Kanser Updated 2016, A Reflection Of Reality
Kanser : Updated 2016 might be over but that wouldn’t stop me from posting this entry anyway. This is not a review but more of a reflection. Kanser Updated 2016 is a musical stage play brought by Gantimpala Theater Foundation. They have been very faithful of delivering this kind of highly educational plays to younger generations. They have been doing Kanser stage play since 1979 and this year just marked its 36th anniversary. Kanser is basically a musical stageplay adaptation of Jose Rizal’s Noli Me Tangere, a novel that we are all familiar with.
If it is not mandatory for schools to include Noli and El Fili in their curriculum, do you think these books will get the same amount of interest from people today? We have to admit that we are now living in an all new generation, an era where modern technologies are greatly embraced. In fact, kids today are more engaged with their gadgets rather than being involved in much more senseful activities. With all these drastic changes in our society, do you think Kanser can still be relevant? When Rizal wrote his novel, it was able to build a strong connection to its readers that ignited Filipino’s sense of nationalism. The story made them realized that they should start to fight for their freedom but now that we are living in a new generation, will the story of Crisostomo Ibarra and Maria Clara still strong enough to leave the same impact?
Let’s have a quick recap shall we? Noli Me Tangere follows a story of Crisostomo Ibarra who returned in the Philippines after seven years. His arrival reunited him with his childhood sweetheart Maria Clara who eventually became his fiancé . The story didn’t end there as Ibarra soon discovered some heartbreaking revelation about his father’s death. He learned that Padre Damaso is the one behind it but instead of planning to revenge he instead carried through his father’s plan of putting up a school, since he believed education would pave the way to his country’s progress but his plans were changed when a stranger named Elias warned him that someone is trying to assassinate him.And we all know how the story tragically concludes.
Kanser Updated 2016 however is more than just a retelling of this classic novel. They added a very interesting twist to the story which allows this stage play to become very relevant to younger audiences while not compromising the real message of novel. They added the character of Tikong, a parodied version of President Duterte who was there not to interact with the characters but more like a third person narrator of the story who is not really telling the actual story but is throwing lines that state the current status of our society which interestingly matches the events in the novel. This is actually an impressive approach not just to make the show relevant to younger audiences but also to justify that this so-called social cancer is still not being cure and we are still experiencing it today yet the cancer is now manifested in a different form.
The message of Kanser according to its cast
Kanser Updated 2016 is not just a stageplay that will educate us about this classic novel of our National Hero and how this novel managed to ignite the sense of nationalism of the Filipino people but also to act as a reflection of reality. It made me realized that even we earned our freedom from those who conquered our land; we are still not free and cured from this social cancer at all. Corruption for an instance has been a nationwide problem and Filipinos are still suffering from its consequences! The approach of Kanser Updated 2016 is absolutely strong enough bring out someone’s nationalistic self and it is also an effective eye opener for everyone to make us realized how the current condition of our society today makes no difference to the condition of our society from the past. Too bad, the 36th season of Kanser concluded last September 16 and it seems like we just have to wait for another year to catch this impressive musical stage play adaptation. Kanser Updated 2016 was directed by Franniel “Frani” Zamora and written by Jomar Fleras.
Kanser Updated 2016 might be over but you still have chance to catch the rest of the production line up by Gantimpala Theater Foundation this year including Ibong Adarna, El Filibusterismo, Totong Tipaklong and Florante At Laura.
Carlo Mañalac as Crisostomo Ibarra and KL Dizon as Maria Clara
————————— UPDATE 2017——————————–
Kanser will open the stage once again! Gantimpala Theater Foundation will once again touch our hearts and will ignite our sense of nationalism through this meaningful play based on our national hero’s famous novel ~ Noli Me Tangere. Kanser 2017 : The Novel was written by Jomar Fleras and directed by Frannie Zamora.
