Kislap and Algo ; The Art of Persuasion

 

CJ Navato as Kapre and  Kyle Napuli as Gabriella in Kislap  and Fuego Photo Courtesy of PETA 

Kislap at Fuego and Algo Double Bill was a twin-bill shot of Filipino art I never knew I was craving. PETA’s experimental works from 2024 returned to the stage with a freshness that’s hard to resist — bite-sized goodness built on depth and culture. One is fantasy, and the other is realism. One time travels to the past; the other mirrors our bothersome present. Kislap at Fuego unravels its message with romance and subtlety, while Children of the Algo delivers truths with cold, unflinching directness. Both fearless, both persuasive theatre.

Magic in a Black Box: Kislap at Fuego

Kislap at Fuego accomplishes so much within a restrictive black box theatre — never lacking in magic, content, or talent. Created by Palanca Awardee Dominique La Victoria, the play already implies a strong voice. I was so drawn to the material that I searched its origins. Kislap is adapted from the short story, “The Odd and the Ugly” by award-winning author Vida Cruz-Borja. Reading the original version made me appreciate Cruz-Borja’s intent, La Victoria’s respect for the original work, and the cleverness of Gentl Mapagu, who translated it. The result is refined, resonant, and palpable for live theatre.

The story centers on Gabriela, played by Felicity Kyle Napuli, who ventures into the forest to confront a Kapre (CJ Navato), drawn straight from Filipino mythology. She seeks to settle a debt her father left behind after stealing a mango from him. The Kapre resists her presence at first but eventually lets her enter her world. Together, they navigate getting to know each other , eliciting the magnanimous, warm applause of an audience who couldn't get enough of their onstage romantic chemistry.

As the story deepens, Gabriela reveals that — much like our own Gabriela Silang — she embodies the heart of a revolutionary. She longs to honor the works of José Rizal and the impact of his words, novels, and leadership. She dreams of change — of a Philippines liberated, free to love life in its fullest glory, bathed in freedom.

The Kapre, in turn, reveals his own painful truth. He was once human — a man consumed by greed and insecurity. He had everything and lost everything, including his great love, the diwata.

The closing revelation reframes everything. The story closes with Gabriella becoming the Diwata trapped in the human world. Her powers reach her fingers and ignite her soul, and she remembers everything about the past, the ills of the human world, and her love for Kapre, who used to be her beloved Ezekiel. They both simmer in their brokenness and take a step towards each other to express that indeed love will conquer all.

I sincerely loved the material. But what made it even more special was that the team did not merely present a beautiful story with a message — they accomplished so much more.

At the forefront, Felicity Kyle Napuli was a vibrant Gabriela. Her energy created an undeniable pull; she commanded the crowd with confidence. Her choices were deliberate, embodying a defiant and authoritative woman who felt startlingly contemporary — almost as if she had stepped straight out of 2026. There were moments when her performance bordered on the theatrical extreme, but this was intriguingly balanced by CJ Navato’s calming presence as the Kapre. His restraint grounded their exchanges, keeping the dialogue clear and engaging. Navato’s charm felt lifted from a Korean rom-com — rough around the edges, yet undeniably sweet and disarming. Together, they generated the kind of romantic chemistry that audiences crave.

Purposeful pauses with a whole lot of comedy were provided by Nuno sa Punso Leron (Ekis Gimenez) and Pipay (Carlon Matobato). Collectively, the entire cast’s competence in delivery, timing, and physicality caused delightful mayhem in the audience — bursts of gigil, waves of kilig, uncontrollable laughter rippling through the seats. According to the pre-show talk, only a handful of the audience had watched theatre before Kislap, so it felt like the biggest win ever to have converted busloads of people who were not too excited at the beginning into a cheering audience who couldn't help but love the material. That, in itself, felt like the biggest victory — a true check on the bucket list for the entire company.

The show also taught the crowd about history and culture. The insertions were so smooth that the audience didn't even notice they were being schooled on the presence of other folklores, traditional dances, and Philippine Literature. As it glorifies our roots, in its comedy, it also acknowledges the present life using gestures that mimic current events, TikTok”6, 7”, dance steps from Katseye's Gabriella.  These moments really baited the audience hook, line, and sinker.

