Theater review: Tanghalang Ateneo’s ‘Rite of Passage’ dignifies complexities of coming of age 

Puberty is a phase that many people want to get through quickly. For many, it is full of embarrassing moments nobody wants to talk about when they reach their "roaring" 20s. But there is more to puberty than dealing with stubborn zits and nursing first heartbreaks. 

 

Carlos Palanca-award winning play "Rite of Passage: Sa Pagtubu kang Tahud (Upon the Growing of the Spur)," Tanghalang Ateneo's second production for its 36th season, delves into the complexities of coming of age. 

 

It was first staged in the United States as one of playwright Glenn Sevilla Mas' projects for his MFA in Playwriting. The story is an adaptation of a Kinaray-a short story "Sa Pagtubu kang Tuhud" by Maria Milagros Geremia Lachica. 

 

The play centers on Isoy (played by Cholo Ledesma), a 15-year-old boy from a rural village in Antique. He lives with his disciplinarian spinster aunt Manding Susing (Frances Makil-Ignacio) who had him stop attending school, shutting him off from the rest of their small barrio. 

 

At the height of puberty, Isoy is forced to stay at home to clean, cook, and feed the chickens that earned him few friends like his neighbor Pila (Camille Abaya) who has eyes only for him, and his role model Tiyoy Berning (Teroy Guzman). 

 

In between household chores, with the piercing silence of the small town and the radio as his only background, Isoy often finds himself in the company of his many frustrations: his unfulfilled sexual desires, the urge to speak and to be heard, and to break away from the monotony of barrio life. 

 

Different devices, same sensations 

 

Although set in a distant past and location, the cast and creative minds behind "Rite of Passage" said that Isoy's journey was still relatable. Every adult, after all, has gone through adolescence.

 

During the press preview, Ledesma, who played Isoy, and Guzman, who played Tiyoy Berning, said that the process of growing up is the same in all generations. 

 

Guzman said that before young boys used to look at calendars with images of barely clothed women. Years have passed and teenage boys had their stash of men's magazines. Now, young men can search for anything on the Internet. 

 

Guzman pointed out, "The only difference is that now, it's instant gratification." 
 

Authenticity 

 

Director Ronan Capinding said that for this production, Tanghalang Ateneo wanted to be as authentic to the play's setting as much as possible.

 

The actors had to learn the Kinaray-a accent, which they achieved seamlessly. For the production design, Tanghalang Ateneo loaded the Rizal Mini Theater with a 100 tons of soil to present a rural home. 

 

Another aspect of the play that was given much attention in terms of authenticity was capturing the sound of a barrio, away from the busy city.  

 

Aside from sounds designer Jethro Joaquin's creative play with silences, the actors also needed to work harder to convey so much without saying much. Many scenes had no lines at all. 

 

Ignacio's character Manding Susing, for instance, had to deal with a lot of silences. She admitted that it was difficult for her at first.

She explained, "Not everybody is used to silence anymore. It was really difficult but (it was necessary) to keep the authenticity of the place of the story. It took a lot of listening and going back inside. And Jethro's music helped a lot." 

 

Dignifying the awkward years 

 

Capinding said that the teenagers are often portrayed in a shallow manner. But "Rite of Passage" is one of those rare plays that imbue the awkward and embarrassing experiences and struggles of teenagers with dignity. 

 

In his director's notes addressing the youth, he said, "Glenn Mas's 'Rite of Passage' hits the spot as far as your young lives are concerned; this is one of those rare Filipino plays that recognizes and respects what you are going through, and does so with a lot of heart." 

 

Mas, who is also Tanghalang Ateneo's artistic director, told the press, "'Rite of Passage' is about young people who are forced to become adults by virtue of events na magpapaparamdam sa kanila na hindi na nga talaga sila bata."

 

But more than dignifying the pubescent years, 'Rite of Passage' is also a reminder that the youth needs the understanding, patience, and guidance of the adults to get through this stage in life with their heads up high. After all, frustration forces people—even the youth—to do something unspeakable. — VC, GMA News
 

 

"Rite of Passage: Sa Pagtubu kang Tahud (Upon the Growing of the Spur)" runs on November 27-29, December 3-6 and 10-13 at the Ateneo de Manila University. For more information on Tanghalang Ateneo's 36th season, visit its Facebook page.