Papet at Maskara: Filipino stories, Japanese theater

The University of the Philippines Diliman Center for International Studies (UPCIS) will stage “Papet at Maskara: Celebrating 40 Years of ASEAN-Japan Friendship and Cooperation through Intercultural Collaboration as Dialogue” from February 10-17.

“Papet at Maskara” will give a whole new meaning to intercultural dialogue, as Filipino literary characters such as Noli Me Tangere’s Sisa make their way into the Japanese theatrical discipline of Noh. Known for its deliberate and precise movements, Noh is acclaimed by the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) as a “Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity.”

The UPCIS Noh Theatre Ensemble will restage Professor Emeritus Amelia Lapeña-Bonifacio’s prize-winning play Ang Paglalakbay ni Sisa, Isang Noh sa Laguna, as a shinsaku (newly-created) Noh. This reinterpretation will showcase the redemption of Jose Rizal’s Sisa. Here, she confronts Padre Salvi, reunites with her two sons Crispin and Basilio, and regains her sanity and peace of mind.

Apart from this one-of-a-kind Noh, “Papet” will also showcase the art of bunraku, or Japanese puppetry. This February, the Naoshima Onna Bunraku troupe will collaborate with the homegrown UPCIS Bunraku Ensemble and other puppet groups for a workshop, public lecture, demonstration and performance of several Bunraku pieces which include Dango Uri (The Dumpling Peddlers), Keisei Awa no Naruto Junreika no Dan (The Song of a Pilgrim scene from The Courtesan at Awa) and Ebisu Mai (The Dance of Ebisu).

“Papet at Maskara” will be held on the following dates and venues: Feb. 10, 1pm in Aldaba Hall, UP Diliman, Feb. 12, 3pm at the Cultural Center of the Philippines, Feb. 15, 3 and 6pm in UP Los Baños, and Feb. 17, 3 and 7pm at the UP Diliman Theater.

For tickets, contact UPCIS at 426-7573 or e-mail upcis.aseanjapan2013@gmail.com. You may also visit the event’s Facebook page here