Legazpi City — A surge of thrill, excitement and uncertainty awaited the manifestation of art-inclined individuals to meet the momentous exhibitions of talents on stage. Theater has long been a vessel for storytelling; a stage play set to showcase talents and excellence to express perspectives, remember history imparting societal awareness, especially this year’s Arts Month celebration.
Sining Banwa’s XP performance dares to break away from the usual, embracing the raw, spontaneous, unexpected and unknown. An intense and impressive performance that brought its audience to different kinds of emotions was witnessed on the three-day staging of talents, dated February 26-28, at the Pasakalye Black Box Art Studio in Albay, presenting an unconventional approach of storytelling through XP: OBJECTS.
The Bicol-based theater group explores the realm of performance art by offering the blends of “Experimentation, Experience, and Expression” – a unique theatrical laboratory that thrives – not only for the actors – on audience participation producing rawness and authenticity of performers through placing objects instead of scripts to deliver narratives.
Professor Jobert “Grey” Landeza, the play’s director and actor, said that the process is unique for each actor. They were not closely monitored in terms of what they did behind the scenes during rehearsal time.
Despite its impromptu nature, unlike traditional performances where cues and rehearsed lines serve as a safe way, XP demands the actors to stay alert, brace themselves to adapt to the real-time exchange of lines and plot of the story to whatever object was chosen by the audience to participate with them.
“When the object was brought to the center, there was this sudden rush of adrenaline—like, “Okay, this is it.” We had no choice. Unlike other shows where you know exactly when to go on stage and what your cue is, here, there was none of that. We just had to stay alert and wait,” Gio Alfonso Vega, theater actor, shared with satisfaction visible on his face.
The actors, known as “devicers,” were given autonomy to shape their characters through a deeply personal process.
“Each actor undergoes character analysis,” the director explained. “They base their movements, dialogues, and emotions on their own experiences.”
Unlike in traditional theater, where directors meticulously train performances, XP empowers actors to devise their own responses.
“At first, it felt like a counseling session. But after critiques, we made it more performative. We had to ensure that the audience understood the character’s journey,” Czar Ricafort, one of the performers, said.
The unpredictability of audience reactions kept the actors on edge, forcing them to stay present and engaged.
For the audience who participated with passion, staging the objects he chose, Carl Justine Lasanas, a 4th-year Literature student described it as “a great experience because it was unexpected and immersive.” it allowed different discourse to happen, challenging the audiences to reflect on their own beliefs and perspectives.
The experimental type of performance Sining Banwa showcased was not just a theater act – it mirrors human nature and societal discussions. From personal experiences, dreams, to body shaming, political issues and tests of faith. The voices that echoed in the room, the storylines that brushed on listeners’ minds weaved the fact that these pressing issues are truly felt and need more emphasis to finally be recognized once told. It leaves many a message that art could be in the form of objects, body movements and voices.I Erica Razo