Boni Juan’s fantasy setting, paired with lighting by Rafa Sumilong and projections by Bene Manaois, created magical, intimate moments, especially the shadow play on a small canvas.

Kislap at Fuego is fantasy, but it grounds you. When Napuli screams, “Ang mga librong ito, mas mahalaga pa sa buhay ko,” it is doctrine. Memory is protection. History, when remembered properly, becomes armor. Never forget.

Children of the Algo: Reality Check

Children of the Algo by Mixkaela Villalon felt like a satisfying rant about the hypocrisy of present-day life. Four influencer characters — Yani (Nyla Festejo), Jen (Frances Marie Akol), Owen (James Pe Lim), and Mark (Otep Madriaga) — expose the irony behind curated online perfection. Life is rarely perfect.

The format mimics online scrolling: vignettes with no interaction, gradually revealing a sense of dissatisfaction. Mark’s climactic monologue breaks the “ wall,” speaking of broken promises, corruption, isolation, and the lack of community for ordinary people.

Conceptually, it is strong — a slice of real life meant to shake the youth’s perspective. Mimicking the screen was a solid idea. The cast is talented, especially Madriaga, who was incredibly believable. But the execution could have been tighter. It felt like a drag at times because halfway through, you already understood the point and where it was going. The movement in the play was also limited, with the influencers taking up space on a moving scaffolding of sorts, so visually, there wasn't much to keep you hooked.

A Twin Bill That Persuades

Together, Kislap at Fuego and Children of the Algo prove that this twin bill is more than entertainment — it is persuasive theatre. Kislap grounds us in memory, reminding us of past struggles and cultural identity. Algo unsettles us in the present, exposing the performative, isolating aspects of modern life. Different in style, both bold and passionate, they ask the same question: what are we doing with the freedom we fought for?

Overall, it’s satisfying theatre. Bravo Filipino. 

Yaya Chronicles: Kung Paano Ako Naging Leading Lady

I was bullied as a child. I was born  fragile. I was a shy, fidgety little girl who was almost always unsure of what she wanted to do. I knew deep inside I was different.That alone was already difficult to deal with. Unfortunately, I was destined to be a bullied individual. I remember as a child constantly trying to figure out  why people chose to bully me. Was it because I looked so fragile? Was it because I was plain Jane? Was it because I was stupid, incompetent or even useless? Was it because I tolerated it? Was it because I was ugly? God knows I had my share of uglier child syndrome. It puzzled me that of all the people in the world, I had to be one of the losers. I was unable to stand up for myself. Even with a loving family and a handful of friends, I still couldn't find the courage to protect myself from hurting.  It was the ticking of time and the evolution of  my soul that eventually gave me the permission to be brave. Life happened, and I chose to accept my imperfect self. It took forever but  I forgave myself for all the imperfections I saw in mirror. I told myself that God created me to live, not wallow, not suffer. I found the good in me and I held on to it. I said thank you for it. I tried my best to nourish it. I learned as well along the way that bullies are people too and while I was suffering with all the bullying, they probably had their fair share of hurting too. Through out my life, I would meet new bullies from different directions, but I knew better. I felt better. 

Those who know or know of me now   would probably not associate me with the words weakling or fragile. But somewhere in my past and in my heart is the underdog that didn't know how to redeem herself. I will not dwell on the storyline of this musical but I will say that the bullied child in me empathized with the central characters of this musical. The story is about bullying  per se but about not feeling good enough for others .After all the laughter, I went home and I couldn't help but feel triumphant remembering the musical's take on a happy ending.  I was happy I shared the sentiments of the storytellers. Strength and power are free for all. Greatness is for the taking. We only need to say yes to life. 

Dalanghita Productions. Catchy name indeed. First impression tells me its flirtatious name is also very much appropriate in describing its  point of view.    Kung Paano Ako Naging Leading Lady being its debut production  as a new theatre company  was just as they promised.It was fresh, flavorful and Filipino. 

