Whether political, emotional, or ideological, human beings are constantly embattled. Driven by our survival instinct and innate appetite to seek meaning in life, there is always a war we need to face.
It can be as less complicated as personal conflicts of overcoming fears, navigating grief, or determining right from wrong. Or they could be as profound and complex as historical wars and social struggles for justice and freedom.
Every day is a battlefield, a struggle for survival, for justice, for change. Each battle we faced shaped us, contributing to the rich tapestry of our shared experiences.
What better way to understand complex narratives of wars and inner conflicts than theater? From ancient Greek tragedies that reflect on the aftermath of the Trojan War to Shakespearean plays that examine political machinations, theater has offered audiences a lens through which to understand the complexities of warfare.
German playwright Bertolt Brecht uniquely understood the powerful connection between theater and political conflict. Known for his epic theater, which broke away from traditional conventions, Brecht used the stage to spotlight social and ideological issues.
In Mother Courage and Her Children (1941), Brecht chronicled the Thirty Years’ War, portraying war’s moral ambiguities, emotional toll, and the human resilience embodied by Mother Courage, a woman who profits from war but loses her three children in the process. Set amid the brutal conflicts from 1618 to 1648, the play reflects the complex mix of religious, political, and territorial struggles that marked the era.
Inspired by Brecht, Dulaang UP presents Nanay Bangis, an adaptation by Filipino playwright Rody Vera, drawing connections between Brecht’s themes and the Philippine conflicts in Mindanao.
“I have always believed that anti-war plays are particularly relevant, especially given the current situations in Ukraine, Palestine, and even the Philippines. There are conflicts in South Sudan that have not received enough attention. There is so much suffering, and as climate change worsens, conditions will only deteriorate further,” said theater director Herbie Go.
And when your best friend and roommate is half-Palestinian, as in the case of director Go, the impact of war becomes deeply personal. He shared that his best friend could not go home because his hometown is one of the occupied territories of Israel.
“It bothers me. Every day you read about the war refugees on the news. You feel for them, but at the same time, you feel numb. For a few minutes, you pity them. You sympathize with them, and then you move on with your life. Through this play, we want the audience to get angry, to do something,” said Go.
Part of Dulaang UP’s 47th theatre season, with the theme “Amihan at Habagat,” Nanay Bangis follows the story of a mother who loses her children to the conflict between the MNLF and the Philippine army from 1971 to 1981.
Actress Ge Malacaman Villamil takes the titular role of Nanay Bangis, with actors Air Paz, Rona Rostata, and Fred Layno performing as her children.
Vera shared that he wrote the adaptation for the MaYi production of Mother Courage in New York in 1999. The production was directed by Tazewell Thompson, and featured Ching Valdez in the lead role.
“The original setting of the play was the Thirty Year’s War, which happened in Central Europe from about 1618 to 1648. This war was viewed on the surface as a ‘religious war’ between Roman Catholics and the Protestants. But the play exposed the root causes of the war beyond religious motives and pointed out, more importantly territorial, dynastic, and even commercial interests; the same reasons why wars are waged until today,” shared Vera.
Back then, Ma-Yi artistic director Ralph Peña and Vera decided to relocate the setting of the play to Mindanao at the height of the war against the Moros during the dictatorship of Ferdinand Marcos.
“The initial challenge was how to relocate the play to the war in Mindanao from 1971 to 1981. Research on the war in Mindanao waged by then President Ferdinand Marcos was needed, and I had to find roughly similar possibilities for this adaptation,” said Vera.
Go expressed the need to tell the stories of the Muslim Filipinos. “I’m sure most of the audience don’t know the struggles of the Muslims in Mindanao. It is challenging for our Muslim brothers to tell their stories,” said Go.
Through this production, DUP investigates how Filipinos are at the center of political and ecological precarity. Just like the amihan and habagat, this season’s productions show the push and pull in the critical zones of the Philippines today.
In a way, this play is one of the ways to help Muslim Filipinos to put their truths out there. And for Filipino audiences to learn more about our recent Philippine history.
Catch Nanay Bangis on Nov. 15, 22, 29 (7:30 p.m.), Nov. 16, 23, 30 (2:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.), Nov. 17, 24, December 01 (10:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m.) at the IBG-KAL Theater, University of the Philippines Diliman.
Tickets are available at TicketMelon [ticketmelon.com/dulaang-up/nanaybangis]. For inquiries on show buying, audience sponsorship, and bulk tickets, contact Christen Perez at dulaangup.marketing.upd@up.edu.ph. Additional information will be posted on the Dulaang UP Facebook page.
