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Kung Paano Nanalo sa Karera si Rosang Taba

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Dulaang UP's 'Kung Paano Nanalo sa Karera si Rosang Taba'

Jeeves De Veyra

<div style="margin:0in;color:rgb(34, 34, 34);text-align:start;text-indent:0px;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255)"><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:950px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1713436904714Plays Intro.jpg" style="width:950px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="A scene from Dulaang UP’s &#x27;Kung Paano Nanalo sa Karera si Rosang Taba.&#x27; Jeeves de Veyra "/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left"><span contenteditable="true" id="isPasted"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);letter-spacing:normal;orphans:2;text-align:left;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;white-space:normal;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial;float:none;display:inline !important">A scene from </span><span style="box-sizing:border-box;color:rgb(34, 34, 34);letter-spacing:normal;orphans:2;text-align:start;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;white-space:normal;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial;float:none;display:inline !important">Dulaang UP’s &#x27;Kung Paano Nanalo sa Karera si Rosang Taba.&#x27;</span><span style="box-sizing:border-box;color:rgb(34, 34, 34);letter-spacing:normal;orphans:2;text-align:start;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;white-space:normal;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial;float:none;display:inline !important"> <em style="box-sizing:border-box">Jeeves de Veyra</em></span> </span></span></span></span></div><div style="margin:0in;color:rgb(34, 34, 34);text-align:start;text-indent:0px;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255)"><br/></div><div><span>At first, I thought there was something slightly off with Dulaang UP’s “Kung Paano Nanalo sa Karera si Rosang Taba.”</span></div><div><span>There was the somewhat lengthy introductory sequence that took its sweet time to introduce players and characters of the play within a play, the bordering-on-slapstick exaggerated Spa-galog speech and movement of the players, and the sometimes slow way of speaking, especially during expository sequences. It was as if they were performing for children…</span></div><div><span>And then it just clicked.</span></div><div><span>Dean Francis Alfar’s “How Rosang Taba Won the Race” is actually a children’s book that was adapted to the stage by Rody Vera and Maynard Manansala and I really think the best way to experience this comedy was to watch this with a child’s eyes.</span></div><div><span>In this context, the play charms on so many levels. One of my all-time favorite one act plays ever is also based on a Dean Francis Alfar book, “Si Maria Isabella at ang Guryon ng mga Tala,” which ran at the Virgin Labfest back in 2017.</span></div><div><span>Part of this play’s quirky appeal was the compelling and inventive storytelling supported by elements that reminded me of “Guryon” like the live string and percussion section, that for this play, alternated between Spanish flamenco guitar and Filipino bandurria folk music, the inventive props and as seen in the city map stage and miniatures that represented old Manila, that at times, seemed way too expansive for the six principal players of the play.</span></div><div><span>Rosa (Kiki Baento) is a slave at the Gobernador Heneral’s (Jojo Cayabyab) mansion. This was at a time when putting down the natives was a favorite pastime of the Spaniards. In one of these sessions, Gobernador Heneral and his boorish arrogant lackey Pietrado (Victor Sy) just pile on the insults that Rosa couldn’t take anymore and mutters loudly how they aren’t all that superior. She tries to take it back but the strangely sympathetic and scheming wife of the Governor, Señora Andrea (MeAnn Espinosa), pushes a race between Rosa and Pietrado.</span></div><div style="margin:0in;color:rgb(34, 34, 34);text-align:start;text-indent:0px;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255)"><br/></div><div style="margin:0in;color:rgb(34, 34, 34);text-align:start;text-indent:0px;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255)"><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:950px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1713437039458Kiki Baento as Rosang Taba.jpg" style="width:950px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Kiki Baento as Rosang Taba. Jeeves de Veyra"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Kiki Baento as Rosang Taba. <span id="isPasted" style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);letter-spacing:normal;orphans:2;text-align:start;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;white-space:normal;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial;display:inline !important;float:none"><em>Jeeves de Veyra</em></span></span></span></span><span>Baento disappears into the physically demanding role of Rosa. She just takes the audience through a roller coaster of emotions of defiance against the foreigners, disappointment as her parents (Aldo Vencilao and Peewee O Hara) chastise her for foolishly accepting this challenge, especially because of her girth, and delight when she uses her smarts and natural curse-turned-gift to cross the finish line first.</span></div><div style="margin:0in;color:rgb(34, 34, 34);text-align:start;text-indent:0px;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255)"><br/></div><div style="margin:0in;color:rgb(34, 34, 34);text-align:start;text-indent:0px;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255)"><span>If you’ve ever been body shamed, one’s heart just goes out to Rosa when she relives being taunted and teased with all the possible variations of “taba,” “balyena,” “baboy,” and everything in between.