Literary and Culture

ANG ‘HULING EL BIMBO, THE MUSICAL’ REVIEW: When is nostalgia too much that it hurts?

May 15, 2020

And yet, in order for art to actually mean something, it has to mirror the times and in mirroring the times, social critique is inevitable. Otherwise, we would consider Brillante Mendoza’s poverty porn “supreme art” rather than what they simply are. This watered down social angling, to me, was the musical’s weakness. By choosing to be more romantic and idealistic in tone towards the end, perhaps to please the upper middle class audience for which it was originally produced and staged, the social commentary got lost, drowned by waves and waves of nostalgia. And you know what happens when historical nostalgia is delivered in high doses? It revises history itself. That is why by the end of the show, the men would earn the audience’s sympathy more than ire.

The Emancipation of Fiona Apple and Me

April 27, 2020

In a pandemic-afflicted world where fascism and misogyny still reign supreme, markedly so in the Philippines and other Third World countries, this record’s release was well-timed. In our isolation, without the hubbub of road traffic, the noise of noontime shows before live audiences and the commotion of everyday life in general, there is a heightening of the senses. We are forced to see what were often overlooked, to hear the sounds and voices that matter, to discern that the “normal” we were so accustomed to was everything that was wrong in the first place. Through Fetch the Bolt Cutters, Apple only gives us a bite of her unfiltered consciousness. As if heeding my prayers, she has blessed me with another cathartic playlist that corresponds to my current mood: this renewed restlessness, this insatiable, rebellious craving to be free. “Fetch the bolt cutters. We’ve been in here too long,” indeed.

Ang Debate ng mga Pilosopo at si Pedro

November 10, 2019

Ano ba ito, sabi ni Pedro, na nakikinig sa mga pilosopo/Lalo pa ako sa kanilang sinasabi ay nalilito/Makauwi na nga sa aking pamilya at makapagpahinga/Dahil bukas dadalo pa ako sa isang malaking welga.

Pang-aagaw sa Gunita: Ilang tala hinggil sa 34th Escalante Massacre Commemoration

October 28, 2019

Tinitigan ko ang mga mukha ng mga nanonood sa plaza, di ko maipinta kung natutuwa ba sila sa nasasaksihan nila o alam nilang isa itong pekeng komemorasyon? Isang pagtitipon na deka-dekada nilang inilulunsad upang buhayin ang alaala ng mga kababayang martir pero ngayong taon ay inagaw sa kanila maging ang paggunita?

Utos ng Hari

October 21, 2019

At bago nga lumubog ang araw at ganap na isilang ang takipsilim sa langit na siyang saksi, pinulot ang mga tadtad-warak-tumimbuwang na katawan ng mga mahihirap ng kani-kanilang mga kaanak.

ATANG

October 15, 2019

Umalis siya sa araw ding yaong napabalitang ipinakain kay Kapitan Tiyago ang mga bola ng madyong. At sa araw ding yao’y natagpuan si Kulas na nakasubsob ang ulo sa kulay lupang mascuvado, may apat na butas sa katawan at dalawa sa ulo.

DUGUANG LANGIT

September 27, 2019

nakapangingilabot pala
ang nalalapit na
paniningil ng
mata ng Diyos
na si Kratos!

LIWANAG AT DILIM

September 24, 2019

‘…o ni Tiyong Gelacio
na kung maghandog ng prosa
sa dulang nilang mga kawawa
sintamis ng tubo ng Azucarera…’

Eksibisyon: ‘Tatlong Taong Walang Diyos’

September 19, 2019

Tampok sa eksibit ang mga likha nina Raffy Lerma, Ezra Acayan, Kimberly Dela Cruz, Aie Balagtas See, Eloisa Lopez, Vincent Go, Ciriaco Santiago III, Basilio Sepe, Carlo Gabuco, Mike De Leon, Carlos Siguion-Reyna, Lav Diaz, Carina Evangelista, David Ramirez, RISE UP at RESBAK.

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