Red Turnip tackles deafness, virtual reality in new season
Posted on June 29, 2016
By NICKKY FAUSTINE P. DE GUZMAN
By NICKKY FAUSTINE P. DE GUZMAN
KICKING OFF Red Turnip Theater’s fourth season is the offbeat comedy-drama,Tribes, about a deaf man trying to find his place in the world while dealing with his loquacious anti-sign language family. The season will end with a sci-fi thriller, The Nether, that tackles identity in a world of virtual reality.
THE CAST of Tribes
Not surprisingly, the production uses a lot of sign language, and will include subtitles for those who do not sign, said director Topper Fabregas at a press launch on June 21. He said 40% of the show would be subtitled.
Red Turnip co-founder Rem Zamora added they will have special shows dedicated to the deaf community. The dates are yet to be announced.
“In addition to that, we’re also excited to see how there may be added or other nuances to the actors’ performances with them knowing they’re playing to a deaf audience,” he said.
“There are not enough productions in the Philippines [that are deaf-friendly],” said Mr. Fabregas, who noted that the representation in Tribes would be spot-on, thanks to teacher and advocate John Baliza, whom they hired to teach the cast members Filipino sign language.
Mr. Baliza, who teaches Deaf Education and Applied Studies at the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde (CSB), was with Myra Medrana, a deaf trainer from CSB’s Silent Steps deaf students dance group, during the press launch. According to Ms. Medrana (with Mr. Baliza translating) there is no universal sign language, with sign differing between nations and cultures. For instance, a raised middle finger means brother in Japanese Sign Language, but in both American and Filipino Sign Languages, it is an expletive.
Tribes, written by Nina Raine, premiered at the Royal Court Theater in London in 2010 and has since had productions in New York, Los Angeles, and Minnesota. Red Turnip’s production would be “very Filipino,” said Mr. Fabregas.
“Red Turnip has always made sure to make each play feel immediate to anyone who enters our space, and rooted in the culture we live in. Tribes is going to be Pinoy. The material may have been published abroad, but once it is interpreted by the actors and given voice by the artistic team, it becomes Filipino.”
He added that the local production would follow the original Tribes, but it would be a “sharper comedy, more piping, more real, and with inside jokes” the Pinoy audience could relate.
“Tribes is funny -- until it hits you,” said one of the cast members, Teroy Guzman.
Also in the cast are Kalil Amonte, Angela Padilla, Cris Pasturan, Dolly de Leon, and Thea Yrastorza.
THE NETHER
Red Turnip’s season will end with The Nether which will be presented in March next year at Circuit Makati. Like Tribes, the finale explores the idea of identity.
The Nether is about a virtual world, where anyone can log in, create an account, and choose an online identity. The virtual world acts as a powerful and convenient conduit for people to create an online identity that is different from their offline character. When a young detective uncovers a “disturbing brand of entertainment” online, it triggers the conflict between technology and identity.
The play’s director, Ana Abad Santos, anticipates that the challenge would be the space in theater and how she would treat it as a believable sci-fi thriller.
“The story is about pedophilia, it’s [a show with] values thrown out the window,” said Ms. Santos, “but it is [the marriage of] history and future.
“In the end, it is a love story that satisfies our need to feel loved and alive.” -- Nickky Faustine P. de Guzman
Tickets are available at TicketWorld (891-999/ www.ticketworld.com.ph) or e-mailredturniptheater@gmail.com.
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