Insiang Review (edited)

Being among one of the first persons to enter the theater (Yes, I arrived an hour before the show. Perfect!), I had an opportunity to have a good view of the set design (not to mention, the time to look around and observe the set). And I must say that it is wonderful; very realistic. I’ve been to slum areas several times already and when I entered the theater, it was as if I was in a real squatters’ area (crammed houses, small alleys, two-story apartments, sari-sari store, lighting – yung bumbilya talaga sa mga bahay sa squatters’) . The production spent much time and effort in order to come up with the set.

The play utilized narration to facilitate the flow of the story through its character “Aling Toya.” (Honestly, I’ve just a sketchy memory of the movie. But so far, with my slight research on the film, there isn’t such character in the movie. Apparently, her character was created just for the play.) Aside from assisting in the flow of the story, it was also used as an avenue for inserting humor in a very grave story. Note that she is not just a narrator but she is part of the play. Every time she narrates, it means insane moments (where people in the story see her as someone talking to one’s self). (So here again is a sketchy description…)

All the time, I was thinking if such kind of narration was actually effective. At some points, I found it a bit awkward and disturbing. ‘Toyang’ wasn’t just narrating about Insiang’s story but was actually lecturing to the audience something about the soap opera industry, mostly on musical scoring. Up until now, I still don’t understand why she had to do a bit of lecturing. But there should be something about it; I probably just didn’t get it.

As mentioned earlier, the narration was also used as an avenue for inserting humor. Observing the crowd, it seemed that they were touched by the jokes. But honestly, it didn’t work for me. Maybe because I’m someone who doesn’t easily laugh at jokes? Maybe it was a joke that I find too corny? What actually affected me was the dramatic side of ‘Aling Toyang.’ I particularly liked the scene where she mentioned something about being abused and raped.

No actor really stood out (among the main characters). Nothing’s extra-ordinary. I mean everyone had their fair share of good acting that contributed to holistic beauty of the play.

This play is not for people who are conservative (or those who simply cannot appreciate anything nude). If you’re familiar with the movie, you’d know that its main issues are sex, abuse, and violence. So what would you expect in a stage adaptation? Unlike in movies where censorship is valued much (not to mention that the movie was filmed during the Martial Law Era), in theater, you can only expect vivid and explicit scenes (as in explicit).

I’d like to think that I was lucky enough that I watched it alone. If I watched it with friends who are not exposed to such kind of art, I could have suffered from bruises (due to endless pinching). Meanwhile, it’s a bit awkward to watch such show with friends of the opposite sex unless they’re homo (I think). So if you’re planning to watch the show, I believe it is better to be viewed alone. But you really plan to watch it with a company, make sure that they are open-minded enough for sexually explicit scenes.

Watch the stage adaptation of “Insiang” to experience a more realistic and artistic version. If you’re interested to see and experience three B’s and two P’s, don’t miss to watch it.

For more information about the play, play dates and ticket purchase, visit Brighteyed Boys.