Updated Cast for Kanser 2017 : The Novel
Joel Molina as Crisostomo Ibarra
Dea Formacil as Maria Clara
Paul Jake Paule as Elias
Francis Matheu as Padre Damaso
Abel Napuran as Pilosopong Tasyo
Shasha Rivera as Sisa
Aldrin Angeles as Padre Salvi
Schedule:
AFP Theater show schedules:
Sept 2 – 9am/12nn/3pm
Sept 4 – 9am/12nn
————————— UPDATE 2017——————————–
I love it when novels are turned into plays- especially when they add in a new little subplot! I would love to see this, it really sounds incredible!
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Would love to see it!
I love watching this kind of act. Very classic , giving life to classic novel but still timely, with all the issue our government are facing right now. I like the fact that they add a twist, that I believe will create a lighter vibes to the rest of the show,
This looks like a good production… I like how they focus on the social cancer that is corruption… but sadly.. that happens in almost every country and government right… huhuhuhu
would love to watch this…
Its fascinating how stage plays are still very famous in our country. I am proud that these kinds of culturally inclined masterpieces are still continuing to educate the public especially students about the history of the Philippines and our national heros. This must be something worth watching!
I honestly haven’t read the Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo books back in high school! I couldn’t understand them to be honest. Haha! But I agree that watching this play should be required to high school curriculum so that students can understand the whole story more. Wish they had this when I was in high school back then. I would’ve been interested!
Interesting! Students who are currently taking a subject related to this will surely enjoy it. Someone should suggest advertising it to schools so they can pull a large number of audience from field trips and etc. Cheers and break a leg! 🙂
When I was still a student, we would usually watch educational shows such as those. I wish the school of the boys would also be open to such way of educating the kids. Watching plays is very different from movies. I guess a certain value and culture is developed.
I have never watched any Rizal – related novels turn live on stage. And I’d really love to be able to one day. This looks like a nice performance for me, kudos to production! I love that they keep on doing this, we need more of these nowadays.
I somehow miss watching production like this. I get to teach my students dulaan in school but I haven’t exposed them on the real thing. Limited options here in the province kasi e. Fieldtrips aren’t advisable naman for theatre plays.
wow! 39 season! That’s definitely a number to be proud of. I have never heard of this story (I’m not Filipino). But I like the idea of how they modernized it with current commentaries that fit the ancient story so well. Great period costumes too!
I’m afraid that you are right, children today don’t like reading anymore. But, a school trip to a musical like this can raise their interest and turn them back towards the book. The teachers could run interactive classes too to get the children interested.
This is super promising! I always like the noli and el fili novels, how politics manipulated the country way way back. I like the way how they interject a twist on this production. Makes it more trivial as well as meeting up tha past and the present. I would totally watch this if given a chance to do so. 😉
Oh my goodness what a good play! I wish I can see this when it plays again! If you hear when they’ll be playing again, let me know!
KL Dizon? Woah!! She has an amazing voice!! I love to watch shows like this. It enlightens the historic side of every person plus it makes me love theater more. Surely, this is a successful show!! ????
I am missing a lot of shows (plays) like this because of work. I hope I can still see this. Nothing beats theater artists! They should train our TV and movie actresses.
I remember watching Kanser as a highschool student, and yep, it’s a requirement for our Filipino class. I hope they do a movie adaptation and get Jerrold Tarog to direct!
It’s great that they keep the great Filipino literary work alive specifically the work of Jose Rizal alive by making a play. This looks like a great production. I love how they focused on an issue that needs to be addressed. Attendees of the show will certainly not only be entertained but will be provoked to take action.
I admire that you watch a lot of plays. I’m trying to remember my last one… I think it was Bituing Walang Ningning. Next month, I’ll be able to watch one, finally!
This sounds and looks like a great play. When I was in high school, we watched stage plays of Rizal’s books too so this is somehow a nostalgic post for me. I want to watch their Florante and Laura! I want to see how they will relate it in the current events. 🙂
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I love plays. I liked it a lot when I was a child to play in one. Now I would love to see some opera ones. I have never done that haha. Great review about the play however.
Aaahhhh! This made me cry! Made me wanting to go back to theater life. I miss it so much!