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Philippines
Thursday, March 28, 2024

Neither curse nor miracle

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“HIMALA” brings to mind a young Nora Aunor as Elsa, circa 1982. She is clad in white, speaking before multitudes who revere her as some kind of savior.

The film, written by Ricky Lee and directed by Ishmael Bernal, is counted among Filipino classics. Thirty-six years later, we see Barrio Cupang again—not in movie houses but at the Powermac Center at Circuit Makati. Produced by The Sandbox Collective and 9 Works Theatrical, “Himala” The Musical runs until March 4.

Instead of space between the rows of viewers and a big screen, the stage is in the middle of the room—there is no front or back, left or right. Audience members take their place on all four sides, separated from the actors only by makeshift fences, plants, a bench here and there. On one corner is a hut where a house is supposed to be. On another, an elevated platform serves as the “burol” (hill). The wind howls ominously. Later, rain and the resulting slush show the extent of the mess of hysteria. 

We behold Aicelle Santos as Elsa and Bituin Escalante as Aling Saling, the mother. These women give stunning performances—but then again, so do the rest of the cast. Without exception. 

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Because this generation’s “Himala” is a musical, the songs play a vital role in transmitting the story’s mood and the nuances of human nature. Vincent de Jesus wrote the music and collaborated with original “Himala” screenwriter Ricky Lee for the lyrics. Live piano is provided by Jed Balsamo—hidden in one corner of the room, but simply impossible to overlook.

The lyrics remind us how powerful the Filipino language is in portraying varied and conflicting emotions.

For example, Elsa is no saint. She looks innocent and well-meaning, but exactly why did she think she saw the Virgin Mary? When the people started coming to her, she allowed herself to be fawned over. Indeed she tells the filmmaker who comes to the town, in Gawin Mo Akong Sining: Kunan mo ako at gawin mo akong sining. Gawin mo ‘kong imortal. Ang pangalan ko ay ibubulong ng hangin. Mga kawayan ay yuyuko sa aking pagdaan. (Take my picture and make me into an art. Make me immortal. The winds will whisper my name. Bamboos will bow as I pass.)

Elsa’s followers form themselves into the Seven Apostles, collecting contributions and generating revenue from “blessed” water and other goods. They also become more self-righteous, petitioning to close down a night club that had been opened by Nimia, a prostitute who used to be Elsa’s friend. In Wala Tayong Pinagkaiba (There is no difference between us), Nimia taunts Elsa: Elsa, sabihin mo sa akin ang ating pinagkaiba. May basbas ba ng langit ang iyong pagpuputa? Ang binebenta ko’y laman, kayo nama’y himala! Libo-libong kaluluwa’y nililinlang ninyo. Kayo’y nakikinabang sa kamangmangan ng tao. Pareho lang tayo, wala tayong pinagkaiba. (Elsa, tell me how we are different. Does your whoring have heaven’s blessing? What I sell is flesh, what you sell are miracles. You make fools out of thousands of souls and profit from people’s ignorance. We are the same.)

In “Himala,” we also see examples of pure love, notwithstanding the circumstances. 

Aling Saling is her daughter’s first critic. She is the first to apologize when Elsa announced she had seen the Virgin during the eclipse. She also does not fully buy that her daughter has legitimate healing powers. But she is there, all the time, even when she neither understands nor agrees with what her daughter is doing.

In Uyayi ng Ina (A Mother’s Lullaby), Escalante as Saling takes one’s breath away: Di ako sang-ayon sa iniisip mo. Tiwala ko’y wala sa iyong ginagawa. Sa paniniwala tayo ay magkaiba. At kailanman hindi magtutugma. Ngunit hinding hindi kita iiwan…Ang pag-ibig ko ay walang hanggan, walang kulay o pangalan. At walang simula at walang katapusan. Sapagkat mahal kita, ang pag ibig ko ay walang sukatan. Walang hinihinging sagot, walang kapaguran. (I don’t agree with what you are thinking, or doing. I believe we are different. But I will never leave you. My love has no bounds, color or name. No beginning and end. Because I love you. My love has no measure. It does not demand answers, it never tires.)