Let's talk about freshness. 2015 has had a barrage of super heroes. Who can forget the film Avengers? One cannot mention Filipino and Superhero in one sentence without associating it with the recently concluded Manhid  the Musical. It seemed almost serendipitous that all these had to come in  one after the other.Thankfully, despite the  similarities in theme, the storyline of this musical was unique. It did not dwell so much on super powers of heroes but rather the innate greatness of the ordinary. This is a story about the underdog's redemption. This is musical is about a yaya. 

This production is not only hand crafted by an all Filipino team, it is also quite  literally a Philippines 101 subject. As expected, mirroring life  were socio-political  satires and farcical comedy. The writer however  took it a step further by  balancing it out with references to all time Filipino strengths through its main characters. While the villains " Kayumangilas" represented ills of political society, Mely the lead character of the musical also represented  contrasting  qualities of hard work, sincerity, loyalty and servitude. While it's fun to poke fun at negatives, it's uplifting to be reminded that we can still use the hashtag #morefuninthephilippines.  

 Let's talk about the claim to fame for the category of flavor. Sweet it was because of the beautiful melodies created by Vincent De Jesus . Music being the expression of the soul  was utilized ever so cleverly  in telling the story. Every lyric had  an emotional resonance. It affected. It moved. It made the heart remember personal experiences.  The tangy flavor came from the acidity of  the actors as they bared their hearts on stage. It was a breathtaking sight to see both the ensemble  and the leads perform with so much honesty. The taste was always melting  in your mouth. Memorable was the Nancy Crowe's choreography in all the major production numbers. It showed genuine enthusiasm from  the actors and choreographer as well. It was the perfect seasoning to the plated dish. I must say something about the how this production was plated. The seemingly  minimalistic set was genius  and intelligently used. Kudos to Tuxq Rutaquio for framing the scenes  with love. Veteran John Batalla lighted up and  colored the stage and made it look every bit a graphic novel. I loved capturing the moments of color and light. All these little details enhanced the theatre experience. Nothing like a good 4d presentation of a a such a hearty dish.  

Lastly and quite obviously, I must say something about harvest of talent on stage. Bituin Escalante as Mely the lead character of the story  was subtle yet powerful. It felt as if  she made sure her every move was organic. She was relatable beyond belief. Could it be that my nanny Rose was her peg? Or maybe it was Yaya Maricar or our kapitbahay's Manang? Her comedic timing was impeccable. The audience would roar in laughter. I  guess I need not mention her stellar notes. She really was bright star in this production.  Hans Eckstein as the leading man fit the role to a tee. He has a natural swagger and charm that was effective. Leading Man was swoon worthy. No wonder the characters were all smitten.   Gianina Ocampo delivered with her sensitive performance as Nena Baboushka She humanized the world of the super heroes and made everyone tear up with  her character's devotion to love.Astarte Abraham had just the right amount of Brittish color in her as Madre De Dios. Her dramatics  were en pointe.  Domi Espejo as Senyor Blanko   was phenomonal. His punchlines were my favorite as he massacred the english language in the best way possible. It was high brow comedy.  The revelation for me however was Kim Molina as Viva. It's my first time to watch her perform. She  was astounding. She held her own performing  songs with Bituin Escalante. She for me is a diva in the making.She is dynamite.  

The verdict is in the  producer  wasn't lying when he promised a Fresh Flavorful and Filipino show.  He  should have also added another F word to their introduction. This production is simply FABULOUS.  It was skillfully written by Carlo Vergara and brought to life by  the renowned director Chris Martinez . It is an appealing collaboration of artists. It is a show that will be remembered by its audience not only for the knee-smacking laughter and the uncontrollable tears it created but also for the 3 hour ( ok it was a little too long but I forgive them) escape  to wonderland. Bravo Dalanghita Productions and more power.

All photos by : Erica Marquez Jacinto

Kung Paano Ako Naging Leading Lady 

May 18, 2015

Peta Theater

Dalanghita Productions