Our cultural renaissance, the plus & minus

Writing this on Day 2 of incessant rains, and the only silver lining that pops into my water-logged mind is how the deluge parallels what seems to be happening with our cultural scene this year.

It’s a renaissance of sorts in the cultural arena given how many stellar productions and events have transpired, and are still to come. Whether one speaks of the cinema, theater, ballet and dance, the arts scene, or even the gastronomic arts, it seems Manila has been a boiling cauldron this year, and there’s no sign of it letting up. That’s great for culture vultures such as myself, but it also brings out the “cautionary” in me; and hence, this impassioned plea to build up the needed support and sustained enthusiasm. It’s fine for us to puff up our “peacock breasts” with pride, and talk of Manila as a current lifestyle “hothouse,” but let’s also be there in droves as audience and/or patrons, and not end up on the sidelines as mere armchair enthusiasts.

On the cinema front, we had the most successful of Cinemalayas this year, but I heard the well-intentioned week-long Sineng Pambansa lacked the kind of support it needed for true validation. We have Transit as our official entry to the Oscars (Best Foreign Language Film category), and the UK is sending Metro Manila as its entry; but dare I ask how many of us have actually watched these two superior films? Or for that matter, the dark but sublime On The Job of Star Cinema and Reality Entertainment? Here again, we have producers, directors and actors pushing to up the “quality ante” of Filipino cinema, and even garnering well-deserved recognition abroad, but what happens to these films when they’re shown here?

The stage has never been more alive! The last month saw a brilliant run of John Webster’s Duchess of Malfi by Dulaang UP, that was staged in both English and Filipino, and we had Lorenzo at St. Benilde’s; showcasing how campus-driven theater can hold its own against the more established commercial theater companies. October sees Atlantis with Carrie (followed by The Addams Family); while Trumpets comes blaring back with its original The Bluebird of Happiness. The fledging Red Turnip stages Closer at Whitespace in Makati City, with Cris Villonco, Marc Abaya, Bart Guingona and Angel Aquino (remember the play and film with Clive Owen?); and Resorts World comes storming with Cinderella (starring Karylle and Christian Bautista). November has Rep staging the much-loved The Producers (winner of 12 Tonys when Nathan Lane and Matthew Broderick led the Broadway musical production/adaptation of this hilarious Mel Brooks film), while 9Works revs up Grease.

On the dance front, there’s Ballet Philippines’ Rock Supremo, a brilliant recasting of Bonifacio’s life, set to modern dance and rock music (followed by A Christmas Carol in December). And that’s just the tip of the iceberg! So sure, we can all save up for Wicked in January, but I really hope we also save our shekels and watch these shows with Filipino stage actors, dancers and performers.

This early, I’ve heard rumblings from the theater producers, that given how many companies and productions have sprung up, it’s not been as easy to find sponsors, have “Sold” nights, and sustain runs of more than two to three weekends. Think about it, for the performers, you invest an inordinate amount of time and effort to months of rehearsing, only to find yourself essaying the role over two to three measly weekends (something like 10 to 12 performances). This is the often uncharted love and dedication that these stage performers have to put on the line on a regular basis. So if you’re a corporation championing the arts, or wanting to proudly stand behind Filipino talent, do help these production companies. And as an individual, make the effort to really watch these shows, so that the scene can thrive and prosper. After all, it’s us, the audience, who benefit when such variety and frequency become a regular thing!

Art auctions and new restaurants are also part of today’s constantly changing lifestyle landscape; and I have to confess, I can’t venture much of an opinion on the former, while the latter is something I try and follow with my ear close to the ground (or at the least, at stomach level). But no matter whether one is an avid follower of cinema, theater, dance, art, or dining, it certainly is a good time to be here in Manila. Cities all over the world gain reputations for its diverse cultural scene, leading to an influx or increase in visitors. Too often, we’ve sat back and watched as some Filipino talent made waves abroad; well, this is their “training fields,” and it’s a scene we can now support actively and enjoy! The truth is, they need us! And if a year or two from now, we’ll be griping about the death of cultural events and happenings to attend, we only have ourselves to blame.

Family affairs

The three novels featured today all deal with family in different ways. With Kwan’s much talked about debut novel, highlighted are the manner and mores of the super-rich Singaporeans, while King’s novel has the classic “son living under the father’s shadow.” In Archer’s case, its two brothers, one legitimate, the other illegitimate, each seeking “redemption,” and their place in the sun.

Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan (Available at National Book Store) The much-hyped debut novel of Kwan comes through with flying colors as this season’s guilty pleasure. Part social satire, part ethnography of the über-rich Singapore families, this may at times descend to teleserye-type writing, but one can never say the novel drags. It chronicles the life of luxury brands, of top-notch quality homes, interiors and furniture; and places one Chinese-American girl smack in the middle of this gilded lifestyle. The prejudices of the Singapore rich is dutifully examined, how the Straits Chinese look down on transplanted mainland Chinese. A fun read throughout!

Double Feature by Owen King (available on Amazon.com) When I read that the background of the novel’s protagonist is an indie-filmmaker, I knew I had to order this novel on Amazon. What I didn’t realize is that it’s also a classic family tale, pitting father against son against the backdrop of filmmaking, with the father a renowned B-movie star of the past. With a structure that flits back and forth in time, the novel is a subtle unravelling of the protagonist’s life — how he showed he wanted to be a film director when he was in fourth grade, how his student thesis film defines the rest of his life for the wrong reasons, and how resolution comes in an unexpected manner.

Best Kept Secret by Jeffrey Archer (available at National Book Store) This novel is part three of the continuing saga of the crossed lives of Harry Clifton and Lord Giles Barrington. Having said that, those who read the first two novels will rush to acquire this and discover what happens next. Filled with the trademark Archer-style of literary cliffhangers, the novel introduces us to Sebastian Clifton, son of Harry, who unwittingly gets involved in an espionage incident. As can often be found in an Archer novel, there’s also a courtroom scene that can’t be beat for tension and page-turning anticipation. Archer may be an old school suspense author, but it still works!