</span><span></span></div><div style="margin:0in;color:rgb(34, 34, 34);text-align:start;text-indent:0px;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255)"><br/></div><div style="margin:0in;color:rgb(34, 34, 34);text-align:start;text-indent:0px;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255)"><span>It&#x27;s not exactly a “Tortoise and the Hare” retelling because the beats are different. In a way, Rosa still wins because of her opponent’s arrogance. In this case, there was a lot more ingenuity, careful planning, and using what seemed as her curse as a blessing to win.</span></div><div style="margin:0in;color:rgb(34, 34, 34);text-align:start;text-indent:0px;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255)"><br/></div><div style="margin:0in;color:rgb(34, 34, 34);text-align:start;text-indent:0px;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255)"><span>The three directors -- Jose Estrella, Issa Lopez, and Mark Daniel Dalacat -- aside from making the play kid-friendly upped the entertainment value by adding bits of improv throughout, occasionally breaking the fourth wall and interacting with the audience. Even though there was a bit of “Spagalog” and bits of current pop culture woven into the play, it was still clearly understood and was really played for laughs. Even my quibbles about the play, particularly the long introduction and the huge stage that eventually became the expansive race route, had their payoffs. And lastly, the race itself was a spectacle complete with Jerry Bruckheimer-ish strobes, and that clever way of showing how Rosang Taba won this race.</span></div><div style="margin:0in;color:rgb(34, 34, 34);text-align:start;text-indent:0px;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255)"><br/></div><div style="margin:0in;color:rgb(34, 34, 34);text-align:start;text-indent:0px;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255)"><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:950px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1713437202958tale of monkey and bananas.jpg" style="width:950px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="A scene from Dulaang UP’s &#x27;Kung Paano Nanalo sa Karera si Rosang Taba.&#x27; Jeeves de Veyra"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left"></span></span></span></div><p style="margin:0in;color:rgb(34, 34, 34);text-align:start;text-indent:0px;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255)">A scene from <span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);letter-spacing:normal;orphans:2;text-align:start;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;white-space:normal;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial;display:inline !important;float:none">Dulaang UP’s &#x27;Kung Paano Nanalo sa Karera si Rosang Taba.&#x27;</span><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);letter-spacing:normal;orphans:2;text-align:start;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;white-space:normal;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial;display:inline !important;float:none"> <em>Jeeves de Veyra</em></span></p><div><br/></div><div style="margin:0in;color:rgb(34, 34, 34);text-align:start;text-indent:0px;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255)"><br/></div><div><span>On another level, there are underlying adult themes like the bit on body shaming and foreign bullying that are relevant now more than ever because of social media and current tension because of our bullying neighbors. I’d say the only thing missing from the race was Pietrado having water cannons trained on Rosa as she ran the race to make another point.</span></div><div><span>It has something for everybody. Bring your kids though parental guidance is recommended for those under 10 years old for the play’s heavier themes.</span></div><div><span>All in all, “Kung Paano Nanalo sa Karera Si Rosang Taba” is a winner.</span><span id="isPasted" style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);letter-spacing:normal;orphans:2;text-align:start;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;white-space:normal;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial"></span><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);letter-spacing:normal;orphans:2;text-align:start;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;white-space:normal;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial"><em></em></span></div><div><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34);letter-spacing:normal;orphans:2;text-align:start;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;white-space:normal;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial"><em>Dulaang UP&#x27;s &quot;Kung Paano Nanalo sa Karera si Rosang Taba&quot; will be staged at the Ignacio B Gimenez-Kolehiyo ng Arte at Literatura from April 19 to May 5. </em></span></div>

<p>Dean Francis Alfar’s 'How Rosang Taba Won the Race' is actually a children’s book that was adapted to the stage by Rody Vera and Maynard Manansala.</p>

Dean Francis Alfar’s 'How Rosang Taba Won the Race' is actually a children’s book that was adapted to the stage by Rody Vera and Maynard Manansala.

Theater review: DUP's 'Kung Paano Nanalo sa Karera si Rosang Taba' is a winner

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Theater review: DUP's 'Kung Paano Nanalo sa Karera si Rosang Taba' is a winner

Jeeves De Veyra

Published Apr 19, 2024 06:22 AM PHT

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Dulaang UP

Kung Paano Nanalo sa Karera si Rosang Taba

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