The humid weather was unmistakably Filipino but the vibe was distinctly British at the opening of the third The Great British Festival at Bonifacio High Street, Bonifacio Global City.
Last February 26 to 28, festival goers enjoyed a British-style weekend with family and friends as they reveled in the stunning attractions and participated in the impressive lineup of activities organized by the British Embassy in the Philippines and its partners.
The Bard lives on
Headlining this year’s The Great British Festival was English poet, playwright and actor William Shakespeare, as the organizers mounted a Shakespeare Pavilion.
The Pavilion housed a series of events and performances that celebrate the life and legacy of Shakespeare, who’s considered one of the greatest and most influential literary figures in the world.
“The themes of Shakespeare’s works are timeless. Politics, romance, intrigue, comedy and tragedy are seen in many adaptations in films, music, opera, literature and animation. You don’t have to be a Literature or English major to understand and enjoy Shakespeare,” shared British Ambassador to the Philippines Asif Ahmad
The Manila Shakespeare Company conducted Everyday Shakespeare Talks, while the Philippine Education Theater Association hosted a theater acting workshop for children. In addition, PETA staged excerpts of its highly-lauded Shakespeare rap-musical “William,” while Word of Mouth Theater presented “William Shakespeare’s Greatest Hits.”
British School Manila students performed parts of A Comedy of Errors, and students from Miriam College surprised audiences with pocket live performances of Romeo and Juliet, Twelfth Night and Julius Caesar.
“This Pavilion and lineup of performances are our way to celebrate Shakespeare’s 400th death anniversary,” Ahmad said during the opening ceremony of the festival.
The ambassador even quoted Shakespeare as he welcomed guests to the three-day affair. “Shakespeare’s The Comedy of Errors says that ‘Small cheer and great welcome makes a merry feast,’ but what he should have said was, ‘With the help of Whyte and Mackay, I expect a very strong whisky-fueled cheer tonight, and with the help of Monde Nissin and Quorn, I expect a real big merry feast.’”
Filipino firms make it big in Great Britain
This year’s edition of The Great British Festival was also the first time Filipino businesses established in Great Britain were featured alongside British brands.
“This is not only a celebration of the UK but the celebration of the Philippines truly emerging as a global economic power,” enthused Ahmad.
Representatives from the Philippine companies gaining foothold in Britain were present to talk about their products and services available for British and Filipinos alike. Featured firms included BDO Unibank, Bank of the Philippine Islands, Philippine National Bank, PLDT Global, Whyte and Mackay (the company that works with Emperador Distillers), and Quorn Foods (a British brand bought by Monde Nissin).
“We are a country as a whole that is a tax haven with corporate tax down to 20 percent, and it will go down further in the next few years, the reason why BDO and BPI have chosen to locate to London,” explained the British diplomat.
“I’m sure that these great Filipino companies will make their mark in Great Britain,” he added.
Other activities and attractions
The weekend festival gathered several families and friends who enjoyed the tastes and sights of Britain.
Replicas of British landmarks (Big Ben, The London Eye, Stonehenge, etc.) and pop culture icons (e.g. Harry Potter’s Platform 9 ¾, Game of Thrones’ Iron Throne, and Doctor Who’s TARDIS, among others) at the UK Miniature area made the entire stretch of Bonifacio High Street a compact version of the United Kingdom.
The elusive Loch Ness Monster also made a surprise appearance at the three-day affair to the delight of festival goers who took turns taking selfies and groupies with Nessie and other replicas around.
Visitors also got to taste the flavors of Britain as they had fun sampling the delicious assortment of British food and drink while completing the festival passport, which was stamped by each booth they visited.
Meanwhile, some guests channeled their inner Sherlock Holmes when they participated in the mystery game created by Escape Hunt.
The yearly Rockaoke contest saw finalists who belted out West End hits in a bid to grab the top prize of round trip tickets to the UK courtesy of Etihad Airways. In the end, Richard Supat emerged victorious.
British Embassy staff joined PMAP models as they strutted the catwalk in the latest summer trends of top British brands in a fashion show directed by Robby Carmona.
At the finale, Deputy Ambassador Nigel Boud thanked everyone who participated and came to the festival. Award-winning a capella group Los Cantantes de Manila wowed the crowd with their stunning renditions of British and Filipino songs, a perfect end to show the greatness of Britain and the Philippines.
Photo courtesy of the British embassy Manila