It is on the hill when the apparition is supposed to have happened, but it is on the hill, too where Elsa and Chayong are raped as they are praying. The violence is heartbreaking—and even more palpable as it takes place dangerously close to where the audience is seated. At no other point does spectatorship become intimate. 

Chayong, the religious one, tries to find reason for the tragedy that befell her. She seeks comfort in her faith: Mahal na Birhen, kahit na ilang ulit mo nang narinig, sana’y pansinin ang tinig kong umawit ng kundiman, Ang puso kong sabik sa ‘yong kandungan. Ako sana’y mahalin kahit nagkadungis. (Beloved Virgin, please heed my voice that is singing. My heart longs for you. Please love me still, even as I have been sullied.)

But Chayong finds no immediate relief—and takes her life. 

Her lover Pilo becomes angry and demands answers from Elsa, who he now believes is a phony: Minsan kong nadama ang langit ng kanyang pag-ibig, na ngayo’y naglaho nang tuluyan. Dahil sa isang propetang sing-kinang ng tanso. Singliwanag ng kadiliman. Sino ka bang talaga? Ba’t hawak mo ang aming buhay? Alam ba ng langit itong impyerno na ginawa mo? (I once felt her love but now she is no more. Because of a prophet that is as glittery as bronze. As bright as darkness. Who are you, really? Why do you hold our lives in your hands? Do the heavens know the hell that you’ve created?)

But Elsa herself questions the heavens, in fact angrily confronts it for allowing her tragedy to happen. Here we see Santos the singer and actress, as she dares the Virgin to appear again: Tunay ba ang lahat ng himala? O ako ba ay pinaglalaruan? Madaya ka, ako’y kausapin mo! Hindi mo ba nakita nakita na doon sa may burol winasak nila ako? Nasaan ka na? Andito ako ngayon, ang Elsa mo. Kailangan ko rin maghilom. Di mahimbing at di nananaginip. Binawian ng galak, ninakawan ng awit. Hapung-hapo, gulong-gulo, kumikirot ang isip. Magpakita kang muli, ako’y linisin mo! (Were the miracles true, or was it just a game? Talk to me! Didn’t you see they destroyed me on the hill? Where are you? I am here now, your Elsa. I need to heal, too. I can’t sleep, but I can’t also dream. Joy has left me; I have ben robbed of song. I am exhausted and confused, and my mind hurts. Show yourself to me again, and cleanse me!) 

Alongside these personal tragedies is the degeneration of Barrio Cupang. Rain still not has come, making farming difficult. On the streets are heaps of trash. Elsa has ceased to heal people and has withdrawn into a shell. 

Ang nasa kapangyarihan ay walang pakialam. Itong abang buhay saan nababaling? Buong bayan, naghahari ang dilim.Nakalublob sa putik at lusak ay nakalibing….Kailan aagos muli mga ilog sa Cupang? Tuyong-tuyo na ang aming kaluluwa. (Those in power do not care. Where do we turn in this wretched life? Darkness reigns all over. We are submerged in mud. When will the river flow again? Our souls are parched).

Finally, Elsa emerges from her hut and tells her believers she has something important to say: Kayraming sakit ang gumaling, kayraming tao ang bumuti. Sila ay nagkaroon ng pananampalataya. Ngunit tayo ri’y nakakita ng mga panloloko at mga pandaraya at mga kahalayan at ng kamatayan. Walang himala! Ang himala ay nasa puso ng tao. Tayo ang gumagawa ng himala. Tayo ang gumagawa ng mga sumpa. (Many people were healed and made well. They found faith. But we also saw dishonesty and perversion and death. There is no miracle. It is us who make miracles. It is us who make curses). 

Elsa is shot, chaos ensues, the curtain falls—and the audience is left in awe. 

adellechua@gmail.com

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