loyal to Tenyong as he is henpecked at home, Lucas will do whatever it takes to serve his masters, even if it means getting absolutely plastered in a series of increasingly alcoholic armed encounters. Nobody ever said love was easy!
Since no revolutionary-era story would be complete without an evil priest (or three), Johnnie Moran leads the questionable clergy as the dastardly Padre Alfaro, making an absolute feast of every mustache-twirling line. Alfaro is a man who prides himself on being an evil bastard (behind closed doors), and the audience was all for it. From hunting rebels and dumping his enemies in Taal, to creeping on young Julia, Moran made Alfaro a baddie you’ll love to hate.
Production-wise, Walang Aray makes full use of the PETA Center’s limited space, maximizing the venue with a multi-tiered set to facilitate the audience’s immersion into the world of the sarasuwela. Fun stage design and inventive lighting help to sell the illusion, while never letting one forget that they’re supposed to be having a good time, even when the story gets heavy.
Whole notions of social justice and political commentary have always been part of PETA’s mission statement of contributing to the national discourse; it’s a tribute to Vera’s razor-sharp script that Walang Aray’s approach never comes across as ham-fisted or forced.
All told, Walang Aray is a comedy of the highest order, with the gags coming so hard and fast, you’ll barely have time to catch your breath before three more punchlines land that’ll leave you in stitches.
Suffice it to say, this isn't your lola's Walang Sugat, and that’s a good thing; a simultaneous deconstruction and tribute to the venerable sarasuwela, Walang Aray is packed with irreverent, unapologetic humor, wall-to-wall scene-stealers, and tunes that will stick in your head for days.
If laughing for two hours straight sounds like your thing, then Walang Aray is an absolute brilliant way to spend a night at the theater, and a production no play-goer can afford to miss.
Editor's Note: PhilSTAR L!fe was given a free ticket for Walang Aray, which will run at PETA Theater until Oct. 12.